Some fundraising practices are unpopular with the general public – not always unpopular enough to warrant making a complaint, but perhaps enough to stop them giving in protest.
The member charities of the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) received over 8,000 complaints in the opt-in regulator’s first year it revealed in May 2008. But a reputed fundraising consultant was quick to say that it’s rather a low number.
Gordon Michie from fundraising consultancy Relationship Marketing told Third Sector magazine that if the figures are put into context – he estimated there were about six million contacts made through telephone fundraising alone each year – they amounted to a very small percentage of all the fundraising that goes on.
In fact, the FRSB report documenting them said only five of the grievances went above the individual charities to be dealt with by the regulator, and only one reached the highest level of complaints procedure. It involved a member of the public who alleged they’d received 13 pens from Cancer Research UK in two years, but it was not upheld by the adjudication board.
“It’s difficult to say blanket how much is too much [direct mail],” says Cancer Research UK’s manager in direct giving Kathryn Toner.
“Certainly if they contact us and say they don’t want to receive so many mailings we take note of that. We have business rules about how often we contact people. Bigger charities have quite a rigid supporter journey –how often can somebody be contacted by what medium.”
Ms Toner argues that while it’s impossible to stop sending unaddressed mail to a particular home from the charity’s end, the householder can opt out from ad mailings through Royal Mail. So what’s to get upset about?
“Blackmail” says chief executive Mick Aldridge of the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association.
“Some charities have been in the habit for instance of sending little woollen baby slippers to tell people how they can provide clothing for poor children. Or enclosing coins taped to the letter saying ‘this is just a few pence, its all it’s cost us to save a life’. People tend to find that guilt-tripping and offensive.”
Following its annual report, the FRSB conducted a piece of research in which 93 per cent of respondents picked from their member organisations said they’d rather see money spent on the cause than receive a free gift in the post. Most of them said they wouldn’t give to charities sending gifts.
“Any form of fundraising will put a donor off if it’s done badly,” remarks NSPCC director of communications John Grounds.
The charity for the prevention of child cruelty has been criticised in the past for spending too much on advertising and not enough on the cause. They used ad giants Saatchi and Saatchi to create their renowned ‘Full Stop’ TV campaigns.
“We spend in total on awareness and brand advertising about £3m a year,” Mr Grounds explains. “To put that into context our total budget is £150m a year.”
He maintains that while some ads are designed to generate more donations, others are to raise awareness. The latter are seen by the NSPCC as directly helping the cause.
Whether certain fundraising techniques are responsible for the languishing level of giving in the UK, Mr Grounds is keen to emphasise that a lot of research goes into fundraising, thinking about things from the donor’s point of view.
“It’s a pretty self-regulating sector,” he laughs. “Most charities realise that as soon as you drive away a donor, they won’t give to you again.”
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