Alistair McLean
Alistair McLean, chief executive of the Fundraising Standards Board, says this shows that regulation and accountability are important to donors
More than seven out of 10 people say they would trust a charity more if it was a member of the Fundraising Standards Board, according to research commissioned by the regulator.
A weighted survey of more than 1,000 British adults aged between 16 and 64, carried out by the internet polling firm TNS OnLineBus in February, asked questions about fundraising regulation and their views on giving to charity.
They were asked if they agreed or disagreed with the statement "I would trust a charity more if I knew it was a member of the FRSB". There was a net agreement of 71 per cent – the proportion of those who disagreed subtracted from the proportion of those who agreed.
A net 44 per cent of people said they would donate more money to a charity if they knew it was an FRSB member; and 65 per cent said they would have more trust in the charity sector if all charities were FRSB members. The survey did not gauge people’s awareness of the FRSB.
The report says that 70 per cent of people who gave to charity said they agreed that charities should invest in fundraising to secure the future of the services they provide. Only 49 per cent of non-donors said the same.
Nineteen per cent of non-donors said charities did not spend too much money on fundraising or administration, while 48 per cent of donors said they same about the charities they donate to.
Alistair McLean, chief executive of the FRSB, said: "This survey shows that both fundraising regulation and the accountability of charities have become increasingly important to charity supporters and reinforces the opportunity of engaging non-donors.
"It’s hugely encouraging that donors are so confident in and trusting of charities, but it is clear that there is a real gulf between those who give and those who don’t."
