Statement of Guiding Principles in Fundraising

Tuam Cancer Care - Registered Charity CHY13826
 

Commitment to Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public

Tuam Cancer Care Centre is fully committed to achieving the standards contained within the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public set out by the Charities Regulator.

The statement exists to:

  • Improve fundraising practice
  • Promote high levels of accountability and transparency by organisations fundraising from the public
  • Provide clarity and assurances to donors and prospective donors about the organisations that they support

Tuam Cancer Care has considered the Statement and believe it meets the standards set out.

For more information on the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public

click here.

 

Donor Charter[1]

As a charity seeking donations from the public we, Tuam Cancer Care, aim to comply with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public.

Our pledge is to treat all our donors with respect, honesty and openness. We commit to being accountable and transparent so that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in Tuam Cancer Care.

We promise we will effectively apply your gifts to us for their intended purposes. We commit that you, our donors and prospective donors will:

  • Be informed of the organisation’s mission, and of the way the organisation intends to use donated resources.
  • Be informed of the identity of those serving on the organisation’s governing board, and that the board will exercise prudent judgement in its stewardship responsibilities.
  • Have access to the organisation’s most recent financial statements.
  • Be assured your gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given. Receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.
  • Be assured that information about your donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
  • Expect that all relationships with individuals representing the charity will be dealt with professionally.
  • Be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organisation or hired third party agents.
  • Have easily available the agreed procedures for making and responding to complaints.
  • Have the opportunity for any names to be deleted from mailing lists and to be informed if the organisation intends to share the mailing lists with third parties.
  • Receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers to questions you might have of the organisation.
  • If or when a member of the public enquires about the employment standing of a fundraiser they must receive an honest and open answer. The standing in this case relates to whether or not a fundraiser is a volunteer, a paid employee of the charitable organisation or a third party agent working on behalf of the charity.

What to do if you have feedback

If you do have a comment about any aspect of our work, you can contact Tuam Cancer Care in writing or by telephone. In the first instance, your comment will be dealt with by our Manager. Please give us as much information as possible and let us know how you would like us to respond, providing relevant contact details.

Write to:

The Manager

Tuam Cancer Care

Cricket Court

Dunmore Road

Tuam

Co. Galway

Tel: +353 93 28522

Email: maureen@tuamcancercare.ie

We are open from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 2 pm, and from 7pm – 9pm on Monday nights

[1] Adapted from The Donor Bill of Rights, as originally developed by: Giving Institute (formerly the American Association of Fundraising Counsel), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) http://www.aafrc.org/counsel/index.cfm?pg=donor.cfm (accessed    031009)

 

Public Compliance Statement

As a charity seeking donations from the public we, Tuam Cancer Care, aim to comply with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public

  • Tuam Cancer Care is committed to complying with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public
    and has formally discussed and adopted the Statement at a meeting of the governing body.
  • Tuam Cancer Care confirms its commitment to the principles set out in the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public
    by a statement to that effect in its annual report.
  • Tuam Cancer Care has a Donor Charter which is consistent with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public.
  • Tuam Cancer Care regularly monitors compliance with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public
    and compliance reports are received regularly by the governing body.
  • Tuam Cancer Care considers the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public
    when planning all fundraising activity.
  • Tuam Cancer Care has a policy on working with third party fundraisers. 
  • Tuam Cancer Care provides honest, open, accountable and transparent disclosure when fundraising from the public.
  • Tuam Cancer Care has appointed a member of the governing body and/or a senior member of staff to be responsible for compliance with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public.
  • Tuam Cancer Care ensures that fundraising staff are provided with information and training on the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public and its implementation.
  • Tuam Cancer Care has a feedback and complaints procedure consistent with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public. Feedback is recorded for review by relevant staff including the Manager and governing body. Feedback is responded to promptly and appropriately.
  • Tuam Cancer Care prepares financial reports consistent with the requirements of the Charities Act 2009 and the Charities Regulator which include a statement concerning the extent to which control of the organisation is independent of its funding sources.
  • Tuam Cancer Care ensures that all donations are tracked and recorded and complies with data protection requirements.
  • Tuam Cancer Care is accessible to the public through a number of readily available contact options.

 

Handling Feedback and Complaints

Tuam Cancer Care is committed to ensuring that all our communications and dealings with the general public and our supporters are of the highest possible standard. We listen and respond to the views of the general public and our supporters so that we can continue to improve.

Tuam Cancer Care welcomes both positive and negative feedback. Therefore we aim to ensure that:

  • it is as easy as possible to make a complaint;
  • we treat as a complaint any clear expression of dissatisfaction with our operations which calls for a response;
  • we treat it seriously whether it is made by telephone, letter, email or in person;
  • we deal with it quickly and politely;
  • we respond accordingly – for example, with an explanation, or an apology where we have got things wrong, and information on any action taken etc;
  • we learn from complaints, use them to improve, and monitor them at our Board.

 

What to do if you have feedback

If you do have a complaint about any aspect of our work, you can contact our Community Liaison Officer, Eimear Keane in writing or by telephone.

In the first instance, your complaint will be dealt with by our Manager (Maureen Grealish). Please give us as much information as possible and let us know how you would like us to respond to you, providing relevant contact details.

Write to:

The Manager
Tuam Cancer Care
Cricket Court
Dunmore Road
Tuam
Co. Galway

Tel: +353 93 28522
Email:  maureen@tuamcancercare.ie

We are open Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm, and on Mondays from 7.00pm to 9.00pm

What happens next?

If you complain in person or over the phone, we will try to resolve the issue there and then. Similarly, if you complain by email or in writing we will always acknowledge your complaint within 7 days, and do everything we can to resolve it within 21 days. If this is not possible, we will explain why and provide a new deadline.

What if the complaint is not resolved?

If you are not happy with our response, you may get in touch again by writing to the Tuam Cancer Care’s Chairman. The Chairman will ensure that your appeal is considered at Board level and will respond within two weeks of this consideration by Board members.

This complaints procedure does not apply to Tuam Cancer Care’s staff or agents.

If you have feedback or a complaint – Step 2

Charities Regulator

Ideally in the first instance you should address your complaint to the organisation as outlined above. You may however at any stage make your complaint to the Charities Regulator who oversee charities compliance with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising for the Public. 

if you wish to contact the Charities Regulator regarding a concern, you must complete the online concerns form.

Disclosure

Tuam Cancer Care is open about whether those seeking donations on their behalf are volunteers, employees of the organisation or are third party agents.

Anyone fundraising on behalf of Tuam Cancer Care must ensure that prospective donors are aware of their status, i.e. volunteers, employees or third party agents.