Asking for donations without pressuring donors

The Code of Fundraising Practice (The Code) sets out standards that help fundraisers ask for donations without putting undue pressure on donors, such as not intruding on a person’s privacy or being unreasonably persistent. These are good starting point, however, whilst one person might consider a certain approach undue pressure, another might be comfortable with it. Charities and agencies should therefore consider how to convey the importance of their cause and need for support in a way that makes donors feel comfortable and confident that they want to donate. 

The Code sets out standards that fundraisers must follow when asking for donations, which you can read about in the section: What do the rules say about encouraging donations? 

Alongside the rules, it’s important to remember that different audiences could react differently to the same approach or fundraising campaign. One way to avoid a negative response is to focus on asking them in a way that makes them feel comfortable and gives them a positive experience.  

To do this, fundraisers could ask themselves:  

• How does the tone of the ask come across? This can be through spoken or written communication, or body language

• Am I making assumptions about the donor? E.g. their financial situation or their motivations to donate 

• Am I comparing the donor to others, or implying that they should give because others in their community have? 

• Am I talking about the positive impact their support could have, rather than the negative consequences if they don’t donate? 

• Am I being respectful of the financial commitment I am asking for? 

• How many times have I asked and (if relevant) using which channels? 

• Would I be comfortable being treated like this, or seeing someone I care about treated in this manner?  

• Can I ask a colleague how they would approach this? 

Organisational culture will influence how fundraisers communicate with donors, meaning charities and agencies need to consider how they motivate and evaluate fundraisers’ performance, whilst prioritising supporter experience. This can be challenging as pressure to meet targets risks translating to pressure on donors. Although clear expectations are important, and targets can be a useful tool, charities and agencies should also ensure fundraising activities are aligned with their values.    

It’s important to remember that workplace culture is made up of values, expectations and actions at all levels of the organisation. Although these different areas might seem difficult to control, it can be influenced by frameworks that encourage fundraisers to act in-line with the organisation’s values, including:  

• Prioritising reaching audiences that share your organisation’s values 

• Investing in supporter experience to nurture donor loyalty 

• Recruiting fundraisers with the same values as your organisations 

• Developing transparent, collaborative and reciprocal partnerships - you can read more about this in our guidance Successful partnerships for a sustainable future 

• Using feedback and insight from supporters to refine your fundraising - you can read more about this in the section: Developing fundraising messages 

• Routinely reviewing processes and procedures to ensure they are in your donors’ best interests e.g. vulnerable people's policies - you can read more about this in the section below 

• Regularly reviewing activities and identifying ways to encourage fundraisers to behave in-line with the organisation’s values e.g. mystery shopping 

Organisations can also adopt measures that directly support fundraisers, including:   

• Providing training to help new staff embed the organisation’s values in their work e.g. shadowing experienced fundraisers  

• Praising and recognising fundraisers who have demonstrated organisation’s values  

• Showing fundraisers the impact of the charity’s work e.g. site visits, inspiring talks, offering a chance to volunteer 

• Encouraging and facilitating positive interactions between agency fundraisers and charity partners  

Fundraisers also need to follow organisational policies and regulations to ensure they have the tools to support donors. You can read more about these below:  

• Treating donors fairly- an approach to fundraising and vulnerability  

• Accepting, refusing and returning donations 

• Safeguarding for fundraising managers  

• The Fundraising Code of practice - you can read more about this in the section: What do the rules say about encouraging donations? 

Whether a fundraiser is asking for a donation in person, on the phone or through written materials, the most effective fundraising message will resonate with a donor’s values. Charities therefore need to develop a strong understanding of what kind of message works best for their supporters. It’s possible that different messages will work better with different groups, meaning fundraisers should be clear on who they want to reach and why.  

There is a process that charities can adopt to develop their fundraising messages. Depending on capacity and resource it might not be necessary to follow every step for every fundraising activity:  

Step 1: Using insight to identify what might be suitable for your target audience, such as focus groups or feedback from past activities 

Step 2: Develop the messaging  

Step 3: Test the initial messaging - this can be done with supporter groups, other fundraisers or other charity colleagues  

Step 4: Refine the messages 

Step 5: Carry out the fundraising activity 

Step 6: Review the activity’s performance and supporter feedback and identify any areas that need to be changed  

There are many types of fundraising campaigns, from emergency appeals, retention campaigns, to raising money for general funds. Each one has a specific audience and varying objectives, meaning charities need to consider how to best reach their target audience and make sure fundraising materials are suitable for them. 

Even with a specific audience, campaigns usually reach large numbers of people, meaning it can be challenging to determine how each individual could react to a particular campaign or piece of content. This can be especially challenging if the charity is raising money for a complex or controversial cause. 

To make sure fundraising campaigns are a positive experience for supporters, fundraisers could ask themselves:  

• What insight do I have about this audience and how will it inform the campaign? 

• Have we reviewed feedback from previous campaigns? Have we had any complaints from supporters saying they have felt undue pressure? 

• Can we test this message with the target audience? E.g. supporter focus groups  

• How does this campaign help build long-term relationships with donors? 

• How can supporter experience help me meet my objectives whilst creating a positive experience for donors? You can read more about this through The supporter experience project'  

• How can I support donors? - this is particularly important if the campaign discusses sensitive topics e.g. mental health:  

• Before the campaign? E.g. Sharing information about the charity 

• During the campaign? E.g. Making opt-outs clear 

• After the campaign? E.g. Following up with information on services available to beneficiaries that donors can also access 

Similarly, when creating campaign content, fundraisers could ask themselves:  

• Is the content clear and accurate? You can read more about this in our guidance Accuracy and Clarity in Fundraising 

• What support can I give donors who might have a strong reaction this this? Some examples include: 

  • Trigger warnings 

  • Providing access to charity services or hotlines 

• Is the language and tone reflective of the situation? - in some cases, it might be appropriate to use emotive language, however, this must be justified - you can read more about this in the section What do the rules say about encouraging donations?  

• How can storytelling encourage donations? You can read more about this in An introduction to non-profit storytelling 

• How can behavioural science nudge donors to donate? You can read more about this in The science of fundraising: Ask a behavioural scientist   

• Is the ask and any call to action easy to understand?  

Having a one-to-one conversation with a person is a valuable way to learn about their needs, discuss why the charity is fundraising, and offer a range of ways for them to support the charity, including donations, legacy pledges or taking part in an event. As every person is different, fundraisers need to tailor their approach to the donor. 

There are many ways to have a conversation, build rapport and ask for a donation. To ensure this is a positive experience for the supporter, fundraisers can ask themselves: 

• What can I infer from the tone of their voice, body language or behaviour? 

• Are we finding common ground, and do they share the charity’s values?  

• Do they need additional support? E.g. writing down some of the information 

• Does this feel like a reciprocal conversation? Some ways to facilitate this include:  

  • Asking open questions 

  • Learning about them and their interests 

  • Giving them space to talk  

  • Is it clear they can leave the conversation?  

• Is my language and tone encouraging, rather than judgmental?  

• Am I being clear what the donation will be used for? 

• Can I give them a choice on how to support the charity? 

• Have I given them enough time to consider the ask?  

• Am I following the Code? You can read more about this in next section below

You can read more about using the telephone to improve supporter experience in our guidance A Good Call: Using the telephone for fundraising and supporter care  

The Fundraising Regulator

The Code of Fundraising Practice sets standards to ensure all fundraising is legal, honest, open and respectful. There are several standards that fundraisers must be aware of to make sure they are asking for a donation without putting pressure on the donor: 

All fundraising:

1.2.1. While reasonable persuasion is allowed, you must not fundraise in a way which is an unreasonable intrusion on a person’s privacy, is unreasonably persistent or places undue pressure on a person to donate. 
1.2.2. You must not continue to ask a person for support if that person clearly indicates – by word or gesture – that they do not want to continue to speak to you. You must end the conversation in a polite way. 

Working with Third Parties: 

7.3.1. You must make sure that any paid third-party fundraisers or commercial partners you work with to fundraise keep to the code. 

Marketing and communications: 

9.1.2. You must be able to show that you have taken all reasonable steps to make sure that communications are suitable for the people they are aimed at. 
9.1.3. Your marketing communications must not contain anything that is likely to cause serious or widespread offence. You must take particular care to avoid causing offence on the grounds of race, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation or disability. This will vary according to the context, type of communication, audience, product and commonly accepted standards of decency at the time of the communication. 
9.1.4. Your marketing communications must not contain anything that is likely to cause fear or distress without a justifiable reason. If you can justify it, the fear or distress likely to be caused must not be excessive. 
9.1.5. You must not use a claim or image that some people may find shocking merely to attract attention. If you use images that some people may find shocking, you should give warnings about this material. 
9.1.9. You must be able to justify how often you contact people, balancing the need to communicate with not overwhelming or bombarding people. 

Telephone fundraising: 

9.4.10. You must not make calls after 9pm, except to people who have asked you to call after this time. 
9.4.12. If the phone call is your first contact with a donor, you must ask if they are happy for you to contact them at that time. If they ask you not to call again, you must not do so.  
9.4.16. You must make clear that you are asking for financial or other types of support. 
9.4.17. You must not ask for a financial contribution more than three times during a fundraising phone call. 

Asking for a donation in-person: 

8.1.1. While fundraising, you must not: 

• act in any way that might reasonably cause members of the public to be or become startled or anxious; 
• act dishonestly or manipulatively, or deliberately try to make a potential donor feel guilty; or 
• act in any other way that a reasonable person might consider would damage the charitable institution’s reputation. This includes: 
  • putting undue pressure on members of the public to donate;  

8.1.2. You must avoid causing an obstruction, congestion and nuisance to the public. You must not deliberately block the path of members of the public. 
8.1.4. You must not suggest to any member of the public that the conversation you are attempting to start is not about money or that you are ‘not fundraising’. 
8.1.5. When asking for a regular gift, you must not suggest to any member of the public that it is ‘without commitment’. 
8.1.6. Unless this is authorised under an agreement with a private site, you must not approach members of the public who are: 

• seated, unless the seating is part of a charitable institution’s promotional stand; or 
• in queues, unless the queue is directly related to the fundraising activity. 

Asking for Legacies: 

15.3.4. In all visits to people who might consider leaving a legacy to you in their will, you must make sure that your fundraiser: 

• accepts the person’s right to invite other people of their choice to be present at any stage of the meetings; 
• reminds the person of the purpose of the visit; 
• makes sure that the meeting is carried out in a way and at a length that is sensitive to and suits their interests and concerns; 
• accepts the person’s right to end the meeting at any time, and does this promptly and politely; and 
• makes and keeps attendance notes of meetings and communications with the person on file. 

15.3.5. In all visits to people who might consider leaving a legacy to you in their will, you must make sure that your fundraiser does not act in any way that a reasonable person might judge to be threatening or as putting undue pressure or influence on the person. 
15.6.1. There are considerable risks to you in paying the costs involved in making a will which includes a legacy to you, so it is discouraged. But if you want to do this, you: 

• must not insist that you receive a legacy or that you are appointed as executor in exchange for paying for the will;  

15.7.1. You must respect the wishes of the testator if they tell you they don’t want to receive any further marketing communications from you (which would include any fundraising requests) or, wherever possible, if they ask for a certain level of contact. 

Advertising standards authority: 

Fundraising materials must also adhere to The Advertising Standards Authority Non Broadcast Code (CAP) and Broadcast Code (BCAP), which both set out rules to avoid putting pressure on the public.  

These include:   

BCAP code 

16.3.2. Advertisements seeking donations for, or promoting the needs or objectives of a charitable body must not suggest that anyone will lack proper feeling or fail in a responsibility by not supporting a charity. 
4.2. Advertisements must not cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards. 

Particular care must be taken to avoid causing offence on the grounds of: age; disability; gender; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation. 

4.10. Advertisements must not distress the audience without justifiable reason. Advertisements must not exploit the audience's fears or superstitions. 

CAP code 

4.1. Marketing communications must not contain anything that is likely to cause serious or widespread offence. Particular care must be taken to avoid causing offence on the grounds of: age; disability; gender; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation. Compliance will be judged on the context, medium, audience, product and prevailing standards. 

Marketing communications may be distasteful without necessarily breaching this rule. Marketers are urged to consider public sensitivities before using potentially offensive material. 
The fact that a product is offensive to some people is not grounds for finding a marketing communication in breach of the Code. 

4.2. Marketing communications must not cause fear or distress without justifiable reason; if it can be justified, the fear or distress should not be excessive. Marketers must not use a shocking claim or image merely to attract attention. 

The Charity Commission 

Under the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016 (‘the Act’), charities must include statements on their fundraising in their annual report. Below are the areas these statements must cover: 

Section 13 ‘Fund-raising' of the Act 

       Annual reports: fund-raising standards information 

If section 144(2) applies to a financial year of a charity, the annual report in respect of that year must include a statement of each of the following for that year: 

• the approach taken by the charity to activities by the charity or by any person on behalf of the charity for the purpose of fund-raising, and in particular whether a professional fund-raiser or commercial participator carried on any of those activities; 
• whether the charity or any person acting on behalf of the charity was subject to an undertaking to be bound by any voluntary scheme for regulating fund-raising, or any voluntary standard of fund-raising, in respect of activities on behalf of the charity, and, if so, what scheme or standard; 
• any failure to comply with a scheme or standard mentioned under paragraph (b); 
• whether the charity monitored activities carried on by any person on behalf of the charity for the purpose of fund-raising, and, if so, how it did so; 
• the number of complaints received by the charity or a person acting on its behalf about activities by the charity or by a person on behalf of the charity for the purpose of fund-raising; 
• what the charity has done to protect vulnerable people and other members of the public from behaviour within subsection (2) in the course of, or in connection with, such activities. 

The behaviour within this subsection is:

• unreasonable intrusion on a person’s privacy; 
• unreasonably persistent approaches for the purpose of soliciting or otherwise procuring money or other property on behalf of the charity; 
• placing undue pressure on a person to give money or other property.