IoF updates guidance on fundraising with vulnerable donors
Melanie May | 23 November 2016 | News
The Institute of Fundraising has updated its guidance aimed at helping charities better support vulnerable donors, in the run up to the busy festive season.
The Treating Donors Fairly guidance was launched at the annual IoF Individual Giving Conference on 21 November and aims to assist fundraisers in recognising and responding appropriately to people in vulnerable circumstances.
As well as being timed to help charities in the busy Christmas season, it has also been issued in response to the changes made in the Code of Fundraising Practice earlier in the year, and the new requirements set out in the 2016 Charities Act that require charities to report on steps taken to protect vulnerable individuals in their Annual Report.
It provides practical assistance in recognising people in vulnerable circumstances and recommends appropriate ways in which fundraisers should respond.
The guidance covers mental capacity and vulnerability and how fundraisers can respond, data protection and the recording of personal data, and a step-by-step guide to developing a fundraising policy. Each section contains information on identifying vulnerable circumstances in a way that fundraisers can relate to, and gives checklists, examples, and practical tips aimed at helping both the fundraiser and senior charity staff responsible for fundraising strategy.
IoF chief executive Peter Lewis, said:
“Fundraisers do an amazing job, especially during the festive season, raising millions of pounds for good causes. They inevitably come into contact with people in vulnerable circumstances and need support to be able to recognise these situations, and know how to respond appropriately when they arise. This updated practical guide offers precisely this support.”
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.