No, “Nonprofit” Does Not Mean Taxless

Day 3 of the CivFund Compliance Training Series tackled the topic many organisations avoid, tax, and replaced fear with practical clarity. Hosted by Lillian Tamale and facilitated by the TASLAF Legal/Tax Team, the session reinforced a critical reality in Uganda’s operating environment: being nonprofit does not mean being taxless, or invisible to URA. Partners unpacked key obligations including maintaining an active TIN, managing PAYE, understanding withholding tax on payments like consultants and landlords, and budgeting for statutory contributions such as NSSF. A recurring theme was documentation as protection, “if it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.” Through candid Q&A on project-based staffing, community payments, and arrears, partners were encouraged to engage URA early and plan for tax within grants so compliance becomes routine, not a crisis. The series closed with a clear message: compliance is the infrastructure of sustainability, and CivFund’s partnerships are built on accompaniment, not disbursement alone. Read more