The Fundraising Regulator says the updated guidance addresses key recommendations from its 2024 market inquiry and will help charities and agencies build more transparent, accountable partnerships to maintain public trust.
We welcome the Chartered Institute of Fundraising’s (CIoF) updated guidance on charity-agency partnerships and payment models, which responds directly to a key recommendation from our 2024 market inquiry into subcontracting in face-to-face fundraising.
This new guidance supports charities and agencies to build strong, transparent, and accountable fundraising partnerships: something our inquiry showed is essential to maintain public trust in the sector. Many charities and agencies have already taken steps to learn from and implement the recommendations from the market inquiry, and this guidance will help them to continue to do so.
In March 2024, we published the findings of our market inquiry into subcontracting in face-to-face fundraising. The inquiry was launched following concerns raised through complaints, self-reports and the media about poor practice by on-street and door-to-door fundraisers working for subcontracted agencies.
Through workshops and engagement with the sector, we heard clearly how successful fundraising partnerships need transparency, shared values, and robust oversight. While there are many examples of good practice, we found that contracts and monitoring arrangements often fell short of what was needed to ensure safe, compliant, and respectful fundraising.
The updated guidance provides increased clarity for working with subcontractors, creating job adverts, and safeguarding fundraisers. The guidance also updates and reiterates CIoF’s previous advice about due diligence, monitoring, and training and compliance.
The Fundraising Regulator will continue to promote the need for good contract management and ‘line of sight’ – a term we’ve used to describe a charity’s ability to understand and oversee who is fundraising on their behalf at every level of the supply chain.
Charities must ensure that all third-party fundraisers – whether directly contracted or subcontracted – reflect their values and uphold the standards expected by the public and set out in the Code of Fundraising Practice.
This is also a moment to reaffirm the vital role of trustees. Charity trustees have overall responsibility and accountability for their charity and this includes its fundraising, from fundraising strategy to relationships with third parties like agencies. This responsibility is enshrined in charity law, reflected in Charity Commission guidance (such as CC20), and reinforced in the market inquiry.
It is not enough for charities to outsource fundraising and assume all is well. Trustees must satisfy themselves that appropriate due diligence, training, monitoring, and accountability measures are in place and are effective.
With a new version of the Code of Fundraising Practice coming into effect on 1 November, this is also a good opportunity for charities and agencies to ensure they are ready to meet the updated standards. To support this transition, we’ve also published code support guides on due diligence and monitoring fundraising partners.
Since the first market inquiry workshop, we have been consistently encouraged by the sector’s willingness to learn and improve in this area, and we look forward to continuing to support charities and fundraising agencies to raise standards further.
The principles of being open, honest and respectful must remain at the heart of fundraising practice. With the right tools, clear guidance, and shared commitment, we can ensure that partnerships are not only compliant – but a force for public trust and sustainable fundraising success.