CAF and Consumer Association to build confidence in charities

Howard Lake | 2 October 2002 | News

Following the Government’s Strategy Unit proposals announced last week, CAF (Charities Aid Foundation) and the Consumers’ Association (CA) are joining forces to improve the transparency of charities and build confidence in the

sector.

They will be embarking on a new initiative to provide information and assurance about the way charities operate, their fundraising activities and how they use their funds.

In its first year of operation, the two organisations will set up a Steering Group to discover what type of information is required and to secure the full support of the sector and the Charity Commission. The Steering Group will also examine how information about the performance of charities can be built into what is already provided to donors and stakeholders.

Given that many charities now act on an international basis, the group also plans to link in with other similar initiatives in the USA, Europe and developing countries.

Sheila McKechnie, Director of the Consumers’ Association, said today: “The report from the Government’s Strategy Unit provides a unique opportunity to raise and sustain public confidence in fundraising charities.”

CAF and CA will be consulting with a number of organisations, including NCVO, Institute of Fundraising and the Charity Commission, to ensure that any proposals brought forward reflect the needs of both donors and charities

in this field. They will also be inviting business and charitable foundations, as well as the sector itself, to join them as partners in this initiative to increase existing high levels of trust and confidence in charities.

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.