Before we start discussing how Dynamics 365 can help charities and not-for-profits to comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice, let’s just clarify exactly what we mean by this practice.
So what is the Code of Fundraising Practice?
Essentially, the Code of Fundraising Practice came into force on October 1st, 2019 and what it does is sets out the responsibilities that apply to fundraising carried out by charities and third-party fundraisers across the UK.
Despite the fact that this code is not a legal requirement for charities, it does clearly define standards that are based on the law and makes it the charity’s responsibility to make sure they are following the standards laid out by the law.
The Code of Fundraising Practice aims to:
- promote a consistent, high standard of fundraising;
- make sure charitable institutions, their governing bodies and fundraisers know what is expected of them;
- set out the standards we use when considering complaints;
- provide a benchmark for organisations and fundraisers to assess their practices against so they can identify necessary training and monitor and set policy priorities for their fundraising; and
- develop a culture of honesty, openness and respect between fundraisers and the public.
One of the key requirements in being able to meet the standards set out above is being able to keep & process data in a secure location. This largely comes down to the quality of data & information that is added into a database which is why most charities turn to Dynamics 365 to help deliver this and much more.
So just how can Dynamics 365 ensure that charities & not-for-profits meet the standards of the Code of Fundraising Practice?
1) Activities and communications
This goes without saying but any individual that a charity engages with needs to be properly managed, documented and tracked. This is where Dynamics 365 can help as you can easily track activities as it’s already embedded in there. Therefore, you will find that all the engagements you’ve had with an individual such as email, calls etc are documented which gives you the perfect overview of that individual and the communications that they have received. This is the case for all forms of communications (inbound and outbound) so you can make sure that you can communicate with individuals with the right content at the right time.
2) Security and easily accessible data
After reading the Code of Fundraising Practice you will find that it alludes to the fact that charities will need to make sure that only certain users have access to certain data. In Dynamics 365, charities are able to easily manage individual user permissions based on their specific job role which only allows certain information to be visible which has greater importance when it comes to any potentially sensitive information that is held on certain individuals.
3) Custom Dashboards & Reporting
You will find that Dynamics 365 is great in the fact that much of the dashboard and reporting functionality is built into the system already. This is perfect as it allows you to have a greater visibility of the number of new volunteers and their said roles in the charity. Furthermore, it goes one step further by allowing you to track a volunteer’s performance over time including hours worked, skillset & much more so it is easy to identify any potential gaps.
4) Consent and preferences
The Code aligns with the GDPR requirements where charities need to make sure that they have express consent from all supporters in their database to store, retain and process their personal data in the way they have agreed to. This is easy in Dynamics 365 as you can view individual supporter records which will tell you when that person gave consent and what form of communications they opted to receive.
5) Event Management
The Code states very clearly that before any event takes place you will need to make sure that a full risk assessment has taken place as well as ensuring that relevant health and safety arrangements & relevant insurance is in place. Dynamics 365 is perfect for this as it’s got a specific event system that easily allows you to manage information such as health & safety, risk assessment & other event logistics under one roof which makes it easy to identify that all relevant paperwork has been completed.
What are the next steps?
For those not-for-profits and charities looking to sign up to the Code of Fundraising Practice you can do so by registering on the Fundraising Regulator. After completing this process, you are essentially saying that you will be abiding by the rules set out by the Code. The use of a comprehensive solution like Dynamics 365 can make it easier for charities to meet the standards in addition to providing a number of tangible benefits. From one central point, charities & not-for-profits are able to strategically plan marketing activities which are dictated by the data & accurately report on performance.
If you are a charity or not-for-profit looking for a comprehensive Dynamics 365 solution to help transform the way you work then please get in touch with our Dynamics 365 experts today to start your journey today.
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