FRSB provide increased support for charities handling fundraising complaints
Howard Lake | 15 June 2009 | News
The Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) is to launch a drive to provide increased support for charities handling fundraising complaints. It will present its new services at the Institute of Fundraising’s National Convention in July.
The new measures will include:
• An advice line for complaint handlers. Charities can call 0845 402 5442 for support and ./guidance in handling fundraising complaints
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• A tips sheet for complaint handlers
• A full Complaints Manual (available for the FRSB’s 1,070 member charities)
Chief Executive of the Fundraising Standards Board, Alistair McLean, will deliver a session on “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” of complaints handling with Nikki Ratcliff at Which? and Claire Wilson at CRUK on 7 July at the Convention. Delegates will be advised how to build recording and handling of complaints into their everyday fundraising activity.
Alistair McLean, Chief Executive of the Fundraising Standards Board, explained the reason for the new services.
He said: “All too often the unloved and under-appreciated side of fundraising, good complaint handling can retain – sometimes increase – a donation, build donor relations and secure repeated future gifts. It is an opportunity to present donors with your fundraising ‘case’ and to engage them more closely with the cause. Whereas poorly handled or – worse – ignored complaints will likely lead to the loss of donors and a damaged reputation”.
Complaint handlers at FRSB member charities dealt with 26,349 complaints in 2008. Of all of these complaints only 20 were escalated to Stage 2 of the FRSB complaints procedure and only one required a full adjudication.
www.frsb.org.uk
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.