Carmichael Centre for Voluntary GroupsCarmichael Centre for Voluntary GroupsImplementing the Guiding Principles for Implementing the Guiding Principles for

FundraisingFundraising

Sheila NordonExecutive Director

9th November 2010

TODAY’S WEBINARTODAY’S WEBINAR

• Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising - Why charities should follow the principles- Context and background

• Web Resources

- Practical help in implementing the Guiding Principles for Fundraising

- Good Practice Factsheets

• Your Questions answered

Why charities should apply the principles Why charities should apply the principles

• Public Trust and Confidence

• Demonstrate that charities operate to high standards

• International best practice

• You are doing most of it anyway – let the public know!

CONTEXT – WHY GUIDING PRINCIPLES WERE CONTEXT – WHY GUIDING PRINCIPLES WERE DEVELOPED?DEVELOPED?

The Charities Act 2009 provides:• All types of public fundraising to require permits• New Charity Regulator to be appointed• Annual charity reporting to include fundraising

• The practices and procedures used by charities for fundraising will be regulated by agreed Codes of Practice to be developed with the charities sector

• Reserved power for the Minister

Brief Background Brief Background

• Who developed the principles?

• How were they developed?

• How are they being implemented?

• This initiative is funded by the Charities Regulation Unit of the Dept. Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs

Is the Statement the same as Code of Practice?Is the Statement the same as Code of Practice?

• Not a detailed code – more a set of overarching principles and guidelines for fundraising in Ireland

• On the website = links to various codes

Core PrinciplesCore Principles

• Respect

• Honesty

• Openness

Web Resources designed to help youWeb Resources designed to help you

• Samples/Drafts provided of: • Donors’ Charter• Feedback and Complaints Procedure• Public Statement(s)• Disclosure Statement(s)• Public Compliance Statement

• FAQs • Donors• Fundraisers

• Compliance Checklist

Commitment to DonorsCommitment to Donors

• Donors’ Charter• standards that donors or prospective donors can expect• expand and go further as befits your organisation’s mission• assurance - gifts used for purpose for which given• donors informed of status of fundraiser - employee/volunteer/third

party agent• respect for donor’s wishes – names deleted from mailing

lists/databases etc as requested

• easily accessible• Website• Brochures etc.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURECOMPLAINTS PROCEDURE Establish a complaints procedure

Specify clearly all available channels of redress

Making a complaint should be as easy as possible

Deal with it quickly and politely

Respond accordingly

Learn from complaints

COMPLAINT PROCEDURECOMPLAINT PROCEDURE

• All complaints referred directly to the charity in the first instance

• What if the complaint is not resolved? 

• Role of the Monitoring Group

Public StatementPublic Statement

• Public should be made aware that your organisation is complying with the statement

• This can be done by making a statement to that effect on your... audited accounts/ annual report/ website/ brochures etc.

• Your organisations statement can outline its commitment to the statement of guiding principles....

Disclosure Statement:Disclosure Statement:

Pg 15 of the Statement of Guiding Principles for

Fundraising: “Donors have the right to be informed of the status and

authority of those soliciting donations; for example: donors will be informed if fundraisers are employees

of the organisation or third party agents”

Public Compliance StatementPublic Compliance Statement

• Further distillation of Statement

• Comprehensive public facing declaration of compliance

• Suited to Annual Reports and websites

When Does Adherence Commence?When Does Adherence Commence?

NOW! No time to loseNOW! No time to lose• Board of your charity formally commit that the

organisation will comply with the statement• Agree an implementation schedule• Plan to report on compliance annually (Comply or

explain principle)• Checklist - further information on how to do this/

plan for it• Monitoring process to start end 2010/early 2011

We are not a charity, does the statement apply We are not a charity, does the statement apply to us?to us?

• No obligation if not a charity

• Can be voluntarily applied if an organisation so wishes = high levels of accountability / transparency

Compliance ChecklistCompliance Checklist

Overarching document to assist charities compliance with the Statement

– Appoint person(s) to ensure implementation– Signed off annually– File together with supporting documentation– Report on compliance in Annual Report (Public Checklist)

What happens if a charity doesn’t comply with What happens if a charity doesn’t comply with the Statement?the Statement?

• Annual report must include a record of fundraising activity and application of statement

• Monitoring group will assess application of statement

• If non adherence is found – appropriate action will be taken

Good Practice Factsheets – coming shortly!Good Practice Factsheets – coming shortly! Handling Cash and Postal donations

Garda Permits

Insurance

Raffles and Lotteries

Data Protection

Guidelines on pre-signed Mass Cards

The benefits of implementing the GuidelinesThe benefits of implementing the Guidelines

• More public trust +• Greater Accountability +• Enhanced reputation

+• Greater recognition

= More Funds!

YOUR QUESTIONSANSWERED

WWW.ICTR.IE