If you are burning to run a marathon or have some other activity in mind that would make a great fundraiser but don't know which cause to support, there are a number of websites that will help you to decide who deserves your generosity.
One approach is to find charities that are actively seeking volunteer fundraisers. You'll find a number of websites that help volunteers find opportunities to suit them on our Volunteering websites page.
It may be that you are already a volunteer, but still feel you have more to give. Or if you already know who you want to support, but want to get some third party information about the charity, read on.
Finding charities
You'll find more advice on the Institute of Fundraising's main website, but the two bodies that govern charities in the UK are the Charity Commission and OSCR.
The Charity Commission
The Charity Commission provide a profile of English and Welsh Charities, including their income and expenditure. You can also find copies of the charity's audited accounts attached to many records. They have a straightforward search engine, so if you can't find the charity you are looking for, try using one of the other sites to identify their charity registration number and then you will find the Charity Commission site a breeze to use. The Charity Commission's information is simple and impartial.
Office of the Scottish Charity Register
The Office of the Scottish Charity Register, OSCR, is the independent regulator and registrar of Scottish Charities. They also have a searchable database.
There are also a number of other noncommercial and commercial organisations that list charities on their websites:
Guidestar provide a highly searchable database of UK charities. A straightforward search facility is hosted on their website and offers information on about 168,000 charities in England and Wales. Its search engine enables you to look for charities near to you, as well as through words that appear in all the text associated with their entry, which is great if you are looking for a charity that supports something unusual.
Raise provides invaluable information for groups and companies deciding which charities and campaigns to support. Raise and www.raisemagazine.co.uk are useful tools for people who want to make a difference. For a free subscription for your group visit www.raisemagazine.co.uk or ring 020 85434445.
Finding out about charities
You may want to consider whether the charity has made a commitment to high standards in fundraising.
Many charities have their own website, but if you want to find some third-party information about them in addition to the sources given above, there are a growing number of organisations that aim to help people find the right cause for them to support. It is worth bearing in mind that these sites give the organisation's opinion and you may want to look at the criteria they use to make their judgements when considering whether the information is useful to you.
Intelligent Giving (free online information)
(From their About Us page)"...a small, not-for-profit company in London. We have backgrounds in journalism and research. We're independently financed and run - we're not linked to any charity or government body – and our aim is to help you give with confidence."
New Philanthropy Capital (fee based information)
(From their website) "New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) helps donors understand how to make the greatest difference to people's lives. We provide independent research and tailored advice on the most effective and rewarding ways to support charities.
NPC is a registered charity and we base our fees on a per diem rate, which covers our costs. We do not seek to make a profit on these services, nor do we charge for research that has already been completed. Our fees typically amount to 2–5% of the total donation, depending on the level of advice and research required."
You can find a list of other organisations like these on the Intelligent Giving website.
More to offer?
If you already fundraise for a small charity but feel that you may have more to offer, you could consider becoming a friend of the Small Charities Coali
tion. The Coalition "exists to help small charities access the skills, experience and resources they need to achieve their aims" and can provide personal development opportunities for individuals who volunteer by "matchmaking" their existing small charity with a larger organisation. Visit www.smallcharities.org.uk email: info@smallcharities.org.uk or telephone 0207 391 4812 to find out more.
Disclaimer
This know-how sheet is produced by how2fundraise.org, an on-line service provided by The Institute of Fundraising. It is intended to provide general information only and should not be taken as a full statement of the law. Please bear in mind that the Institute does not give professional legal or accounting advice, and while care has been taken with this information, you should consider whether you need to seek advice before taking any actions or incurring costs.
The information applies to England and Wales only.
The Institute does not endorse or recommend any third party services or products. If any third party services/products are listed on this website, it is for information purposes only. This how2guide/know-how sheet was last updated on date given at the top of this page and is reviewed on an annual basis. If it is some time since you obtained this how2guide/know-how sheet, please check if it is still correct.
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Copyright © 2007 Institute of Fundraising. Please see our terms and conditions for full details on use of these materials.
