About the Scottish Fundraising Adjudication Panel
Why was the panel created?
The Independent Fundraising Standards & Adjudication Panel for Scotland, known as the Scottish Fundraising Adjudication Panel was established in December 2016 after a review of fundraising was carried out in Scotland. Read more about our background and purpose
What does the Panel do?
We will oversee fundraising standards of Scottish registered charities and deal with fundraising complaints relating to Scottish registered charities in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice. Find out more about the Code
Who’s on the Panel?
We have five voluntary members with support from one member of staff. Read our bio’s
Fundraising Guarantee
I used to be a member of FRSB – what will happen to our existing membership and logo?
As part of the fundraising review that was carried out for England and Wales, the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) was closed, therefore your charity will no longer be a member and you should not be using the FRSB ‘tick’ logo.
Scottish registered charities (charities that are registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) can sign up to the Fundraising Guarantee which shows members of the public that you’re committed to good fundraising practices. You can also apply to us for a logo to display on your correspondence. Apply here
Charities that are registered in England and Wales with the Charity Commission (CCEW) can contact the Fundraising Regulator for more information about signing up to their Fundraising Promise.
My charity wants to show it’s committed to good fundraising practice – how do we do this?
Charities in Scotland are invited to sign up to the Fundraising Guarantee. This guarantee shows members of the public that your charity is committed to good fundraising practice. Apply here
Is it mandatory for charities to sign up to the Fundraising Guarantee?
No, charities don’t have to sign up but in doing so they will show donors, funders and members of the public that they are committed to good fundraising practice.
Fundraising Preference Service
What is the Fundraising Preference Service?
The Fundraising Preference Service is an online service that allows members of the public to control the communication they receive from charities that are registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) and charities that are registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI). Find out more on the Fundraising Regulator’s website
Why does it only apply to charities registered in England, Wales and Northern Ireland?
As part of the fundraising review, the Scottish Fundraising Work Group included FPS as part of a wider consultation and it was agreed that it would not offer anything additional to the current legal requirements – or the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and the Mail Preference Service (MPS). You can read two news items regarding this:
How do I stop communication from a Scottish charity?
Under current Data Protection law, you can contact a charity directly and ask them to remove your details from their contact list. You can also register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and the Mail Preference Service (MPS).
Making a Complaint
I want to make a complaint about fundraising. How do I do this?
If you have a complaint about fundraising by a Scottish charity, you should contact the charity in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the resolution, you can pass the complaint to the charity trustees. If you remain unsatisfied, you can escalate the complaint to us by completing the online complaint form
How do I make a complaint about a charity registered in England and Wales?
If you have a fundraising complaint in relation to a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW), you should send your complaint to the Fundraising Regulator.
How do the Panel assess complaints?
We will adjudicate against fundraising complaints in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice and our complaints policy.
Why do I need to complain to the charity first?
The purpose of fundraising self-regulation is so charities deal with complaints in the first instance. It’s important for charities to get your feedback, so they can understand any problems, address your specific concerns and improve their fundraising practice.
