The last few weeks have seen concerns resurface in the media about charity fundraising, from the Sunday papers reporting the Charity Commission as warning about ‘hounding’ of individuals, to the reports about some charities’ alleged reluctance to provide start-up funding for the new regulator.
Concerning and frustrating as it is to read these stories, at times there has been more heat than light in the discussions.
Many actions already taken
Firstly, it is vital to remember that since the revelations last summer there have been massive steps taken to address the issues around charity fundraising. This will always be a work in progress, but the action we have taken to tighten up the Code of Fundraising Practice – including banning the selling of a person’s data and making it compulsory to include an opt-out option on every fundraising communication; the establishment of the new Fundraising Regulator; and the steps taken by many individual charities to review and enhance fundraising practices, show that there is a strong and widespread commitment to take the steps needed to respond and rebuild public trust in the sector.
This will of course take time, but a huge amount of action has already been taken and more is to come in the near future.
Funding the new regulator
The reports over recent weeks that some charities are reluctant to fund the set up cost of the new regulator seem to be missing the reality of what has actually been said and the general mood of the sector. There is widespread support for a new, stronger regulator with universal remit. This has been called for by IoF members for many years and this continues to come through in our surveys of members. And to my knowledge the vast majority of charities who have been asked are happy to provide the upfront fees requested.
Of those who are yet to formally agree to provide the set up fees, the majority seem to have simply requested further information before they provide these start-up costs. Surely asking reasonable questions and reassurances about how the money will be spent demonstrates good governance rather than demonstrating that charities are ‘pushing back’ or no longer support the new regulator.
At the Institute we have been facilitating a number of initial discussions between fundraisers from large and small charities, agencies and the new regulator. These have been universally extremely open and constructive.
Media and political scrutiny will continue
And it is important that we hold in mind this sense of perspective – because there are even greater challenges to come which will test the sector. The media and political scrutiny of charities and in particular fundraising for good causes is likely to continue. As the media reaction to the Charity Commission’s reminder to charities on Monday highlight, charity fundraising will be in the headlines even if nothing ‘new’ happens, and before the new system of regulation has even come into effect.
And there are clearly big questions that the new Fundraising Regulator is grappling with, not least around the Fundraising Preference Service, and where, with the initial proposals now published, we can expect an open and heated debate.
But, from the Institute’s perspective, we must absolutely remember that any discussion, any disagreement, will be happening in the context of the widest possible support and commitment to learn lessons and improve practice, to support the establishment of the new system of fundraising regulation and to take action rebuild public trust in fundraising.
British charities are not a ‘nice to have’, they are an essential part of our society. Fundraisers and the fundraising sector are the lifeblood of our charities. We are a diverse sector and people are sure disagree on certain issues. But as much as there will be disagreements within the sector about aspects of policy and regulation, this must not be mistaken for a lack of desire to see the new system of regulation be successful or to continue to improve fundraising practice.
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