Principles & Standards of Fundraising Practice

 

FIA’s Principles & Standards of Fundraising Practice are the professional fundraiser’s guide to ethical, accountable and transparent fundraising. The Principles & Standards are critical to how the fundraising profession is viewed by donors, government, community and by fundraisers.   Self regulation through the use of industry developed codes of practice is being encouraged by Australian governments to ensure informed involvement by practitioners. FIA’s Principles & Standards were developed in consultation with government, members and industry stakeholders and complement legislation, ensuring its relevancy to best practice.

 

As part of the senate inquiry into disclosure regimes in to charities and nonprofit organisations in 2008, Senate Economics Committee recognised the role FIA’s Principles and Standards in addressing issues of transparency to maintain Australian charities’ high reputation with the public.

 

Today’s donor is more socially aware and expects information about how their donation has made a difference. Fundraisers need to communicate regularly with donors and present an open and honest account of how donations are used.

 

For further information on how to choose a charity, please click here.

 

The Principles & Standards of Fundraising Practice and Professional Development
The Principles & Standards have an educative role, existing to guide fundraising professionals apply best practice. A national ethics curriculum is being developed to facilitate training on fundraising ethics and best practice.

 

How do the Principles & Standards work?
The Principles are the overarching ethical codes that apply to all fundraisers and the Standards focus on specific disciplines of fundraising practice.

 

 

Principles of Fundraising Practice

Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Fundraiser’s Promise to Donors

Code of Acceptance and Refusal of Donations

FIA Complaints Process

 

Standards of Fundraising Practice

Standard of Bequest Fundraising Practice

Standard of Charitable Gaming Fundraising Practice

Standard of Charitable Telemarketing

Standard of Direct Mail Fundraising Practice

Standard of Electronic Fundraising Practice

Standard of Events Fundraising Practice

Standard of Face to Face Fundraising Practice

Standard of Grants Fundraising Practice

Standard of Overseas Aid Fundraising Practice

Standard of School Fundraising Practice

Standard of Workplace Giving Fundraising Practice

 

 

FIA Contact Information

FIA Members please contact policy@fia.org.au or call 1300 889 670 for further information related to the Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice.

 

Where breaches of FIA's Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice have occurred, written complaints should be directed to the FIA CEO in confidence. 

A written complaint must be made for complaints to be considered. The Complaints Form can be found in the appendix of FIA’s Complaints Process.

 

To whom does this Complaints Process apply?

Any person may contact FIA with a query in relation to the Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice without resorting to the Complaints Process. Such an inquiry may clarify whether a Complaint is warranted in relation to particular activities or actions of an FIA member and whether these activities or actions constitute a possible breach of the Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice.  

 

Enforcements

FIA's Ethics Commitee and the CEO handle enforcement and questions pertaining to the FIA Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice.

 

• Consultations: Callers with ethics questions are routed directly to FIA's policy staff in the first instance. If the caller remains dissatisfied the call may be escalated to the FIA CEO. Please note no proceeding ever arises from a telephone consultation —unless the caller initiates it.
• Ethics queries:  The goal of queries is to provide assistance or effect improvement in fundraising practices without resorting to a formal complaint.
• Ethics complaints: Complaints must be filed on the FIA complaint form and mailed to the CEO, who reviews them. If warranted, the CEO shall refer Complaints to the Ethics Committee for review.