The chair of the Fundraising Regulator has criticised 138 charities as being “unacceptable and unprofessional” for not responding to the watchdog’s communications about the levy.
Writing in a blog on the Institute of Fundraising’s website, Lord Grade said it was “unacceptable and unprofessional” that 138 charities have still not responded to its levy communications. He also wrote that the charities still refusing to pay the levy are “effectively being subsidised by those who have” which he said was “hardly a fair situation”.
“Those charities that haven’t paid are effectively being subsided by those who have, which is hardly a fair situation. All of these charities have the ability to pay the levy," said Grade. “It is unacceptable and unprofessional that 138 charities have still not even responded to our several communications about the levy."
He also wrote: "If a charity feels that it should not pay the levy, we need to know why."
Grade also confirmed that the Fundraising Regulator would be publishing a full list of paying and non-paying charities by the end of August, “in the interests of transparency and fairness”.
Regulator to speak positively about sector ‘whenever the opportunity arises’
Grade wrote his blog in response to a piece written by Amanda Bringans, the new chair of the IoF, after the two met to discuss the relationship of the IoF and the Fundraising Regulator.
In her piece, Bringans said she asked Lord Grade to be more positive about the fundraising sector when speaking in public and that he had agreed.
In his response, Grade said that he was “aware that some of” his words about the sector have been “emphasised by the media, who, of course, have focused on my criticism of the few”. He said that “sadly, we don’t have the power to write our own headlines but, whenever the opportunity arises, we will speak positively about the charitable sector and its excellent work”.
He also said that the sector is “currently at a difficult crossroads”, with the implementation of new General Data Protection Regulation coming into force in May next year. He said he had been impressed “by how charities and fundraisers are responding to this challenge”.
Grade also praised the way that “most larger and many smaller charities” have been “redefining their relationships with donors so that the changes in regulation are an opportunity, rather than a threat”. He said there are many businesses outside the sector “who could learn from this”.
He also reiterated that both the regulator and the IoF, “share some very important values” and are both “committed to ensuring that fundraising is undertaken in a fair, transparent and ethical manner”.
Related Articles
