Fundraising Standards Board is Having an Impact on Charity Fundraising
LONDON, May 8/PRNewswire/ --
- ATTN: England and Wales Editors Only
Impact on charitable fundraising standards, handling and resolving public
complaints and heeding public opinion are all reported in the first annual
review of the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) which administers the scheme
for the self-regulation of fundraising practice.
Contrary to early expectations that most complaints about fundraising
would predominately be about face to face fundraising, experience in the
first year suggests otherwise. Annual returns received from the scheme's 826
members, show that 8434 complaints were received. As expected, members
resolved the majority of these complaints themselves at stage one of the FRSB
three stage complaints process. There were four areas in which scheme members
reported receiving significantly high numbers of complaints:
- 31.1 % of the total complaints received related to direct mail.
- 21.7% of the complaints received related to data protection issues.
- 21.1% related to telephone fundraising
- 13.6% were about face to face fundraising
"Taken together with the findings from our first public attitude research
report(1), it appears that the practice of direct mail is causing concern and
problems for many charities and supporters alike" says Jon Scourse, FRSB
Chief Executive. "The high number of complaints about data protection issues
is a worrying statistic given this issue is bound by legal requirements."
Complaints escalated to the FRSB and resolved at stage two of the process
related to direct mail, telephone fundraising and legacy fundraising. One
complaint was escalated to final adjudication.
"There's clear evidence, illustrated in the annual review, that many
members are taking their joining of the scheme very seriously by overhauling
internal systems concerned with compliance of relevant Institute of
Fundraising (IoF) Codes of Fundraising Practice and their complaints
procedures, says FRSB Chairman Colin Lloyd. "The IoF Codes of Fundraising
Practice are being read and used more whilst individual fundraisers are
having personal objectives set against code and FRSB compliance. Some grant
givers are now asking applicants about FRSB membership. This is clearly
contributing towards improving standards in the sector."
A major responsibility of the FRSB is to be the voice of the public and
to ensure that sector codes of fundraising practice take its interest into
account. People's opinions are important, the review points out, and their
views should not only be heard but heeded if public trust and confidence in
charitable fundraising is to be built. "The results of our research into
public and committed supporter attitudes to direct mail, which indicated
strong views about this method of fundraising, were fed back to the IoF
consultation on a new Code of Fundraising Practice on direct mail" reports
Colin Lloyd. "This is the first time ever that the public view has been
sought and utilised in this way."
Phil Hope MP, Minister of the Third Sector said: "The Fundraising
Standards Board has made good progress in its first year and we are pleased
with the support the sector has given so far. Public trust and confidence in
charity fundraising is vital. The widespread use of the FRSB 'tick' logo on
fundraising materials enables donors to give with confidence, in the
knowledge that scheme members follow best practice underpinned by an
independent complaints process. As awareness increases, we would expect to
see more charities that care about their fundraising joining the scheme."
While confidence in charities remains high, there is evidence from recent
research(2)(3), that would suggest that this may be coming under pressure.
"This illustrates why the Fundraising Standards Board, which exists to help
the public give with confidence, is important" said Jon Scourse. "The charity
sector has been given the privilege to launch and make self-regulation work.
The impact of state regulation on the telephone marketing industry through
the Telephone
Preference Service had a huge impact. If self-regulation for charitable
fundraising fails, the Government has powers to impose statutory regulation
with the resulting negative economic effect it will have on our sector."
If a member of the public has a concern about a charity's fundraising,
they can find out what to do by visiting the FRSB website at
http://www.frsb.org.uk
Driving up standards, the 2007/2008 FRSB Annual Review is available at
http://www.frsb.org.uk
Notes to editors:
1. For a pdf of the FRSB Annual Review - Driving up standards contact
Bonnie Green on +44(0)7774-391-560 or bonnieg@frsb.org.uk .
2. Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB)
The FRSB was launched to the public in February 2007 as the
self-regulatory scheme for charitable fundraising. With grants from the
Office of the Third Sector and the Scottish Government, it strives to
encourage the highest standards of fundraising practice by all fundraising
organisations, regardless of their size and status. The scheme 'tick' logo,
displayed by all members, is a mark of reassurance to the public that they
are committed to being honest, legal and open in their fundraising
activities. As well as broadcasting members' high standards of fundraising,
the scheme underpins this with a complaints process. 826 charities,
fundraising organisations and suppliers such as direct marketing companies
joined the scheme in its first year. Current membership is 850. There's a
separate office for Scotland and NI. http://www.frsb.org.uk
3. The FRSB Complaints Process
The FRSB's complaints process is operated in three stages. In the first
instance the member organisation must attempt to resolve a complaint. If this
cannot be achieved, the member is obliged to advise the complainant of the
option to refer the complaint to the FRSB for the second level of the
process. If a resolution is not reached at stage two it is escalated to the
third and final stage for adjudication by the Board. All details of
complaints are kept confidential except in the case of a stage three
adjudication when the result is published on the FRSB website.
4. The Institute of Fundraising: http://www.institute-of-fundraising.com
5. Telephone Preference Service: the Privacy in Electronic Communications
Regulations http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/
---------------------------------
(1) Signed, sealed and delivered - what the public thinks of charity
direct mail. FRSB, November 2007. http://www.frsb.org.uk/england/news-item/11
(2) Charity Awareness Monitor 2007, nfpSynergy 2008.
http://www.nfpsynergy.net
(3) UK Giving Report 2007, National Council for Voluntary
Organisations/Charities Aid Foundation December 2007.
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/research/index
For further media information contact:
Bonnie Green,
Direct tel: +44(0)7774-650-391 or +44(0)845-402-5442,
e: bonnieg@frsb.org.uk
Source: Fundraising Standards Board
For further media information contact: Bonnie Green, Direct tel: +44(0)7774-650-391 or +44(0)845-402-5442, e: bonnieg@frsb.org.uk
2008-05-07 19:31:43 0355917 PRNEWSWIRE