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CAF disappointed by payroll giving review

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 12 Sep 2008

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) says it is “disappointed” with the Institute of Fundraising-commissioned review of payroll giving released in June this year, and is preparing to carry out its own research into why some companies have embraced the mechanism.

In a statement released by the organisation today, the last day for submission of responses to the review, CAF claims that some of the recommendations in it were “broad, undeveloped and untested as a consequence of the limited evidence base and analysis”.

“We welcome the review and recognise it as a valid contribution to the debate about increasing payroll giving. But what was promised as a ‘root and branch review’ has not given us the full picture, or suggested a clear way forward,” said CAF chief executive John Low (pictured).

Low’s disappointment was shared by numerous other industry leaders who spoke to Professional Fundraising magazine for this month’s analysis of reaction to the review. When speaking to PF earlier, Low said that the review was “coming from a very specific perspective” in that it represented the views of charities more than those of other organisations involved in payroll giving.

Today he reiterated his concern that donors and business had not been adequately consulted for the review, which was carried out by Strategy Complete on behalf of the Institute.

“Some companies are very successful at encouraging employees to give, and we need to understand what stands in the way of others.

"For this reason, we are offering to undertake robust research into the take-up and success of the scheme amongst donors and companies,” Low said.

CAF's head of PR Mandy Pursey added that CAF would now seek input from other sector organisations, including the Institute, about how this study should be shaped. She expected it would be a mix of quantitative and qualitative research with companies and donors, and would be conducted in the new year.

In his interview with PF magazine, Low also indicated that he would like to develop an online mechanism whereby charities could access all the details of their payroll donors, but that at present the scheme would be cost-prohibitive.

Better understanding of initiatives that have worked in the past, and better communication of the benefits of the mechanism, are key to driving payroll giving forward, Low said.

See Celina Ribeiro's blog on the payroll giving review and the sector's propensity to gaze at its own navel.

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