So Fundraisers oppose the Fundraising Preference Service? There's a surprise!

Adrian Sergeant and Ian MacQuillin have published an interesting report which is around the replies of more than 500 fundraisers to the their questions about the acceptability of a new regulator and the proposed FPS.

However whilst fundraisers are split on the acceptability of a new regulator to replace the FRSB it is claimed that 75% are opposed to the introduction of the proposed FPS. However if you look at the detail only 46% actively oppose it and 35% say we should accept it! (whilst trying to influence it). I'm not convinced that makes 75% actively opposed. Au contraire a lot of us answered that we have just got to get used to it as it is going to happen. So is that really opposing it? I suppose intellectually I feel it is unnecessary but I think that is reading too much into the answers, don't you?

In reality, of course, most fundraisers probably do feel that it is going to be an unnecessary burden but that we'll have to learn to live with it and make the most of a bad job because, we (and the Daily Mail) have brought this upon ourselves.

I'm doing a session at the DSC Fundraising Fair this week about the 10 most common errors that fundraisers make and what to do to avoid them. What shall I say about regulation I wonder? Do come along and see.

Are you for or against the "Fundraising Preference Service"?

The arguments are hotting up. Adrian Sargeant has, once again, offered some very helpful research amongst, he says, one million lapsed donors, so quite a sample to say that they are generally content with the communications they received from the respective charities. He uses this to justify a powerful attack on the proposed FPS.

He says, "The fundraising sector’s response to the proposed Fundraising Preference service has been ‘pathetically’ limp and that all those who are endorsing it without any evidence that it is needed should feel ashamed." Adrian also challenges Stuart Etherington to come up with the evidence to support the various NCVO report recommendations.

Ian MacQuillin agrees and has started his "say no" campaign.

I fear we're too late. We've missed the boat. The Commons Select Committee won't even ask for any fundraisers' opinions or evidence.

Whilst I completely agree that we didn't, a year ago, need a specific FPS we have, I believe, brought this down on our own heads. As I've been grumping about for months the transactional approach we've been trying to use doesn't work very well. Inappropriate, repetitive asks to upgrade one-off single donations to regular monthly gifts does piss people off. This is where the dissatisfaction lies and by doing nothing about it till now, it is hard to argue that an opt out service isn't a good idea. It doesn't stop us advertising, campaigning, asking for donations. But it will give one-off givers the opportunity to avoid automated, repetitive, inappropriate, upgrade asks.

We're going to have to work much harder at communicating effectively, asking for permission and, most important of all, taking time to develop relationships that the givers want - not what we want to saddle them with. It might well reduce response rates, we are going to have to work harder and smarter. And about bloody time too!