FIA Addresses Concerns About Street Fundraising

The public’s perception of face to face fundraising is not always complimentary – an issue which has led to the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) to work with face to face fundraisers to develop a professional standard for their fundraising.

FIA has released the standard for public comment, along with two other new standards for fundraising covering bequests and events.

FIA Chairman, Andrew Markwell says these Standards describe best practice that is both ethical and professional and that there is appropriate accountability for public gifts supporting charitable causes.

FIA CEO Sue-Anne Wallace says the public’s concern about street fundraising is mainly anecdotal and comes via letters and stories published in newspapers rather than direct complaints to the FIA.

However she says releasing the professional standard for public comment allows Not for Profits, Governments and the general public an opportunity to address issues that may concern them.

Wallace says an important addition is a transparent complaints process, so that the public can be sure that issues which are of concern to them can be addressed by an independent group, which includes people with knowledge of fundraising, philanthropy, legal and ethical issues.

FIA has also confirmed a new set of principles to guide the work of all fundraisers covering ethics, professional conduct and acceptance and refusal of donations.

Alongside these principles is a new Fundraisers Promise to Donors covering fundraisers’ obligations to make sure they are clear about the use of funds.

FIA says the Fundraisers’ Promise to Donors is one of the most important documents that a fundraiser can adopt into their practice.

The purpose of the Fundraisers’ Promise to Donors is to create a bridge of trust and mutual respect between donors and fundraisers to ensure that donors can have full confidence in organisations and causes they are asked by fundraisers to support.

For more information go to www.fia.org.au