New guidance from Institute of Fundraising on treating donors fairly
Howard Lake | 2 December 2014 | News
The Institute of Fundraising has introduced a new standard to its Code of Fundraising Practice which covers treating all donors fairly. The new rule requires fundraisers to enable donors to make informed decisions and take into account the needs of individuals who may be in a vulnerable position.
The new rule, approved by the Institute’s Standards Committee and Board comes into force with immediate effect.
It is designed to help fundraisers ensure that everyone has the support that they need to make an informed decision on their donation.
It has been developed following recommendations from a Working Group set up earlier this year in response to an Fundraising Standards Board adjudication.
How to treat donors fairly
The Code of Fundraising Practice now states at Section 1.2 (e) (General Principles) that:
i) “Fundraisers OUGHT to take all reasonable steps to treat a donor fairly, enabling them to make an informed decision about any donation. This OUGHT to include taking into account the needs of any potential donor who may be in a vulnerable circumstance or require additional care and support to make an informed decision.
ii) Fundraisers OUGHT NOT to exploit the credulity, lack of knowledge, apparent need for care and support or vulnerable circumstance of any donor at any point in time.”Advertisement
The Institute has produced new guidance for members, which it presented to delegates at the Institute’s Individual Giving Conference in London this week.
The new guidance is entitled ‘Treating donors fairly: responding to the needs of people in vulnerable circumstances and helping donors make informed decisions’. It covers issues such as:
· Identifying people who may be in a vulnerable circumstance
· When fundraisers should not take donations
· Steps that fundraisers can take to help donors make an informed decision
· Whether donations can be returned
· Issues around mental capacity and power of attorney
Treating donors fairly can be downloaded for free.
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.