Thanks but no thanks: when is it right for charities to refuse donations?

The RNLI hit the headlines in December last year for refusing a donation from a foxhunting fundraiser.

The Dungarvan Foxhounds Supporters Club, in Co. Waterford, Ireland, had planned to raise money for the lifeboat organisation with ‘a bucket collection boosted by a cap donation’, at a New Year’s Eve meet.

After turning the donation down, the charity explained its reasoning in a statement.

“The RNLI is aware of an independent, third-party local fundraising event planned for New Year’s Eve that would see the proceeds of a foxhound’s hunt meet, go to the RNLI. This is not an RNLI event. As such, no donation for this event has been received by the charity. The RNLI reserves the right to decline donations that are not in keeping with the purpose and the values of the institution.

We will not be accepting any donations from this activity or related activities, now or in the future”.

Well said.

Opinion

Like every other charity in the UK, the RNLI is feeling the financial strain of the cost-of-living crisis.

Under the circumstances, you’d have thought the charity would welcome every donation with open arms.

However, the trustees decided to put ethics before income.

And the charity bagged a ton of positive coverage as a result.

Voice of the regulator

From an ethical standpoint, RNLI made a sound decision, but was it lawful? 

In a word, yes.

On its website, the Charity Commission says, “it is up to a charity’s trustees to make the difficult decision as to whether they should refuse a donation. They must make this decision on the basis of the best interests of the charity. That will include weighing up any issues around how the funds were raised, which may include reputational concerns, against the financial impact on the charity of turning the donation down.

Different charities may legitimately come to different decisions, and trustees can approach the Commission for advice if they are unsure about their approach.”

However, the Commission urges trustees to think carefully before returning or refusing donations.

It says, “the law generally expects charities to accept monies where they are available, in order to deliver on their purposes for the public benefit, and not to refuse or return them without very good reason.”

Further guidance

The Charity Commission is updating its guidance for charities on accepting and refusing donations.

It’s set to be published later this year.

In the meantime, you can familiarise yourself with the rules and regs with the Institute of Fundraising’s Practical Guide To Dealing With Donations.

The guidance outlines “the legal principles that you need to know, goes through the questions that you will need to think about, and provides practical help and advice so that you can make the right decision for your charity”.

Looking to build your fundraising team? You’ve come to the right place. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get started.

The importance of annual leave

By law, every employee in the UK has a basic entitlement of 5.6 weeks annual leave: that’s 28 days for full-time workers (and pro-rata for part-time employees).

There’s a good reason why the law is in place.

Breaks from work are essential for reducing stress, preventing burnout, and maintaining well-being. 

However, a recent report by Access People HR shows that charity workers aren’t taking their full entitlement.

The report shows that the average number of annual leave days taken by charity workers has dropped 4% in the last two years, from an average of 43.2 to 41.5 days per year.

This is despite the average allowance in the sector rising by 11% from 37.2 to 41.4 days.

Why aren’t charity workers using their leave?

The report attributes the dip in leave to the cost-of-living crisis.

For one thing, demand for services has risen dramatically. A study by Pro Bono Economics (PBE) found that 79% of charities have seen a surge in demand for financial, mental, and emotional support.

But while the need for services is greater than ever, resources and funds are in short supply.

According to Nationwide, six in ten Brits have cancelled or cut down on charitable giving since the crisis began.

As a result, charities are stretched. They’re having to adjust to rising costs, while donor income is squeezed.

And the situation is compounded by staff shortages.

The PBE study reveals that 54% of charities have vacancies to fill but 83% are finding it difficult to recruit.

The impact on leave

The challenges of the cost-of-living crisis mean charity staff are working longer hours and managing ever-increasing workloads.

As a result, staff feel leave is either not a priority, or not an option.

Advice

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have a legal obligation to ensure the health of employees in the workplace. This includes taking the necessary steps to ensure employees don’t suffer from stress-related illness because of their work.

With no end to the cost-of-living crisis in sight, what can you do to ensure your staff de-stress and take time out for precious R&R?

Here are a few tips:

Send balance reminders

Send employees a monthly reminder of their remaining entitlement and highlight the importance of taking time for rest and recuperation.

Be flexible

Be flexible with leave requests. Sometimes, employees may need to take leave at short notice. Try to accommodate them where possible. And encourage them to take breaks throughout the year, even if it’s a day or two. 

Both gestures will show them you value their well-being.

Reduce the rollover limit

Limit the number of days that can be rolled over to the following year. A “use it or lose it” policy can prevent employees from hoarding leave and potentially burning out.

Introduce wellbeing days

Allocate employees two or three ‘wellbeing days’ a year. No questions asked. No notice required.

The odd day off for self-care can be a quick way to reset and stave off burnout.

Encourage staff to switch off

If employees spend their downtime responding to emails, it’s not downtime, is it?

When a member of staff books in leave, remind them of the importance of switching off.

Granted, it can be challenging to switch off completely when smartphones and tablets keep us connected 24/7. But suggest they set some ground rules. For example, limit check-ins to 30 minutes, once a day.

Organise cover

Assure employees that there are systems in place to ensure their work gets done.

Whoever is covering needs to be up-to-speed on current projects and have all the relevant documents in advance.

The last thing any employee wants is to feel overwhelmed and stressed as they step out of the office for a dream holiday.  

Create a buffer policy

Nothing kills the holiday vibe quicker than returning to an overflowing inbox or back-to-back meetings. Create a ‘buffer policy’ where time is allocated for employees to catch up and get on top of their admin. During this time, there are no meetings, deadlines, or new projects. This will prevent stress levels from returning on day one.

Lead by example

Finally, it’s important to lead by example. If you’re encouraging your people to take time off, but you haven’t had a day off since 2015, how can you expect to be taken seriously?

Not only does this send a conflicting message, it reinforces an ‘always on’ culture.

Need an extra fundraising bod to help you manage your workload? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to find out how.

The Vagina Museum demonstrates the power of crowdfunding

There are a lot of myths about vaginas out there. But one charitable museum – the world’s first – exists to dispel misinformation and celebrate all things gynecological.

From labia length to orgasms, The Vagina Museum has bared all since launching in 2019.

But the charity faced a major setback last summer when it was unexpectedly turfed out of its Bethnal Green home.

However, it reopened on 4 November in a new location, thanks to a successful crowdfunding appeal.

To cover the cost of the new premises, the charity appealed to the public’s generosity and managed to raise more than £90,000 in three weeks.

This demonstrates the power of crowdfunding.

What is crowdfunding?

As we explained in a previous blog post, crowdfunding is an effective way to raise money in the digital space via individual contributions from a large group of people; a crowd, if you will.

The beauty of crowdfunding is it can get your campaign in front of an audience of millions for relatively little effort. And, as the Vagina Museum has proven, if you get it right, it can net you a whole lot of wonga.

Crowdfunding tips

We’ve covered the basics. Now let’s focus on what you need to do to execute a killer crowdfunding campaign.

1. Pick your platform

First things first. You need to decide where you’re going to launch your campaign.

There are hundreds of crowdfunding platforms out there. Before committing, do your homework. We recommend comparing five key areas: structure, fees, features, reach, and reputation. 

This article by GoFundMe is a good place to start.

2.  Frontload your campaign

According to Fundable, campaigns that secure 30% of their goal within the first week are more likely to succeed. This means you need to have backers in place before your campaign goes live.

Tap your trustees, major donors, and management team for donations prior to launch to get the ball rolling.

When you open the campaign up to the rest of the world, they’ll feel like they’re joining a successful movement.

3. Tell a great story

As much as we like to believe we make decisions based on logic, stats, and reason, this isn’t the case. People act on emotion.

That’s not to say there’s no place for facts and figures in your story. They’re important to highlight the scale of the problem you’re trying to solve, but if you want backers to open their wallets, you need to connect with them by sharing a great story.

There are two ways to do it. You can write your story (if you go down this route, it should be supported by striking imagery), or let a film do the talking for you.

According to crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, campaigns with videos raise 114% more than those without.

This emotive piece of video storytelling by Kidscape demonstrates why.

4. Be specific

You’ll raise more funds if you ask people to help you reach a particular goal.

Whether you need help funding a pricey piece of equipment, repairs to your office, or a new initiative to support your beneficiaries, make your ask specific and explain where the money will go.

Oh, and set your goal as low as possible. Why? With some crowdfunding platforms, you won’t receive any money if your campaign doesn’t hit its financial target, so before you press ‘publish’, make sure your goal is realistic.

5. Leverage your network

Once you’ve finalised your campaign, it’s time to spread the word.

Share the campaign on social and ask staff, trustees, ambassadors, volunteers, family, and friends to do the same.

Using your network to access the networks of others will build momentum and awareness.

6. Keep up the momentum

Continually begging for money is going to turn donors off.

When promoting your campaign, consider the 20/80 rule.

Only 20% of your posts should make a direct ask. The other 80% need to convince potential donors you’re worth investing in.

Highlight successful projects, beneficiary case studies, or significant milestones, adding a call to action and your crowdfunding link at the end.

7. Update donors

Along with regular social media updates, be sure to communicate with backers on the campaign platform.

Reply to comments, answer questions, and express your gratitude. And be sure to update them on campaign progress – both on and off the platform.

If you make donors feel valued and show them that their donations are making a difference, the chances are they’ll share the page and encourage others to contribute.

Final Word

Follow these steps and you’ll be well on the way to crowdfunding success.

Looking for a digital fundraiser to kickstart your campaign? You’re in the right place. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the ball rolling.

Introducing Charity Fillers

According to Ofcom, nine in ten people (89.6%) in the UK listen to the radio at least once a week.

That’s millions of captive ears.

Want to promote your charity to them, for free?

Thanks to Charity Fillers, you can.

Launched by C.I. Broadcasting, the service aims to plug unfilled airtime on UK radio stations with third-sector commercials and content.

What are ‘fillers?’

If you were around in the 70’s, you may remember the Green Cross Man; a costumed superhero who featured in a series of TV commercials in the 1970s to teach children about road safety.

This is a prime example of a ‘filler’; a non-commercial public service announcement that’s used by broadcasters to fill gaps in TV and radio programming schedules.

Charity Fillers is a similar concept, but it promotes third sector organisations rather than public announcements.

Call-out for charities

The newly launched platform has signed up 30 regional radio stations so far, including Together Radio, True Radio, Apple FM, and Brum Radio.

And registered charities are now being invited to sign up and take advantage of their unsold airtime.

Want to get involved?

Here’s what you need to know.

To get started, fill out the form on Charity Fillers’s website. Once the team has checked your credentials, they’ll set you up with a user account, through which you’ll upload your audio commercials (with accompanying copy clearance details).

Once uploaded, the radio stations will be able to view, download and use your content.

Reporting

As part of the service, radio stations will submit weekly online reports to Charity Fillers, detailing the number of times a commercial has been used (a single piece of audio cannot be played more than 28 times in week).

The reports will then be collated and forwarded to partner charities so they can gauge the effectiveness of the service.

On its website, Charity Fillers says that (currently) the ‘vast majority of U.K. radio stations using Charity Fillers are non RAJAR reporting stations, which means it is difficult to gauge an individual station's actual audience.

However, in the current RAJAR reporting period, just over five million adults listened to these stations each week, representing 9% of U.K. radio listening.’

Is radio advertising worth the effort?

Yes, for three reasons.  

1. Radio is the most trusted medium

A survey by Eurobarometer found that radio is trusted by 56% of the population, compared to 49% for TV and press, 35% for the internet and 20% for social media.

2. Radio advertising is effective

According to RadioCentre, radio advertising increases awareness of charity campaigns by 79% and relevance by 27%.

3. Charity Fillers is a free service

What have you got to lose?

Looking for a broadcast-savvy fundraiser to get your commercial in the can? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the conversation started.

How Cats Protection raised £50,000 on eBay in four months

Does your charity have an eBay shop? If not, you could be missing out on a healthy chunk of income, as Cats Protection has proven.

Back in September, a small team of staff set up an eBay store from an office above a Cats Protection shop in Somerset, to harness the power of a worldwide marketplace and make the most of ‘rare and unusual’ items donated by supporters.

Little did they know how successful it would be.

In just four months, their efforts have generated over £50,000, and there’s no sign of sales slowing down.

How have they done it?

David Chan-Baker, Cats Protection’s retail online hub manager revealed all in an interview with Somerset Apple.

“The [eBay] team takes in items that have been donated to Cats Protection shops across the country.

They look for pieces that would have value in the shops but where we can add extra value online.

It’s about using our knowledge of the items to make the most of our donors’ generous gifts.”

Finding value

The team looks into the history of each item it sells online, cataloging the details, heritage, and previous sales of similar items to guide the pricing. 

Chan-Baker said, “We try to find specifics about items that will add value. For example, if we have a games console, we will look at the version, which games come with it, and how others have sold so that we can pitch just below the higher end of the pricing scale to improve turnover.”

Pitch perfect

The team clearly has a knack for pitching, as some of the items have reached astonishing prices.

As Chan-Baker explains, “We had a Bernina sewing machine go for £600 and a saxophone went to a customer in Europe for £549. We are unlikely to have made that in any of our shops as we’d have needed a jazz musician to walk in and know its value.”

The charity also raised £8,000 from the sale of model trains, £400 from Chanel earrings, and £3,000 from Christmas cards.

Current items for sale include a 1960’s velvet coat, from the designer Jean Patou, which is being offered for just under £500, and a vintage mandolin from the 1900s that’s been priced at £160. 

Want to check out their wares? You can do so here.

How to get started with eBay

If Cats Protections’ success has inspired you to launch your own eBay charity shop, you can find out all you need to know to get started here.

It’s worth noting however, that charities aren’t exempt from fees.

While there are no listing fees, you’ll pay a final value fee of 1.1% of the total amount of each sale, plus 17p per order.

The ‘total amount’ is the entire amount the buyer pays, including handling charges, the shipping service the buyer selects, sales tax, plus any other applicable fees.

Need a fundraiser to run your eBay shop? We’ve got the talent. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 to find the perfect fit.