The UK public is hugely generous when it comes to giving to its favourite charities. Making sure that this generosity is not abused is important, not only for those individuals donating, but also for the charities conducting the fundraising.
Charity Fundraising Mystery Shopping
For the charity sector ensuring that fundraising activity is conducted in the right way is critical for all stakeholders. The Institute of Fundraising lays out its key code of practice to help charities ensure they go about fundraising activity with due care and consideration for all individuals making donations.
The Importance of Charity Supervision
Recent news articles have shown how important this can be with a number of well known charities coming under the spotlight, from both politicians and the general public alike. Negative news headlines are not good for fundraisers, charities or the recipients of donations. If policy makers and government find that voluntary codes of conduct are not adhered to, then enforced regulation will undoubtedly follow.
To ensure that the reputation of the sector is maintained ‘The Charity Commission’ laid out some key fundraising principles in CC20 Charities and Fundraising Guidance to help.
Fundraising Principles for Trustees – Source: The Charity Commission
Who is responsible for ensuring compliant and ethical fundraising?
With Trustees and Managers on the front-line of supervision, the lessons from recent negative publicity are clear. Charities need to ensure their house is in order to avoid stricter government regulation and bad publicity.
The recently published Etherington Report indicated three lines of defence to safeguard individuals from charity fundraising where the usual standards fall short of an acceptable level. At the same time there is a need to balance the needs of a charities ability to ask for donations, with an individuals right to be left alone through a fundraising preference service currently in the process of being developed.
Watch the latest livestream from the IOF AND SMALL CHARITIES COALITION FORUM ON FUNDRAISING REGULATION
Fundraising methods which can be mystery shopped (Supervise your Fundraisers)
With the fundraisers using many different methods of collection there is a number of areas which can be potentially problematic. Whether this is through telephone fundraising, street fundraising or in high street charity shops. Providing a service which follows the codes of conduct is in the best interest of all parties concerned.
Providing an additional layer of audit for your charity
Tern can support you with charity supervision by providing you with mystery shopping in any of the fundraising routes above, giving you the ability to fix any potential issues. Mystery shopping can also act as a support for your second line of defence checking.
To see how we can help you with your supervision fill out our charity mystery shopping discussion form.
Our experienced support managers will help guide you with best practice.
Links to Useful Charity Organisations.
• Institute of Fundraising
• Fundraising Standards Board
• Small Charities Coalition
• Charity Commission