All F2F fundraisers must comply with best practice as laid down in a code of practice drawn up by the Institute of Fundraising. The Institute of Fundraising develops codes of practice for all methods and aspects of fundraising in the UK.
These codes set out best practice for the use of fundraising media such as direct mail, challenge events, telephones, electronic media and the like. Tthey also cover areas such as payment of fundraisers, working with companies, accepting or refusing donations, drawing up contracts between charities and agencies, and the telephone recruitment of collectors.
Of the Institute’s 29 codes, the Face-to-Face Activity Code of Fundraising Practice is unique in that it has a dedicated organisation – the PFRA – that has been set up to enforce it.
All individiual members of the Institute of Fundraising are required to abide by the codes of practice. All members of the PFRA are required to adopt the code of practice on F2F fundraising and abide by it, irrespective of whether fundraisers themselves are members of the Institute.
The IoF code contains sections on:
- Considering F2F activity
- Conduct of fundraisers/agents
- Planning an F2F campaign
- Identification and management of operating locations
- After the F2F activity has taken place.
Fundraisers working for PFRA members carry an abridged version of the code of practice.
The Face-to-Face Activity Code of Fundraising Practice was first published in 2000 and was revised in 2005, 2008 and, the current version, in December 2009. It can be downloaded from the codes directory page on the IoF's website. The code is currently being reviewed by the Institute and the new version is due to be published in the summer of 2012.
In autumn 2011, the PFRA introduced new Rule Books for both street and doorstep face-to-face fundraising that elaborate on the Insitute of Fundraising's code of practice. These introduce further best practice rules that are binding on PFRA members and extra guidance on some of the terms contained in the code, such as "obstruction" and "immediate termination". To gain a full picture of the professional standards regime for F2F fundraisers, the code of practice and the relevant Rule Book should be read together. The Rule Books can be downloaded from the Best Practice section on the PFRA website or by following the links to the right.