Fundraising Code of Practice

Photos: Matthew Henry, on Burst

This webpage is for trust fundraisers with three or more years’ experience. Beginners should USE THIS PAGE INSTEAD.

The central point is honesty – maybe not airing every bit of dirty laundry but delivering on the important points:
- It’s not just the Code of Practice, though – it’s the basis for good relationships.
- I’d go so far as to say it’s generally just a matter of working much harder as a trust fundraiser to make honesty work in practice.
- When you’re working on being honest, you also need to go back and ensure your presentation is as positive as it can be.
- It also applies to influencing techniques – they’re about presenting well what is actually the case, not getting something by a funder.
There’s good practice about comparing with other organisations
You need to include the charity number and explain what happens if you raise more or less than the target.
The circumstances in which you can choose not to work with funders are limited, but covered by the Code.
Mailings are only allowed in limited circumstances.
You need to send referees the full application so they can consent to it.
We’re not allowed to cold call trusts – but I suggest we treat the trust as advertising consent to a call if they publish their phone number.
We’re supposed to go back to the trust as early as possible about serious problems on the project.

An interesting observation by the interview team of the What Grantmakers Want podcast is that everyone mentions honesty. In their words, the relationships where applicant charities are honest and open are some of the most meaningful and highly valued, ones.