Fundraising Policy

Policy Statement

Orchard Trust is committed to ensuring that fundraising activities are carried out in an ethical manner, believing that its funders have a right to expect that the organisation will be run on an honest and sound financial basis, with robust procedures for dealing with donations and accounting.

This policy applies to the Board of Trustees, employed and bank staff, volunteers, supporters and others who support the Trust in a similar capacity.

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to identify Orchard Trust’s position on fundraising practice and to document the standards expected in raising funds from donors.

Policy

Orchard Trust’s guiding fundraising principle is simply that we will only use techniques that we would be happy to have used on ourselves.

In doing so, the organisation will adhere to the following standards:

Fundraising activities carried out by Orchard Trust will comply with all relevant laws.
Any communications to the public made in the course of carrying out a fundraising activity shall be truthful and non-deceptive.
All monies raised via fundraising activities will be used to for the benefit of those the charity is set up to serve. This may be directly or indirectly and will comply with the organisation’s stated mission and purpose.
All personal information collected by Orchard Trust is confidential and is not for sale or to be given away or disclosed to any third party without consent.
Nobody directly or indirectly employed by or volunteering for Orchard Trust shall accept commissions, bonuses or payments for fundraising activities on behalf of the organisation
Fundraising activities shall not be undertaken if they may be detrimental to the good name or community standing of Orchard Trust.

Protection of Vulnerable People

Orchard Trust is committed to protecting vulnerable supporters. Staff and volunteers will take all reasonable steps to treat donors fairly, taking into account any potential vulnerabilities (such as cognitive impairment, age, or distress), and will not accept a donation if there is reason to believe a donor lacks capacity to make an informed decision. Decision-making and returns will follow the processes set out in Orchard Trust’s Fundraising and Vulnerability Policy.

Regulatory Compliance

Fundraising activities will strictly adhere to the Code of Fundraising Practice, the Fundraising Regulator’s standards, and the UK Data Protection Act.

Responsibilities

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the implementation and review of this policy.

All Board members, employed and bank staff, volunteers, supporters and others who support the Trust in a similar capacity are responsible for adhering to this policy.

Procedures

The Fundraising Team will oversee the major fundraising tasks.
The Fundraising Team will report regularly to the Board of Trustees.
All fundraising activities must have the prior approval of the Chief Executive Officer.
A statement estimating income and expenses will be prepared prior to the commencement of any new fundraising activity that may present a financial risk to Orchard Trust.
Fundraising activities shall not be undertaken if they will expose the organisation to significant financial risk.
Orchard Trust reserves the right to refuse or return donations in line with the Ethical Gift Acceptance and Refusal Policy.
Any external professional fundraisers or commercial participants acting on behalf of Orchard Trust must be bound by a written agreement and monitored regularly to ensure compliance with this policy.
All fundraising complaints will be handled promptly via Orchard Trust’s formal Complaints Procedure. If a complaint cannot be resolved internally, the complainant will be directed to the Fundraising Regulator.