Fundraising and vulnerability

Policy 

This policy covers MindFood’s commitment to fair treatment of adult supporters that demonstrate vulnerable circumstances. It is applicable to all staff, volunteers, trustees and anyone acting on behalf of or in partnership with MindFood. It’s important to have a vulnerable adults policy to ensure that all MindFood fundraising is conducted in a fair and ethically responsible way. This policy will also detail what MindFood considers to be indications of vulnerability with the aim that, in practice, those acting on behalf of MindFood can easily recognise vulnerability and respond to it in a way that is best for the supporter. 

Our promise
MindFood is signed up to the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice as well as to the Fundraising Promise. These agreements set out the standards that we must meet to ensure that our fundraising is legal, open, honest and respectful. It’s an agreement that is incredibly important to us and you can read the terms and conditions of our promise below.

Terms and conditions of our promise:

• We’re committed to high standards
• We will conduct our fundraising according to the Fundraising Code of Practice
• We will monitor and make sure that our contracted fundraisers, and other organisations that fundraise with us, comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice and the Fundraising Promise too
• We will always obey the law, especially relating to what charities are and aren’t allowed to do when fundraising
• All of our fundraising material will carry the Fundraising Regulator badge to show that we are committed to good fundraising practice
• We’ll keep things clear, open and honest telling the simple, unexaggerated truth
• We will do what we say we are going to do with the money supporters raise
• We will be welcoming and open in our communications about who we are and what we do
• We will provide a range of ideas and resources which will make it clear how the public can support us
• If we ever use another organisation, fundraising group or professional fundraisers to fundraise on our behalf, we’ll make the relationship and our dealings transparent
• We will be able to explain any fundraising costs, along with explanations of why these costs are needed if we are challenged
• We will make sure our procedure for complaints is accessible and user-friendly
• We will take complaints seriously and will respond quickly and comprehensively, backing up the reasons for our decisions with evidence
• We will show respect
• We will respect the rights and privacy of our supporters and potential supporters
• We will tell potential supporters about the adults that need our help but will never put undue pressure on anyone to fundraise or donate to us.
• We have a policy for dealing with people in vulnerable circumstances that is available for anyone to see.
• Where the law requires it, we will make sure we have people’s consent before contacting them.
• If people tell us that they don’t want us to contact them in a particular way then we won’t. 
• We’ll make sure we act fairly and reasonably
• We will treat donors and the public fairly
• We will be sensitive and adapt our approach to meet individual needs
• We’ll never intentionally use images or words to upset people.
• We will do all we can to ensure that we are not a nuisance or a disruption to public life
• We’ll keep ourselves accountable and will take our responsibilities seriously
• We will manage our resources responsibly and consider the affect our fundraising has on our supporters and the wider public.

Complaints
If you are unhappy with anything we have done, you can contact us to make a complaint. If we cannot resolve your complaint, we accept the authority of the Fundraising Regulator to make a final adjudication.

• We will listen to feedback and respond appropriately – whether to compliments or criticism.
• We will have a complaints procedure which will be available on request
• We will monitor and record the number of complaints we receive each year and share this data with the Fundraising Regulator should they request it.

Definitions:
Vulnerable Supporter – an individual that finds it difficult to immediately make an informed decision about the choices offered to them. A vulnerable supporter may experience all or none of the following:

• A diagnosed condition such as dementia
• A recent bereavement
• An undiagnosed or temporary mental health
• Condition such as severe anxiety
• Learning difficulties
• Difficulty understanding the language

Fundraising Regulator – The independent regulator of charitable fundraising and body responsible for holding the Code of Fundraising Practice for the UK.

Our commitment to supporters
We are is compassionate towards our supporters and will never exploit vulnerability.

• We will do everything we can to assist supporters to make an informed decision about the support they choose to give to us.
• We will conduct our fundraising according to the Fundraising Code of Practice and all our fundraising material will carry the Fundraising Regulator badge to show that we are committed to good fundraising practice.
• We do not accept donations where we have reason to believe that the donor may be experiencing vulnerable circumstances and accepting the donation would be ethically wrong and/or harmful to the donor.
• Should a situation arise where we become aware that we have unknowingly accepted donations from an individual during a time that he or she was experiencing vulnerable circumstances, we will endeavour to return all donations accepted during this period, provided we have confirmation that the income was received in the first place.
• Should we receive information regarding a supporter’s vulnerability from a third party, it will not act on any request to alter the supporter’s preferences unless the third-party can provide evidence that he or she has the authority to act on behalf of the supporter.
• If we become aware of a situation where a third-party agency acting on its behalf has not acted in accordance with this policy, it may stop working with the agency.
• MindFood does not identify vulnerable adults based on disability or age or any other social indicator, we deal with each donor on a case-by-case scenario.
• We seek to ensure that a donor is equipped with the appropriate information to make an informed decision about giving. We recognise that in some circumstances it may be necessary to adapt the way in which we communicate with the donor i.e., using braille or a translation service. Staff should be responsive to the needs of an individual and adapt his or her approach to suit those needs and the context.

Contact
Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about fundraising by emailing MindFood’s Director of Fundraising and Development Sarah Jones at sarahjones@mindfood.org.uk

Updated & approved October 2023