Ethical fundraising policy
- Rationale for fundraising
To help guarantee the availability of ongoing funds to pay for its work, La Folia aims to maintain a broad base of different sources of funding – from trusts and foundations, public funding bodies, corporate partners, traded income and individual donors. The purpose of this policy is to ensure clarity and openness to all our stakeholders. From these relationships, La Folia is hoping to gain a range of benefits, from cash income and support‐in‐kind, to stronger local and national partnerships.
- Key issues for La Folia to consider
La Folia has a responsibility to its stakeholders and participants to consider the ethical issues that may arise in working with or accepting funding from an organisation/individual and the associated risks. This document sets out the decision‐making course La Folia will follow when ethical dilemmas arise, and outline the approach to relationships with investment partners to ensure clarity and openness for all La Folia’s stakeholders.
- Policy points
3.1 Context
La Folia actively seeks opportunities to work together with external organisations and individuals to achieve shared objectives. However, it is vital that La Folia maintains its independence and does not allow any external partnership to bring the name of La Folia into disrepute. La Folia therefore accepts financial support from, and partnership working with, companies and individuals on the following conditions:
- There are strong grounds for believing that it will result in a benefit to La Folia’s beneficiaries
- The chair and trustees are satisfied that no adverse publicity will result from accepting such support
- There is no attempt on the part of a company or individual to influence La Folia’s policy or actions either explicitly or implicitly
- That initiatives do not compromise the independent status of La Folia cause‐related marketing, affinity marketing and product/service endorsement
- La Folia does not endorse or approve the products or services of any company. A statement to this effect will be included alongside any branding or promotion associated with products
- Only La Folia will have direct access to its database and beneficiaries
- To ensure that all La Folia’s cause‐related promotion reflects La Folia’s values, any potential initiative must come to the chair and trustees for approval
3.2 Avoidance criteria
La Folia will not accept any funding from companies directly involved in activities that run contrary to its overall charitable objectives / vision / aims. It will not accept financial support or partnerships with companies involved with any of the following activities:
Animal testing; genetic engineering; human rights abuses; intensive farming; manufacture of environmentally hazardous products or chemicals; military contracts; mining; nuclear power; third world debt; third world marketing; the manufacture of tobacco; and water pollution.
3.3 Acceptance criteria
When deciding whether to accept any donation, the chair and trustees have a duty to demonstrate to the Charity Commission that they have acted in the best interest of the charity, and that association with any donor does not compromise La Folia’s ethical position, harm its reputation or put future funding at risk. La Folia complies with all relevant legislation, including money laundering rules, the Bribery Act and Charity Commission guidance, including terrorism and political activity.
La Folia would therefore not accept any of the following where the donation: • Was known to be associated with criminal sources and/or illegal activity
- Would help further a donor’s personal objectives, which conflict with those of La Folia
- Would lead to a possible decline in support for La Folia, and so risk a fall in the resources available to fund its work or damage its longer‐term fundraising prospects
- Would otherwise impact adversely on La Folia’s reputation
- Accepting a donation from any source is inconsistent with government policy
3.4 Purchasing
La Folia will not knowingly purchase goods and/or services produced and delivered under conditions which involve any form of abuse or exploitation of third parties. Evidence (not exhaustive) of such abuse and exploitation includes:
- The use of child labour
- Failure to pay our freelance staff a living wage
- Working hours are excessive
- Evidence of any form of inhuman, unreasonable or discriminatory treatment of employees
La Folia expects suppliers to accept responsibility for labour and environmental conditions under which products are made and services are provided and to make written statement of intent regarding the company’s policy.
4. Further Points
La Folia recognises that, in accepting funding from statutory bodies, it must consider the policy implications and obligations that might be tied to it and ensure that these do not contravene the aims of La Folia.
La Folia can seek to raise funds from a series of charitable trusts and foundations, but recognises that, simply because these have been registered with the Charity Commission does not mean that they are ethical givers. La Folia therefore does not accept money from any charitable trust if it is a requirement of grant receipt to advertise any company or organisation whose activities run contrary to La Folia’s aims.
La Folia will maintain accountability and open and honest relationships with all its partners, by regularly monitoring and evaluating its work.
This statement of policy is meant as a working guide for La Folia. Any final decisions will be governed by the Board of trustees. It is the duty of the Board to advise of any potential conflicts of interest with regards to funding or partnerships, and for the Board to act in the best interests of the organisation always.