Fundraising complaints report 2021/22: Key takeaways

Gather ‘round folks. The Fundraising Regulator has published its annual complaints report.

Covering the period April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, there’s a lot to unpack, but we’ve gone through it with a fine tooth comb and extracted the relevant bits, so you don’t have to.

You’re welcome.

The key findings

In 2022, the Regulator received a total of 1080 complaints (19% more than 2021).

Of all the complaints, three concerns were expressed more than any other:

1.     Misleading information

Complaints about misleading information increased by 17% in 2021/2022.

The Regulator defines misleading information as ‘unclear claims about why donations are needed and how they will be spent. Or a failure to present information that allows the donor to make an informed decision’. 

The complaints related to concerns that charity fees or charges were misleadingly described as donations.

The learning: If you want to build trust with supporters, your communications with donors need to be clear and accurate.

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising provides some clarity in its ‘accuracy and clarity in fundraising’ document.

A few pointers:

• Don’t leave information out

• Don’t be inaccurate or ambiguous

• Don’t exaggerate details

• If you make direct or implied claims, make sure there’s evidence to back them up.

2.     Approaching vulnerable people for funds

These complaints relate to in-person fundraising, and focus on fundraising from ‘vulnerable people’.

The Regulator defines a vulnerable person as ‘someone that lacks the capacity to make the decision to donate, or is facing a vulnerable circumstance which means they may not be able to make an informed decision’.

The Regulator defines ‘vulnerable’ as:

• people with physical or mental health conditions, disabilities, or learning difficulties

• people facing a time of stress or anxiety (for example, following the death of a loved one)

• people under the influence of alcohol or drugs

The learning: Fundraisers need to be able to identify vulnerable people and know how to engage appropriately with them.

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising offers some guidance in its ‘Treating Donors Fairly’ document.

3.     Negative fundraiser behaviour  

The third finding relates to concerns about the behaviour of third-party fundraisers (i.e., volunteers/professional fundraisers).

Specifically, the concerns were around fundraisers ‘pressuring people to donate’ and ‘providing incorrect information’.

The learning: If you want to hold on to your donors (and keep your reputation intact), you need to ensure third-party fundraisers are properly vetted, trained, and supported so they can carry out ‘their role in a way that is legal, open, honest and respectful.’

Once again, the Chartered Institute of Fundraising has some handy guidance around this. Check it out here.

Need some help recruiting top fundraising talent? Give us a call on 020 3750 3111.

‘Feel Good’ Fundraising - There’s Always Gonna be Another Mountain

Today, I’m excited to take us over the hill and far away…to Yorkshire (okay not that far), to join Tom Chettle. Tom and his colleagues from Buckinghamshire Council took on the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge to raise some funds for Talkback UK. Tom undertook the challenge in memory of Andy Leach; a great friend and colleague, and a passionate advocate for people with learning difficulties who tragically passed away in 2021. You can read the original article here.

I was itching to follow-up with Tom to get his thoughts and experiences on a challenge of 24 miles of walking and over 1,700 metres of ascension!

I read in the Charity Today article about your challenge that one of your favourite things was the social aspect, the opportunity to meet and speak with people you wouldn’t otherwise. Were there any moments of connection that stood out to you?

“The previous year I had completed the national 3 peaks with friends but didn’t fundraise, I knew that any future walking challenge would bring a group of people together with a strong sense of a single goal. The build-up for our walk was fun, I was the tie between friends, colleagues and family and we did a decent amount of practice walking together. This meant that a strong bond between the team was already starting as individuals trained for a shared purpose, 1. To remember Andy who had sadly died 2. To raise a decent amount of money for charity 3. To climb 3 big mountains in a day!! The strongest moment of connection was likely to be the second peak, some of the team were really feeling the physical effects of the walk and together we got up that second mountain.

Our group leader was Chris form Getoutdoors. Chris is great at his job and is a great motivator! Just before the last Mountain I was feeling tired and a bit sick – Chris was able to get me up on my feet, get some sugar in me and inspire me to carry on.

When you’re walking for over 12 hours you talk about all sorts. It was great sharing some of our past experiences, when I was 20 I drove from London to Mongolia – it was great sharing this with some colleagues. There was also a lot of humour about ‘wild wees’ flying around on the day.”

I imagine each of the mountains has its own personality, how do you feel about each of them?

• “Pen-y-ghent: Spikey

• Whernside: the gentle giant

• Ingleborough: Beautiful

I reached the top of Ingleborough late in the evening just in time for a sun set, the sense of achievement was immense.

It was a long walk to Whernside and once you got there it was a slow gradual climb, for this reason it was definitely my least favourite, on the flip side though this was the best Mountain for team spirit – we all pulled in together!

If I had to rate the mountains in order of difficulty:

• Ingleborough: it was on the home straight and very steep

• Pen-y-ghent: some rock climbing and very steep, but with fresh legs and first thing in the morning it was good fun.

• Whernside: a gentle climb but wow, the descent was very steep!!”

I read that you hadn’t done any hiking or mountaineering before your last two three peaks challenges. Have you caught the bug and can we expect to see more from you in the future?

“Yes, I definitely do have the bug, I have not yet chosen the next climb though!! In terms of other fundraising challenges, I’ve no big plans yet, I am doing some half marathon running at the moment and have my eye on a future marathon.” 

Any final thoughts?

“The walk was a great experience and completed in memory of my friend and colleague Andy Leach. Throughout the day Andy was with us all and that really spurred on the team 😊.”

What a wonderful achievement Tom, well done! Check out Tom’s JustGiving page to donate or read his recent blog!

If you want to read more content like this, as well as keep an eye on the latest roles we’re recruiting for, follow our company page on LinkedIn.

Or, if you’re in the market for event and community fundraisers who can inspire volunteers like Tom, then get in touch on iinfo@amboofundraising.co.uk to find out how we can help.

Four cracking Christmas fundraising campaigns

Christmas is a time for giving, and we’re not just talking about gifts for loved ones.

52.6% of households in the UK donate to charity in December, making it one of the biggest events in the fundraising calendar.

If you haven’t launched a festive fundraising campaign, you’re missing a golden opportunity.

Here are four Christmas crackers to inspire you and spread a little festive cheer.

Christmas Dinner Game: RNID

The game was designed to tackle ‘dinner table syndrome’, a phenomenon where deaf people struggle to follow conversations around the dinner table, particularly if they’re loud and several people are talking at once.

In return for a donation of £10, people received their Christmas Dinner Game, which consisted of three sets of cards, a centrepiece for the table that reminded guests how to communicate inclusively, and place name cards with conversational ice breakers.

The game itself combined three family favourites with a deaf-aware twist:

1. Do you see what I see? Players take turns to draw a card. The picture on the card represents a phrase. Players have to guess the phrase, write it down, and hand it over to the dealer. The first person to guess correctly wins. No shouting is allowed.

2. Read my lips: Players form teams of two. Player one mouths the phrase on their card and Player two has to guess what they’re trying to say. Then they swap over.

3. Charades: Players take turns to act out Christmas-themed phrases. The first person to write down the correct answer and put up their hand up wins. There’s a penalty for anyone who shouts.

Opinion: A fun way to earn money, whilst raising awareness of the difficulties deaf people face at this time of year.

Heart Research UK: Sing for your heart

Fancy flexing your vocal cords for a good cause this Christmas? Get involved with Heart Research UK’s Sing for Your Heart campaign, and you can show off your skills whilst raising money for an important cause.

The premise is simple: Members of the public are invited to ‘sing, donate and nominate’ by uploading a video of themselves singing to social media (tagging #singforyourheart) donating £3, and nominating three others to do the same.

The campaign launched in 2017, and was headed up by 6-year-old Jaxon Green-Moore, who was born with a condition called LEOPARD Syndrome. This video tells Jaxon’s story.

Jaxon was invited to spearhead the campaign as the charity has supported him since he was a baby, and he wanted to give back.

Little did he know how popular the campaign would become.

The campaign went viral after Pixie Lott, Boyzone, Alesha Dixon, and Piers Morgan got behind it.

It reached more than 16 million people and raised thousands for the charity.

Still going strong today, it’s become a key annual Christmas fundraiser.

You can join in the fun here.

Opinion: We love this campaign as it’s fun, easy to take part in, and has proven health benefits. On the sign-up page, the charity says; ‘research has shown that singing exercises your lungs, increases blood flow, and reduces stress. That’s why, for over a decade, we have asked people to Sing for Your Heart during the festive period and raise money for pioneering research into the prevention, treatment, and cure of heart disease’.

Blood Cancer UK: Movie Watch Party

Everyone loves a Christmas movie, which is why Blood Cancer UK’s ‘Movie Watch Party’ is inspired.

On Sunday 11 December at 3pm, people across the UK will be switching on their TV sets to watch the Christmas classic, Home Alone, to help people with blood cancer.

The charity is asking participants to donate what they would normally spend on a night at the cinema ( they suggest £15 for a single ticket, £25 for a family ticket, and, an extra £10 for popcorn and an oversized drink).

The charity has set up a Facebook group with the hashtag #HomeButNotAlone where they’re sharing Home Alone content in the lead-up to the event. They’re also setting participants fun challenges.

Want to join in? You can sign up here.

Opinion: This is a simple, but effective way to raise funds and awareness. Home Alone is a classic feel-good movie - perfect for a cold, dreary Sunday afternoon. And participants don’t have to get off the sofa to take part.

TrustFord: The Grinch ‘steals’ donations

This one is not charity-driven, but we’re including it as it’s fun, festive, and a great example of corporate generosity.

In December 2021, a series of car dealerships in East London were ‘robbed’ by a familiar Christmas character.

The Grinch crept into three Ford dealerships and ‘stole’ 40 bags of food, four large shopping trays, and three boxes of food.

He then delivered them to a local food bank in Dagenham.

The dealership has donated to the food bank each Christmas since 2019, but this year, it got creative with its drive, branding the campaign as ‘The Grinch that stole Christmas’.

Opinion: Hats off to TrustFord. They came up with a creative way to raise awareness of their donation (incidentally, the stunt got them coverage in the local press) while doing a good deed.

Final Word

These are four of our favourite Christmas fundraising ideas. What would you add?

Don’t forget, we’re here to support you with your fundraising talent requirements, at Christmas, or any other time of the year.

Call us to get the conversation started on 0203 750 3111.

How to Make Fundraising Roles More Attractive Without Increasing the salary

Charities looking to hire top fundraising talent are facing tough competition in the current candidate-driven market. Many think the only way to attract the best of the best is to pay top dollar.

But this isn’t the case. Money is important, of course. But it’s not the only thing job seekers think about when looking at their next career move.

Here are seven ways to make your fundraising roles more attractive without increasing the salary.

1.      Mental Health and Wellbeing

Research shows that one in six working Brits suffer from poor mental health. Therefore, focusing on the mental wellbeing of your employees is essential.

In our experience, candidates are noticing that charities talk the talk when it comes to wellbeing. But dig below the surface and there’s little substance to their claims.

Being an advocate for positive mental health and taking steps to support the wellbeing of your staff will set you apart in a crowded market.

We will be publishing a blog post on this topic in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, here are a few things you can do to show staff their mental health matters:

• Make mental health training mandatory for managers to make them more aware of and invested in employees’ well-being.

• Factor mental and emotional well-being into the on-boarding process so employees know it’s a priority from day one

• Build as much flexibility into employees’ schedules as possible

• Consider offering a meditation room, mindfulness training, and/or yoga classes at work

2.    Childcare

Recent reports show the number of people not working due to caring commitments has risen to its highest level since 2020.

The cost of childcare combined with a lack of flexible working opportunities and proper parental leave has caused many parents and carers to leave their jobs.

Show you’re sympathetic to the needs of caregivers by offering them tangible incentives, such as compressed working hours, job shares or part time hours.

3.    Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Many charities talk about building a diverse team, but don’t walk the walk.

There are various things you can do to attract applications from a diverse range of candidates. For example:

• Advertise jobs in diverse networking groups

• Include a diverse interview panel

• Offer alternative routes to employment (i.e., apprenticeships)

If you’re at the beginning of your diversity journey, set some objectives and share them with the team. For example, “we aim to increase the level of diversity in our team by 15% by 2025.”

Information like this (along with a concrete plan of action) will demonstrate that diversity is a important to your organisation.

4.    Promote all your perks

A pension is a major perk, yet many charities don’t advertise the fact they offer one. Some of our candidates have only found out they get one once they’ve accepted the role.

It could be the difference between a top candidate applying for your role or discarding it.

The same goes for all the benefits. Is there an on-site child-care facility? Should about it! Do staff get free meals? Add it to the list of perks.

5.    Flexibility

Flexible working comes in all shapes and sizes. From part-time and zero-hour contracts to remote working and career breaks.

Wherever you stand in terms of flexibility, make it clear in your job ads and reiterate it at interview stage.

6.    Progression/Training

Candidates want to know there are opportunities for growth and progression when applying for jobs.

Does your charity have a staff training budget? If so, make it known.

For job seekers looking to build a long-term career in the fundraising sector, this will hold great appeal.

Finishing up

That’s six ways to make your roles more attractive without breaking the bank - done and dusted.

If you’re looking to recruit fundraising talent, give us a call on 0203 750 3111.

Five mistakes that could cost you a promotion (and how to handle them)

Work is going well. You’ve smashed your fundraising targets, developed a solid pipeline of potential donors, and built strong relationships with your colleagues and manager.

But you’re frustrated. Two years in, the role has lost its initial allure as it no longer challenges you.

It’s time for a change. It’s time to progress. It’s time for a promotion.

But getting one is easier said than done.

To maximise your chances of bagging one, avoid these five common mistakes.

1.     Not asking

The single biggest mistake people make when looking for a promotion is assuming they’ll be handed one on a plate.

Sure, there’s a chance your manager will recognise your potential and promote you unsolicited, but it’s rare.

If you don’t speak up, how will your boss know you want to progress?

What to do

If you want a promotion, be proactive and ask for one. But be smart about it. Have a list of your achievements to hand and evidence to back them up.

If you get knocked back, don’t be disheartened. Good fundraisers are like gold dust. Your manager won’t deny you a promotion without good reason. By speaking up, they’ll know you’re hungry to advance your career and may well find a way to keep you happy and stimulated.

2.     Being invisible

If people don’t know who you are, you’re not going to get promoted. This is especially true of larger charities, where competition for promotions can be fierce.

What to do

Focus on raising your profile by making yourself known to the people who matter.

Show up for every fundraising and social event. Speak up in meetings, and join work-related committees.

The more visible you are, the better your chances of success.

3.     Comparing yourself to others

Is there someone in your department who (in your opinion) unfairly bagged a promotion? Are you intending to use it as part of your argument for getting one?

Think again. Bad-mouthing your colleagues is not going to impress your manager (who probably promoted your colleague in the first place).

What to do

Promotions need to be justified. Rather than give your boss reasons why they shouldn’t have promoted your colleague, give them reasons why you should be promoted.

This is where the ‘brag folder’ comes in.

Whenever you achieve something at work, whether it’s surpassing a fundraising target, securing an elusive major donor, or taking the lead on a major fundraising project, make a note of it and add it to your ‘brag folder’ – a place where you document your big (and small) wins.

When it’s time for the promotion chat, present it to your boss.

However, as we said earlier, when presenting your case, don’t trash others. Let your boss know why you are worth the additional investment. And keep the bigger picture in mind. Talk about how your achievements helped the charity reach its goals.

4.     Being complacent

Going to work and doing the bare minimum each day is not going to do you any favours.

If you want to be seen as a serious contender for a promotion, you need to go the extra mile.

What to do

• Take on more responsibility, (whether it’s offering to head up a project, or set up a committee)

• Ask your colleagues for feedback on your strengths and weaknesses

• Don’t be afraid to make a lateral move if it enables you to master new skills

• Take advantage of training opportunities

• Attend workshops, lectures, and/or seminars outside of work that’ll enhance the skills you need for the job you want.

5.     Making enemies

Promoting someone isn’t a decision your boss will make in a vacuum. The decision will probably require the green light from a number of people.

There’s no quicker way to hurt your chances of getting promoted than rubbing people up the wrong way.

You want people to sing your praise and root for you to get promoted.

What to do

Simple. Be a good colleague. Treat people with respect, even if it’s not reciprocated.

It might feel good to retaliate in the moment, but it could kill your chances to progress.

Focus on being positive, supportive and make a concerted effort to stay away from office gossip and politics.

Ready to take the next step in your career and need some advice? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get started.