Assessing Risk

Safeguarding in fundraising requires a thorough but proportionate approach to risk. This might include considering health and safety concerns, the potential for harm in the office premises and for lone workers, guidelines for site, beneficiary or donor visits, travel arrangements, fundraising events and activities, cyber attacks, data breaches and individuals’ health or medical conditions. 

To complete a thorough risk assessment, charities will first need to identify what the main risks are for fundraising in a safeguarding context. One approach is to grade each risk on a scale of 1-10 by likelihood and severity, and multiply these two figures together. The highest scoring risks are those that need to be prioritised in any safeguarding plan, identifying what can be done to minimise those risks.

When it comes to minimising risk, you might want to consider introducing some general principles, which might include advising fundraisers to avoid meeting potential supporters alone in a private setting, increasing security on confidential files, logging employees and volunteer whereabouts, updating the organisation of any allergies or medical concerns that may arise. 

For more information, see the Charity Commission’s guidance for Charities and Risk Management (CC26) and Sayer Vincent’s guides to Risk Assessment and Risk Management.