The Fundraising Standards Board is an independent body that has been established to introduce and operate the self-regulation of fundraising in the UK.
The Fundraising Standards Board encourages charities and other fundraising to become members of the self-regulation scheme and ensure that each member commits to the highest fundraising standards, and that they have a robust complaints procedure in place.
The Fundraising Standards Board began recruiting organisations to join the scheme in June 2006 and the scheme was publicly launched in February 2007.
Members of the Fundraising Standards Board Scheme must:
- Adhere to the Institute of Fundraising’s Codes of Fundraising Practice and Code of Conduct and The Fundraising Promise, which together represent the highest standards of good practice in fundraising.
- Have procedures in place to deal with public complaints. They should also offer a complaints 'safety net' whereby members of the public can contact the Fundraising Standards Board if they are not satisfied with the charity’s response.
- Demonstrate that they are members of the Fundraising Standards Board scheme by displaying the scheme logo on their external communications.
To understand what membership of the Fundraising Standards Board will mean for Institute of Fundraising Organisational members, visit the Institute's Self-Regulation and Organisational Membership pages.
Read more about the History of the Development of the Fundraising Standards Board (126kb).
Role of the Fundraising Standards Board
The Fundraising Standards Board is a Community Interest Company (CIC); that is, a limited company designed specifically to operate for the benefit of the community, rather than for private advantage.
The 12 Fundraising Standards Board’s Board members are responsible for making final adjudications on public complaints about fundraising. In order to represent a balance of interests, the Board members include representatives from the voluntary, consumer protection and charity law sectors, plus five lay board members. Read more about the Board Members.
