Self-Regulation is Dealing With Complaints About Charitable Fundraising

LONDON - ATTN: England and Wales

In its second annual review the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB), which runs the self-regulation scheme for charitable fundraising, reports that the charities and fundraising organisations that have joined the scheme now represent nearly 40% of the GBP10bn of voluntary income raised annually in the UK.

Representing the voice of the public, the FRSB established by government and launched in 2007, monitors and deals with public complaints about fundraising and how its member charities deal with them. Every year scheme members report on complaints received and dealt with. Key headlines include:

- 26,349 public complaints in total were received about a range of fundraising methods. Although a significant amount it represents 0.005% of the total volume of fundraising activity reported - the highest level of complaints for a single fundraising method - 19,608 - concerned “addressed direct mail”. This represented 0.04% of the reported volume of direct mail sent. - despite negative media coverage of street fundraising, it only generated 379 complaints to members - although the Advertising Standards Authority saw an increase in complaints about charity direct response TV advertising, FRSB members have received very few.

More complaints are being received about organisations that have not joined the scheme says the review. As the FRSB cannot handle these directly they have been referred to other bodies such as the Information Commissioner and the Charity Commission. Consideration needs to be given to reviewing how we can appropriately deal with non-member complaints says the FRSB so that the standards set and maintained by the members are protected.

“FRSB research has shown that 71% of the public would trust a charity more if it was displaying the FRSB tick[1].” says FRSB chief executive Alistair McLean. “The giving public should look out for our new ‘give with confidence’ tick logo which provides them with a clearer message about what we stand for and that our member charities or fundraising organisations commit to, and champion, best fundraising practice. And as our tick logo is more widely used, it is sending a strong message to both the public and organisations that haven’t yet joined.”

The FRSB Annual Review 2008/9 “Building confidence” is available at: www.frsb.org.uk/pdf/FRSB_Annual_Review_200809.pdf

Notes to editors:

1. For a full pdf of Building Confidence go to:

www.frsb.org.uk/pdf/FRSB_Annual_Review_200809.pdf

2. For information about the FRSB Complaints Process go to:

www.givewithconfidence.org.uk/default.aspx?page=/gwc/raising-your-concerns/where-we-can-help

3. For information about the FRSB go to: www.givewithconfidence.org.uk / www.frsb.org.uk

4. For an FRSB ‘give with confidence’ tick logo contact Bonnie Green as Above

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[1] nfpSynergy Scottish Charity Engagement Monitor (SCEM) October 2008

Research conducted by nfpSynergy in its Scottish Charity Engagement Monitor in October 2008 with 1000 members of the Scottish public

For further media information contact: Bonnie Green on +44(0)7774-650-391 email: bonnieg@frsb.org.uk

LONDON, May 14 /PRNewswire/ –

Source: Fundraising Standards Board

For further media information contact: Bonnie Green on +44(0)7774-650-391 email: bonnieg at frsb.org.uk