The Fundraising Regulator has published its first Strategic Plan as an established regulatory body, covering the period 2022 – 2027.
With this new five-year Strategic Plan, they intend to move into the next phase of their development, while ensuring they continue to respond appropriately and flexibly to changes in the charitable fundraising sector.
Developed following engagement with charity networks and other stakeholders, the strategy sets out their regulatory objectives and priorities for the period 2022 – 2027 and addresses the new trends in charitable fundraising which have emerged since they were established in 2016. This includes the increasing popularity of new technologies, the growing use of data, and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first phase of the plan will include a full review of the Code of Fundraising Practice, starting in autumn 2022, to ensure that the code remains effective, relevant, and responsive to new issues in fundraising. This will be the first significant overhaul of the code since the last consultation in 2018, which led to the current version, which was effective from October 2019.
Over the next five years, they also plan:
- to conduct detailed research into the public’s experiences with, and expectations of, charitable fundraising
- to collect data about fundraising from external and internal sources to help develop the code and inform regulatory priorities; and
- to continue to deliver joined up regulation through partnerships and relationships with other organisations.
They will also be carrying out a review of the Fundraising Levy and how it is calculated.
Lord Toby Harris, Chair of the Fundraising Regulator, said:
“We have seen considerable changes in the fundraising landscape since we were established and anticipate that methods will continue to shift and develop over the next five years too – shaped by wider social, economic and technological changes.
“This strategic plan reflects our ongoing commitment to evolve as an agile regulator alongside the sector – ensuring our regulation protects donors and the public, while also supporting a vibrant and creative fundraising sector. At the core of our plan are the principles of innovation, proactivity, intelligence, and collaboration.”
The Strategic Plan is part of a continued commitment to provide a transparent view of how they will deliver effective regulation of charitable fundraising.
The next annual business plan will be published later this month and include specific actions for how the overarching strategic objectives will be achieved in the next 12 months.
