The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Charity registered in Scotland SC003558. Registered office Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6BB.
Fundraising and Covid-19
Finance and fundraising strategies will need to adapt to the changes caused by the pandemic. You may need to budget for increased costs and review income forecasts. Your board may want to consider a more flexible approach to using any restricted reserves the organisation has.
While most legal restrictions have been removed, there are still elements to consider when thinking about carrying out any form of public facing activity.
The Fundraising Regulator has a dedicated webpage with information and guidance for fundraising organisations. All fundraising activity should continue to adhere to the Code of Fundraising Practice which sets the standards that apply to fundraising carried out by all charitable institutions in the UK.
Carry out risk assessments and ensure appropriate measures are in place
The Health and Safety Executive have risk assessment templates. Your risk assessment should cover:
- The type of fundraising activity you are carrying out
- Any potential risks to volunteers, staff or the public
- The actions you will take to minimise or remove the risk that someone could be exposed to Covid-19 because of your activity
Consider public mood and changes to the way people donate
You should consider the public mood and likely feelings and preferences of supporters. Even although legal restrictions have been removed, people may not want to engage or donate in the same ways as before the pandemic and fundraisers should continue to follow responsible fundraising practices.
Some members of the public may still be anxious about interacting with others so check that they are happy to talk with you and be respectful about personal space. Listen to any feedback and be able to explain to the public and others how you are carrying out your fundraising activity safely.
You might consider other forms of fundraising you could use. As less people will be using cash, do you have other ways to collect public donations such as contactless card payments? Are you using digital and virtual fundraising tools?