The body charged with regulating fundraising must be closed down and replaced with a more effective outfit with tougher sanctions, a review of the self-regulatory system has recommended.
The review, commissioned by the UK Government following concerns about how charities have made contact with donors, says that the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) has been ineffective in regulating fundraising and has lost the confidence of the public and charities. It recommends it be replaced with a more powerful body with the public interest at its heart.
The review says the new regulator should set its own standards for fundraising good practice. Currently, the FRSB adjudicates against standards set by fundraisers themselves via their trade body, the Institute of Fundraising. The panel believe this is an inappropriate arrangement which is not in the public interest and has damaged fundraising regulation.
