Fundraising and covid-19

It outlines the Fundraising Regulator’s guidance on: 

• fundraising and the roadmap out of national lockdown
• key principles for fundraising during covid-19 
• recommendations for public fundraising.

This page is for anyone who manages, plans or undertakes fundraising activity for or in partnership with a voluntary organisation.

Fundraising and the roadmap out of national lockdown 

• Fundraising should only start when fundraising organisations are satisfied that this can be done safely. The Fundraising Regulator has advised that organisations should make their own reasoned and informed decisions to restart or adapt their fundraising activities. Organisations should keep the following points in mind when making decisions about their fundraising activity as national lockdown restrictions ease.
• Keep up to date – follow UK government guidance including from the devolved nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Carry out risk assessments – carefully consider the risks associated with each fundraising activity. These should be documented and reviewed regularly. 
• Make reasoned and informed decisions – decisions should be thoroughly considered and carefully evaluated. It is important to have proper oversight and management of decisions. Decisions should be properly documented. 
• Protect the public – consider what measures you need to put in place to protect the public, fundraisers, staff and volunteers. 
• Cooperate effectively with third parties – be clear with any third parties about your expectations in relation to fundraising conduct. Check or update any contracts you have in place to make sure they are fit for purpose. 
• Be transparent with the public – you should make information available and be able to explain to the public and others your approach to fundraising safely.
• Listen to feedback – listen to feedback from staff, volunteers and the public to help inform how you carry out fundraising during this period.

Key principles of fundraising during covid-19

• During covid-19, you are expected to carry out fundraising activity in a sensitive and safe way. To understand what this means in practice, read the Code of Fundraising practice and current UK government advice on covid-19.
• Any decisions you make regarding your fundraising activity, should be documented and you should be prepared to explain and justify these if necessary. 
• Any decisions should: 

• be carefully considered and thoroughly evaluated 
• have the appropriate management and oversight 
• be clearly explained to the public and others
• be continually reviewed, taking into account any complaints and feedback.
• Sufficient measures must be put in place to protect your staff, volunteers, fundraisers and the public. This includes the following. 
• Ensuring that fundraisers take the appropriate measures to keep them and the public safe and ensure social distancing is observed. 
• Making sure your organisation takes the appropriate steps to manage covid risk. For more information about working safely during covid-19, read government guidance on how to make your workplace covid-secure.
• Taking into account the needs of people in vulnerable circumstances or with protected characteristics.
• Making sure any fundraiser, staff member or volunteer self-isolates if they have covid-19 symptoms or have received a positive test result.
• Making sure that any fundraiser has the appropriate materials and resources to adapt their approach to fundraising in light of covid-19. The Chartered Institute of Fundraising has training and resources to help.
• Be respectful in your interaction with the public. This means: 
• do not apply pressure to donors 
• be polite and respectful 
• be mindful of how the public may respond to your fundraising and be able to explain why you are fundraising and how you are doing this responsibly in light of covid-19.   
• For more information on responsible fundraising, read the Fundraising Regulator’s covid-19: fundraising key principles guidance.
• Looking ahead, you may also be interested in the Chartered Institute of Fundraising’s report From Response to Recovery: Fundraising Strategy and covid-19.

Key considerations for public fundraising during covid-19

• Before carrying out public fundraising, you should read the Fundraising Regulator’s key considerations and guidance for methods of public fundraising. Public fundraising includes face-to-face fundraising which may take place on the street, by knocking on people’s doors or on private land such as a supermarket.
• Recommendations for public fundraising, set out in this guidance includes the following. 

• Keep up good sanitation practices.
• Keep to social distancing guidance.
• Make sure your behaviour is respectful.
• Train fundraisers on new approaches to fundraising before restarting any fundraising activity.
• Check that the right licenses and permissions remain valid.
• Observe social distancing guidelines when street fundraising.
• Limit the number of fundraisers. The Fundraising Regulator has recommended limits for the number of fundraisers working in one area or site. 
• Review how you take payments and handle donations, adhering to social distancing guidelines and good sanitation practices. How you take payments and handle donations should be in line with section 4 of the Code of Fundraising practice.
• Ask donors to fill out information in a way that can be done safely and so that you can maintain social distancing.
• Make sure ID badges and mandatory information is accessible.
• Carefully select your door-to-door fundraising territory. Be mindful of areas where there are greater numbers of people who are more vulnerable to the covid-19.
• Do not use additional personal protective equipment (PPE) unless you are in a clinical setting, like a hospital or you are working in a small handful of roles for which Public Health England advises use of PPE.