The Institute of Fundraising has today announced that it will introduce a new rule into its Code of Fundraising Practice which will ensure that door-to-door fundraisers don’t knock on doors with ‘No Cold Calling’ stickers.
From 1 September 2015, the wording of the rule relating to cold calling stickers will state: “Fundraisers must not knock on any door of a property that displays a sticker or sign which includes the words ‘No Cold Calling’”. The code was previously silent on the issue.
The change in the rule has come in response to an FRSB recommendation on the issue in May 2014. The regulator made the adjudication after a complaint was filed against Marie Curie and agency Home Fundraising.
The complaint was about a fundraiser, acting on behalf of the charity, who called at a home which displayed a ‘No Cold Calling’ notice. The fundraiser called at 7pm and did not leave when it was made clear the visit was unwelcome. While the complaint was not upheld, the FRSB made the recommendation to the IoF regardless.
The IoF has said that it will release guidance to charities on the new rule “over the summer”. A spokesman for the IoF said that he could not say exactly when the information would appear, as “we are currently developing the guidance in collaboration with the PFRA”.
The spokesman also said that, while the rule will come into effect on 1 September, the IoF hoped larger fundraising charities would “implement it as quickly as they can”. He said that the IoF was aware however that it would take longer for smaller organisations to follow suit.
Commenting on the new rule, Richard Taylor, chair of the Institute of Fundraising (pictured), said:
“Fundraisers will always need to ask the British public to support good causes, but we have to make sure that they can do so in the best and most sustainable way. Sometimes this will mean that to keep the best relationship with our supporters and the wider public that the rules for fundraisers go beyond legal requirements and I’m pleased that self-regulation can demonstrate that it is putting the interests of the donor at the heart of fundraising practice.”
Peter Hills-Jones, chief executive of the PFRA, also welcomed the change, and pointed to figures released in the organisation’s most recent accounts, which show that complaints about door-to-door fundraising are on the decline.
“Door-to-door fundraising is a vital source of money for charities and supports millions of people in great need both here at home and abroad.
“Complaints about door-to-door fundraising are amongst the lowest of any major form of fundraising, which is rightly a source of pride to our members. Today’s announcement however, shows that self-regulation can balance the needs of charities and the public who so generously support them.”
