The Trustees Guide to Fundraising - Institute of Fundraising guide

“Successful fundraising is vital to the continuing good health of any charity. Trustees have a responsibility to secure the resources needed to fulfil the strategic goals of an organisation and to ensure that their charity continues to make a significant impact in the work that they do.” Lindsay Boswell, Chief Executive, Institute of Fundraising

For trustees with often too much on your plate already, you know that fundraising needs to happen and perhaps you know how it might happen, but mostly you just need to know that someone else is doing it. And yet, whatever kind of charity you work for, large or small, every trustee needs to take fundraising seriously. Whilst most trustees do not need to be fundraising experts, they do need to ask the right questions about what fundraising means for their organisation. This Guide covers the essential questions every trustee should be asking and aims to help you find the right answers for the organisations you work for. The world of fundraising can seem baffling to non-practitioners. It is an art and a science which is constantly evolving and which can take years to become truly expert in. 

Ten questions every trustee should ask:

1. Is our charity compliant with the Institute of Fundraising’s Codes of Fundraising Practice, and, if so, what internal audit systems do we have for ensuring compliance and who is responsible for this process?

2. Has our charity signed up to the self-regulatory scheme for fundraising and Organisational membership of the Institute of Fundraising and, if so, what does this mean for us?

3. What has fundraising got to do with me?

4. What is our fundraising strategy?

5. How can we ensure our fundraising is sustainable?

6. What fundraising techniques are right for us?

7. Are we making the most of tax-effective giving?

8. Is our fundraising legal?

9. Is our fundraising ethical?

10. Are we transparent and accountable in our fundraising?

The Institute of Fundraising produce a series of video guides as an introduction to fundraising - http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/guidance/five-minute-fundraiser/

date: 
2007