Three Weeks Left to Share your Views on Direct Mail Fundraising

Howard Lake | 10 September 2007 | Newswire

The Institute of Fundraising (‘Institute’) continues to invite fundraisers to feed into the draft Code of Fundraising Practice ‘Direct Mail’ online at www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk. There are just three weeks left ahead of the consultation’s close on Friday 28th September.
The first ever Direct Mail Code of Fundraising Practice will set out the best practice standards for Direct Mail fundraising. It is core Institute policy to support Direct Mail and promote its responsible use, and in launching the first ever Direct Mail Code of Fundraising Practice for consultation, the Institute is seeking to strengthen the use of Direct Mail in fundraising.
A recent poll by the Institute of its website users shows that 82% of respondents do not agree that charities should send out coins in mailings to potential supporters. The Institute is keen to capture as many different opinions on the fundraising mechanism as possible in its development of the new Code.
Providing ./guidance on fundamental Direct Mail principles, the draft Code covers:
– Clear ./guidance and best practice on practicalities such as reciprocal mailings and data collection
– Shock tactics and enclosures in Direct Mail packs
– Ethical considerations in using Direct Mail to fundraise.
Lindsay Boswell, Chief Executive of the Institute of Fundraising, says:
Don’t miss out on your opportunity to feed into this important new Code. Direct Mail is one of the key ways that charities recruit new donors. However, it is an area of fundraising which has traditionally been seen as contentious amongst donors. Already there has been lots of debate about this fundraising technique.
In the brave new world of self-regulation, these codes of fundraising practice become the benchmark for the Fundraising Standards Board to judge complaints of its members against.”
Commenting on the consultation, Stephen Pidgeon, Chairman at Target Direct and Chair of the Direct Marketing Code Working Party, says:
“The proposed new Direct Mail Code of Fundraising Practice has two roles. It will act as a back-stop to prevent the short-term profit taking that actually threatens the market and could well ruin it for good, long-term fundraising. And it will encourage fundraisers to chose suitable methods for their donors, to consider the most appropriate content for mail packs and how often donors should be approached in this way.”
-ENDS-
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
For further information please contact:
Diana Mackie Tel. 020 7840 1027/ 07793 802 852
Institute of Fundraising email: di****@in**********************.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Institute of Fundraising
The Institute of Fundraising (www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk) represents fundraisers and fundraising throughout the UK and is committed to the highest standards in fundraising management and practice. The Institute of Fundraising is the largest individual representative body in the voluntary sector with 4500 Individual members and 250 Organisational members.
2. Direct Mail Code Working Party
· Stephen Pidgeon, Target Direct, Chair of Working Party
· Nick Brooks, Kingston Smith
· David Burrows, TDA Ltd
· Caroline Howe, Institute of Fundraising
· Roger Lawson, Cascaid
· Angharad McKenzie, Practical Action
· Megan Pacey, Institute of Fundraising
· Marian Rose, NSPCC
· Clare Routley, WRVS
· Kathryn Toner, Cancer Research UK
· Liz Williams, British Red Cross
· Catherine Wright, Epilepsy Action
3. Codes of Fundraising Practice
The Institute has established 26 Codes of Fundraising Practice, representing the best practice standards set for fundraisers in the UK, in addition to the Code of Conduct. Each Code covers a separate fundraising technique and provides not only information on relevant areas of the law but also the best practice that the fundraising sector has set itself to ensure the highest standards.

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.