Last Friday we were delighted to announce the news that the Queen has approved an Order granting a Royal Charter to the Institute of Fundraising. Fundraising as a profession will be formally recognised alongside the likes of lawyers and accountants, and it will give added weight and credibility to work we do to support the raising of funds for worthwhile causes.
This is a huge achievement that we want to share with the whole sector – something that we can all benefit from in terms of championing our standards of professional competence and driving these still higher by evidencing them, and it will help to positively enhance perceptions of charities and the work we do.
And for our members it represents a formal acknowledgement that in order to be a recognised fundraising professional, you require a unique set of knowledge, skills and behaviours in your role making the world a better place, and these can be learned and shared through education, training and best practice.
One immediate question many people have asked is what benefits it will bring for members going forward.
For all of our members you will soon be able to say you are a member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. However, for our Individual Members, we are now commencing a new #IoFCharteredJourney to be approved to award Individual Chartered Status in few years’ time. Should we be approved to do so, it will give Individual Members the opportunity to gain a ‘Chartered Fundraiser’ designation – similar to ‘Chartered Accountants’ and ‘Chartered Surveyors’.
We will take some time to engage with members to determine what our approach to Individual Chartered Status could be, but other professions tend to have two routes – a ‘qualified’ route and an ‘experience’ route.
- A qualified route tends to allow those who hold a particular level of qualification to be eligible to become individually Chartered, but there is usually an additional requirement to showcase a comprehensive record of continuing professional development (CPD) activities. CPD could include attending courses, conferences, learning from sector press articles, reading guidance documents and participating on committees.
- An experience route allows those who have a significant amount of experience in the sector but no eligible qualification, to undertake a standalone assessment to become individually Chartered, but again, further supported by showcasing a comprehensive record of CPD activities
It is important to note that the new Chartered Institute of Fundraising will continue to be for all fundraisers. Those who do not wish to become a Chartered Fundraiser will continue to be supported in their journeys with us as we strive to make fundraising a profession for everyone.
As a Chartered Body we will also have a stronger platform to continue our work in promoting fundraising as a profession of choice. Whether graduates, non-graduates or career changers, we want to ensure we showcase a career in fundraising as an exciting and rewarding choice so we can grow the number of talented people in our sector – particularly those from diverse groups. One specific initiative we are delighted to be supporting is the development of a Level 3 ‘Fundraiser’ Apprenticeship. Should this apprenticeship standard be approved, it will allow organisations of all sizes to create apprenticeship fundraiser roles which we anticipate will open up a route into the profession for those who don’t go to university. We will continue to explore other routes into the profession for graduates, non-graduates and career changers with a specific focus on diverse groups.
Our YouGov research on the public’s perception of fundraising in 2019 showed most of the public would view fundraising more favourable if it was represented by a Chartered Body. It is important to us, and our members, to make sure the value of the work you do day in and day out is recognised, celebrated and appreciated.
And for the IoF, our members perception will undoubtedly change as we commence a new chapter in our history as the Chartered Institute of Fundraising in April, and plan to launch our new identity – and a new website – before Fundraising Convention 2020.
For some perhaps a “Royal Charter” evokes images of feathered hats, scrolls and vellum. For the IoF, we are developing a Chartered identity that brings the profession into the future. We’re opting to print our Charter on recycled paper as opposed to the traditional vellum. The Privy Council has allowed us the honour of being among the first to break a 700-year-old custom of printing Royal Charters on parchment made of calfskin. It’s great to be able to use the Charter as a symbol for our commitment to the climate and creating a new tradition that fits our beliefs.
This is an exciting year with a number of initiatives in development which will help support members even further in their professional development. Some specific things to look out for include:
- Development of a Fundraising Competency Framework which will help fundraisers benchmark their knowledge, skills and behaviours against a set of standards and plan their learning holistically
- The launch of a refreshed CPD scheme for Individual Members underpinned by new and engaging digital learning content and tools
- A review into our existing professional development offer to identify new areas of development so we can reach even more fundraisers
There is much to do, but this is a really exciting time to be a member of the soon to be Chartered Institute of Fundraising. Thank you to everyone who supported us on our #IoFCharteredJourney, and we are looking forward to supporting all fundraisers in this new chapter in the profession’s history.