The Institute of Fundraising today welcomed the major reforms announced by the Fundraising Standards Board in order to improve its performance and to give it the platform that it needs for success in the future.
Following discussions with directors of fundraising in many of the large fundraising organisations, all who agreed on the need to make self-regulation work, the Institute is pleased that the FRSB has agreed to the following reforms, in order to move forward:
- The FRSB will place an enhanced emphasis on working in partnership with charities. The Institute looks forward to seeing some practical steps being put into place to ensure that the messaging and marketing of the FRSB happens after proper engagement and input from charities. Further to the establishment of a steering group of charities, the Chair of the FRSB, Colin Lloyd, will be recruiting membership of the FRSB Advisory Group with immediate effect.
- The FRSB will concentrate on membership recruitment rather than profile raising. The Institute of Fundraising will also commit to actively support the FRSB on its membership recruitment, both to its members as well as the wider fundraising community. There will also be a simplification of the joining process that is presently required for organisations to become members of the FRSB.
- The Fundraising Standards Board will undertake a cultural shift in PR, communications and marketing. From this point forward, there will be a concentrated focus on membership marketing, and not brand awareness, of the FRSB. The press work highlighting negative areas of fundraising and suggesting to the public that they should complain if unhappy, will cease. These will be replaced with more positive messages that will focus on the principles contained in the fundraising promise and will emphasize the “Give with Confidence” to charities messaging. The independent complaints process will be promoted by the charity members of the FRSB to their complainants - when they complain.
Paul Amadi, Chair of the Institute of Fundraising, on behalf of the Appeals Directors Group said:
“While the above constitutes major change, the FRSB will still manage itself as a membership body and as such needs to secure its financial future. As a result the Chair of the FRSB has informed me that the fees will rise to £5,000 for the very largest charities.
"He has also undertaken to endeavor to keep fees at £5,000 cap level. He has a contractual obligation to give two months notice for this increase. I believe that this is to happen shortly.
“My sincere request to fundraisers and fundraising organisations, is to continue to work with the Institute to ensure that these, and other reforms that are likely to be necessary in the future, make the substantive improvements that are necessary to ensure the success of a self-regulatory environment.”
###-ENDS-###
For further information please contact:
Diana Mackie Tel. 020 7840 1027 / 07793 802 852
Institute of Fundraising
Email Diana Mackie
