Members of the self-regulatory body for fundraising in the UK produced 173 million pieces of 'direct mail' in 2011, compared to 146 million in 2010. The volume of junk mail produced per member of the organisation increased from 128,000 to 140,000 - an increase of more than 9%. Exactly 14,903 complaints about addressed junk mail were received; 49% of the total number of complaints. In 2010, junk mail accounted for just over half of all complaints about charity fundraising.

The most common gripe about charity junk mail was the frequency of appeals. Poor data (that is, sending mail to people who have moved or deceased); the use of guilt-tactics (enclosing 'gifts' in mail-outs aimed at making people feel guilty if they don't donate); and the tone of appeals were other common causes for complaints.

Junk science

In its report the Fundraising Standards Boards emphasises the number of complaints it receives is reassuringly low. The 14,903 complaints about addressed junk mail, for instance, represent only 0.009% of all the pieces of junk mail produced by members of the organisation. The Fundraising Standards Board has not investigated the reasons for this. In particular, there is no data about how aware the public is of the organisation's existence and its complaints handling service.

Clothing collections, a type of charity fundraising that has been added on popular demand, is most likely to trigger complaints. A particular issue with charity bags is that such collections are often not charitable at all and that the companies behind the collections are unlikely to apply for membership of the Board.

Self-Regulation Plus

One of the aims of the Fundraising Standards Board for the next year is to promote itself. One of its proposals is to make membership of the organisation obligatory for all fundraising charities. The proposal, named 'Self-Regulation Plus, is unlikely to be popular with charities that are currently not a member of the organisation. The CEO of SOS Children's Villages, for instance, has in the past accused Fundraising Standards Board of defending low standards for fundraising.

Another proposal is for the organisation to be granted the power to impose fines. Currently, the most severe sanction available is expulsion from its membership.

Links

• Charity Fundraising Complaints top 30,000 (frbs.org.uk)
• Fundraising Standards Board - Annual Report 2012 (frsb.org.uk)
• Fundraising Standards Board: time for a higher standard (soschildrensvillages.org.uk)