# Covid-19: Call for charities to answer sector-wide survey to assess impact

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/03/18/covid-19-call-for-charities-to-answer-sector-wide-survey-to-assess-impact/
- Published: 2020-03-18T17:03:21+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The Institute of Fundraising has launched a sector-wide survey together with NCVO
and CFG to try and assess how coronavirus will impact charities, and is asking charities
to participate, with a deadline of Monday 23 March.**

 

The sector bodies have been working together to influence and shape government policy
on future support for the sector and need evidence of this kind to help them inform
decisions.

## Advertisement

 

They say that they expect fundraising directors/finance directors, or those with
the overview of their charity’s finances, to predominantly be the ones filling out
the survey and appreciate that respondents might not have the time or information
to answer every question, but that every response will be useful.

 

The deadline of 23 March is necessarily short because of the need to move quickly,
and so that the results can feed into policy asks.

 

The survey can be accessed [here](https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MJJ77JQ).

 

> We are working with [@NCVO](https://twitter.com/NCVO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) & [@CFGtweets](https://twitter.com/CFGtweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> to try to understand how [#coronavirus](https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronavirus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> will impact your charity & we need your help! We are asking you to fill out this
> survey by EOP 23 Mar so we can turn these results into policy asks: [https://t.co/2V4ZT2uzt2](https://t.co/2V4ZT2uzt2).
> For full info see below⬇️1/5 [pic.twitter.com/knnzqc8rqk](https://t.co/knnzqc8rqk)
> — Chartered Institute of Fundraising (@CIOFtweets) [March 18, 2020](https://twitter.com/CIOFtweets/status/1240255805674356736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

 

 

The [IoF](https://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/home/) and Fundraising Regulator
have also today (18 March) issued advice for all charities to reflect seriously 
on whether they should continue public fundraising, due to the increased health 
risk to the general population with Covid-19.

 

Following the government’s advice on social distancing, they advise carrying out
a thorough risk assessment, with any decision to continue public fundraising documented
and made at the most senior level.

 

Based on the IoF’s data on year-on-year sign ups, it predicts that if no further
face to face fundraising happens in 2020/2021, there would be a loss of 800,000 
supporters who would have signed up to charitable causes through door to door, street
and private site fundraising, which could lead to hundreds of millions of pounds
in lost income in lost income for charities over the next few years and up to 3,000
job losses if face-to-face agencies go under.

 

It has a [blog series](https://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/blog/tags/coronavirus/)
on what fundraisers can do to mitigate the impact, and will continue to update the
coronavirus information page for fundraisers as events develop.

 

The IoF says it is ‘taking active steps to do all we can to help support the public
fundraising sector and our members, both charities and agencies, at this uniquely
difficult time.’

 

It has already:

 

 * Called on Government to provide a safety net for charities through emergency 
   funding and other support
 * Called on Government to ensure that fundraising agencies are able to access financial
   support (such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme) noting that it
   estimates 3,000 public fundraising jobs are at risk in the sector

 

In addition, it will be taking the following steps:

 

 * Convening a virtual forum for charities/fundraising agencies to discuss how best
   to work together and support each other
 * Advising charities and agencies to talk to each other to see where any work can
   be postponed, or alternative plans put in place, to ensure the future sustainability
   of public fundraising
 * Providing additional support and guidance where we can including getting as much
   clarity as possible as to how long this suspension of activity will need to be
   in place

 

The Fundraising Regulator will also be publishing practical advice over the coming
days and weeks as the situation develops.

![Loading](https://fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/page-views-count/ajax-loader-
2x.gif)