As I write this we are mid-way through the Fundraising Regulator’s consultation period for the revised Code of Fundraising Practice which is due to be implemented from early 2025. If you haven’t looked at the revised code then you have just under a month to digest it and flag up any concerns or irritations you may have, signal any potential misunderstandings, and urge clarity on any specific areas.
The new principles-based code is, in the words of the regulator, “streamlined and simplified to improve ease of use and provide a framework that can be applied in a variety of different scenarios”. The revised guidance has 70% fewer rules and around 45% fewer words. But this doesn’t mean that rules have been discarded – rather they have been condensed, adapted or consolidated to reduce repetition and, with any luck, provide clarity.
There are also some new rules being introduced, specifically around “unstaffed collections” (such as bag collections, or tap and donate), how to pay fundraisers, how to engage with the regulator, and using fundraising platforms. Further information is being provided through a series of code compliance guides covering practices such as documenting decisions, due diligence and monitoring.
It really is in the best interests of sector leaders, agencies, consultants and other fundraising professionals to engage with the regulator during what is left of the consultation period, which runs until 1 November. That is not to say the code won’t continue to adapt and the sector will still be able to input into how the regulator handles digital innovation and AI, for example. There will also be a six-month implementation period where charities will have time to align their practice with the new guidance.
It is worth remembering that the Fundraising Regulator’s primary purpose is to serve and protect the public, not the fundraising profession, so it is imperative that the sector engages when given the chance. There is no point in bemoaning new guidance or failing to understand it properly once the revised code is launched. The time to speak up is now. Don’t miss it.
@stevejcotterill is the editor of Fundraising Magazine
