ImpACT to build rapid response unit to counter bad press 2

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 2 Jun 2010

The ImpACT Coalition has instigated talks with the PFRA about creating a unit dedicated to combating negative press coverage about charities and fundraising.

The rapid response unit would be called into action whenever negative and potentially damaging stories about charities and the sector made it into the media, and would represent civil society as a whole rather than one specific activity or interest group.

Liam Cranley, head of ImpACT, told Civil Society that ImpACT is in discussions with the PFRA about building the reactive response unit, and is confident that the creation of the media response body “is definitely going to happen”.

After holding discussions with a public relations agency and its steering group, ImpACT decided that the unit should be reactive rather than proactive in influencing media coverage about charities and fundraising techniques.

Discussions are still underway, but Cranley said ImpACT would be “focusing on that in the next year or so”.

Cranley said that the PFRA and ImpACT “are still trying to figure out” how the unit would be funded. ImpACT is not currently in discussions with any other sector organisations about developing the unit.

ImpACT was moved out of the Institute of Fundraising and under the auspices of Acevo a year ago.

Directory: Impact | The Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA)

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Lyndal Stuart
Media & Communications Manager
Common Purpose
3 Jun 2010

A cheer erupts from the team at Common Purpose as we welcome this much-needed resource for charities who come under fire from negative campaigns, both online and offline. Our organisation has been subjected to a sustained cyber-attack accusing us of subversive and criminal behaviour. The content of the campaign is libellous and often outrageous and abusive, but whilst we have been supported by our Board of Trustees and have been lucky to receive some pro bono advice, we have been unable to justify dedicating resources that should be directed at providing quality service provision and education in leadership for public benefit towards reputation management on this issue (our Chair of Trustees has issued a statement to this effect which can be read at http://www.commonpurpose.org.uk/about/governance/trustee-statement). We imagine many other charities subjected to attacks of this kind are in a very similar situation, and we welcome the ImpACT Coalition’s initiative and wish them every success.

[Reply]

Mick Aldridge
Chief Executive
PFRA
3 Jun 2010
Response to [ Lyndal Stuart]

Thanks for the kind words. I am sure what ImpACT would appreciate at least as much (if not more!) from yourselves and any other orgs and individuals who applaud this initiative would be for them to go online at www.impactcoalition.org.uk/index/ourprogram/ and join the coalition itself - the more the merrier (and coalitions are all the rage nowadays, it seems!).

[Reply]

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