The Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIoF) has ‘paused’ some of its commercial deals for its Fundraising Convention amid media reports related to their links with the National Rifle Association (NRA).
“Following constructive and honest conversations with partners over the last few days, I wanted to let our members know that we have taken the decision to pause some sponsorship relationships of Fundraising Convention,” confirmed CIoF chief executive Katie Docherty.
“We have taken this decision in light of recent news which has highlighted the business relationships that some companies have through their group structures in the US with the National Rifle Association, which has resisted calls to restrict access to firearms, despite the tragedy of mass shootings in the nation.”
Docherty added: “These organisations are long-standing partners and valued suppliers to the fundraising community across the UK. But with Fundraising Convention less than two weeks away, sponsorship of the event has been paused to give us time to review the situation in detail, as well as to engage members in discussions about collaborations and how we navigate these challenging issues together.
“As a membership organisation representing the variety of charitable causes and the fundraising community across the UK our work must be driven by our and our members’ values.”
While the CIoF is not naming sponsors involved directly in the announcement, concerns have been raised in the US media over money paid by the NRA to Blackbaud, which owns online fundraising platform JustGiving.
Similarly, it has been reported that staff at Salesforce have raised concerns about the firm’s links with the NRA.
Neither are listed on the current list of Convention sponsors.
This is the latest controversy to hit the CIoF’s convention, after virtual events platform Fundraising Everywhere quit the event last month, accusing the fundraising body of “taking advantage” without making improvements to access.
The CIoF was dealt a further blow when the charity Refuge, and its chief executive Ruth Davison, severed ties with the organisation amid ongoing concerns over the safety of women. This relates to the CIoF’s handling of a sexual misconduct complaints scandal last year.
Latest News
-
Charities urged to prepare early for festive mobile giving spike
-
Record £370m dormant accounts haul for good causes ‘not expected to be repeated’
-
Friday funding round up – 18 September
-
Burnout and wellbeing issues impacting more than four in five frontline charity workers
-
‘Sustained financial pressures’ force creative sector charity to close
-
Run 4 Wales extends fundraising partnership
Beyond the funding squeeze: Using equities to secure your charity’s future
With charities facing increasing financial pressure and traditional income streams under strain, making investments work harder has never been more important. M&G’s Richard Macey and Michael Stiasny join Charity Times to discuss why equities remain a vital long-term asset class for charities, how organisations can balance income generation and growth, and the opportunities the current market environment may offer to help strengthen financial resilience.
Charity Times Awards 2023
Charity Times video Q&A: In conversation with Hilda Hayo, CEO of Dementia UK
Charity Times editor, Lauren Weymouth, is joined by Dementia UK CEO, Hilda Hayo to discuss why the charity receives such high workplace satisfaction results, what a positive working culture looks like and the importance of lived experience among staff. The pair talk about challenges facing the charity, the impact felt by the pandemic and how it's striving to overcome obstacles and continue to be a highly impactful organisation for anybody affected by dementia.
© 2021 Perspective Publishing Privacy & Cookies
Recent Stories