Update on Code of Fundraising Practice

Suzanne McCarthy who is the Chair of the Fundraising Regulator Standards Committee, has said that the public will be consulted before any major changes are made to the Code of Fundraising Practice. The Code of Fundraising Practice represents the standards expected of all Institute of Fundraising members, and it is set by the fundraising community through the work of the Institute of Fundraising Standards Committee. Any complaints about a charity's fundraising is made through the Fundraising Standards Board, which is an independent public complaints platform offering redress for the public.

Suzanne McCarthy said at the Institute of Fundraising's Annual Convention in London on 4 July, that public consultations would be held and would be widely advertised for several weeks before any significant changes were made to the Code. Mrs McCarthy said that the way the Code changes take place, will be different from what committee delegates are used to, and that if they receive a large number of responses from the general public, they will work through them and give their conclusions.

Mrs McCarthy is also reported to have said that the Committee would also look at what the written agreements between charities and third party fundraising agencies (stipulated in the Charities Act) should consist of, and include some rules relating to the new Fundraising Preference Service.

More information on the fundraising regulations and the Code of Fundraising Practice can be found at www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk

This article is for general guidance only. It provides useful information in a concise form. Action should not be taken without obtaining specific legal advice.