Fundraising Policy

Introduction

Team Hope is an Irish Christian International Development Aid Charity (Registered Charity no. 20047627, CHY 12524) primarily working with vulnerable children, their families and communities in underdeveloped and marginalised areas of Eastern Europe and Africa.

Team Hope, through its staff or volunteers, engages in fundraising from the general public to help accomplish its charitable aims. Team Hope and its board of directors recognise the importance of accountability to our donors, in ensuring they are adequately informed and that processes are in place to ensure their donations are utilised properly.

This policy outlines Team Hope’s commitments to its donors through our donor charter and then outlines how we comply with best practice on public fundraising, as represented in Charities Regulator’s Guidelines for Charitable Organisation on Fundraising from the Public. Finally, Team Hope’s Complaints Policy is summarised here to provide information on how to make a complaint or provide feedback on how these standards could be improved.

Who Does This Policy Apply To?

This policy applies to all those involved in fundraising for Team Hope including its board of directors, staff and volunteers.  This policy outlines Team Hope’s commitment to its donors and how it complies with best practice in fundraising from the public.

Donor Charter

This Donor Charter summarises and clarifies the commitments that Team Hope as a registered charity is making to its current and potential donors with regard to its public fundraising activities.

Based on our Christian ethos and core values, our pledge is to treat all donors with the utmost respect, honesty and openness. Our commitment is to be accountable and transparent so that donors and prospective donors can have full trust and confidence in Team Hope. We commit to being good stewards of everything that we are entrusted with and to remain beyond reproach at all times.

Under this donor charter, Team Hope specifically commits that donors and prospective donors will:

  • Be informed of the organisation’s mission and of the way the organisation intends to use donated resources
  • Be informed of the identity of those serving on the organisation’s governing board and that the board will exercise prudent judgement in its stewardship responsibilities
  • Have access to the organisation’s most recent financial statements
  • Be assured your gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given
  • Receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition for your direct support including where possible personalised stories of our overseas partners helping vulnerable children
  • Be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law
  • Expect that all relationships with individuals representing the charity will be dealt with professionally and cordially
  • Be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organisation or hired third party agents
  • Have readily available the agreed procedure for making and responding to complaints
  • Have the opportunity for any names to be deleted from mailing lists and to be informed if the organisation intends to share the mailing lists with third parties
  • Receive prompt truthful and forthright answers to questions you may have of Team Hope

Public Compliance Statement

As a charity seeking donations from the public we will comply with the Charities Regulator’s Guidelines for Charitable Organisation on Fundraising from the Public:

  • Team Hope has committed to compliance with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public and has formally discussed and adopted the Guidelines at a meeting of the board of directors.
  • Team Hope confirms its commitment to the principles set out in the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public by a statement to that effect in its annual report.
  • Team Hope has a Donor Charter which is consistent with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public.
  • Team Hope regularly monitors compliance with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public.
  • Team Hope considers the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public when planning all fundraising activity.
  • Team Hope does not currently work with third party fundraisers; if it does it will develop a specific policy for this.
  • Team Hope provides honest, open, accountable and transparent disclosure when fundraising from the public.
  • Team Hope has appointed a member a senior member of staff to be responsible for compliance with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public.
  • Team Hope ensures that fundraising staff are provided with information and training on the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public and its implementation.
  • Team Hope has a feedback and complaints procedure consistent with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public. Feedback is recorded for review by relevant staff including the CEO. Feedback is responded to promptly and appropriately (see below for details).
  • Team Hope prepares financial reports consistent with the requirements of the Charities Act 2009 and the Charities Regulator which include a statement concerning the extent to which control of the organisation is independent of its funding sources.
  • Team Hope ensures that all donations are tracked and recorded and complies with data protection requirements.
  • Team Hope is accessible to the public through a number of readily available contact options and includes details of these in our public communications.

Feedback & Complaints

Handling feedback and complaints

With tens of thousands of donors and supporters and thousands of volunteers getting involved in its work, Team Hope conducts its activities in a spirit of openness and transparency at all times. An important element of this transparency is an open feedback and complaints process, which is also in line with charity governance best practice. These processes are governed by Team Hope’s Complaints Policy and summarised below.

Feedback

Feedback takes place both informally in person and more formally with surveys and email etc. Feedback is always welcomed and if you’d like to share your comments with Team Hope about its work, then you are encouraged to either:

  • Call the Team Hope office on (01) 2940222 to speak with a member of staff during normal business hours
  • Email info@teamhope.ie
  • Write in to the Team Hope office and the address is 5 Leopardstown Business Centre, Ballyogan Avenue, Dublin 18, D18 CF67 or use the contact form here: https://www.teamhope.ie/contact-us/

Thank you in advance of your feedback and please be sure to highlight specific details about your experience of Team Hope’s work helping vulnerable children overseas.

Complaints

Team Hope takes complaints seriously and complaints may be received from anyone benefiting from its work overseas, or from volunteers, individuals or staff of partner organisations involved in Team Hope’s work and operations in Ireland.

Team Hope will respond to all complaints within 2 working days providing acknowledgement that a complaint has been received and may make contact to request further information or clarity.

Team Hope respects a person’s individual rights to make a complaint anonymously, however this may in some cases limit Team Hope’s ability to investigate or respond to the complaint. In cases where personal details are given and confidentiality is requested, Team Hope will respect this as much as possible. However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in all circumstances such as if the complaint relates to a breach of the law, where a witness statement may be requested, or in an area such as child protection where Team Hope is obligated to report issues to external bodies.

It should be noted that complaints relating to a breach of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) or requests/queries in relation to an individual’s rights under GDPR will be dealt with in line with the timeframes and procedures established under GDPR and as per Team Hope’s GDPR policies.