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FRSB alters charter to appease charities

Fundraising | Gemma Ware | 1 Sep 2006

The Fundraising Standards Board looks set to alter controversial phrases in its Donors Charter in order to placate charities who have so far proved unwilling to sign up to the scheme.

At a meeting on 12 September the FRSB board drew up a revised Charter, which takes into consideration criticisms made by charities during the consultation on the document that some phrases were too subjective in the original version.

Lawrie Simanowitz, an FRSB board member, said: "The Charter has been simplified and has addressed pretty much all the key concerns raised."

Earlier this month the FRSB announced it was to delay its launch to the public until the New Year because charities wanted the Charter finalised and needed more time to get approval to join from their trustee boards.

Charities' main criticism of the Charter, which finished its consultation period on 1 September, was that it was too long-winded, repetitive and needed condensing. Charities felt subjective phrases such as "we will not put unfair pressure on you to make a donation" and "we won't use excessive emotional arguments" needed more elaboration. The board has addressed this by planning to remove "excessive emotional arguments", while "unfair pressure" may be altered after further discussion, however a source close to the board said: "Some element of subjectivity will probably remain."

The FRSB was due to launch to the public in October, but although 550 charities have enquired into the scheme, only 87 have signed up so far. A launch party will still take place on 10 October in Millbank, which Ed Miliband, minister for the third sector, has been invited to attend. However, it will be a launch of the revamped Donors Charter, not the public launch of the FRSB scheme as originally planned.

The target is to sign up 400-600 charities by the time the scheme launches to the public in January. "Because it's a self-regulatory scheme we have to have sufficient charities sign up to make it work in practice," said Jon Scourse, chief executive of the scheme (pictured).

Scourse admitted that charities' hesitancy in signing up to the Charter had influenced the delay. A lot of charities have been saying they would rather know exactly what they are signing up to in the Donors Charter. It' basically a legal contract and they want to be certain that when they see the Donors Charter it's the final version," he said.

The FRSB board will now be seeking further consultation on the final document from key people within the fundraising sector before the October launch.

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