National Fundraising Principles

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that their representatives always explain the purpose of the charitable organisation, and the purpose to which the funds raised will be applied, in a way that is appropriate for the audience. 

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that their representatives are always clearly and individually identifiable by the public, including by ensuring that each representative who raises funds:

1. displays identification that contains:
   1. the individual's name, and
   2. whether the individual is a volunteer, employee or acting in some other capacity for the charitable organisation or a commercial fundraiser, and
2. provides the charitable organisation's or commercial fundraiser's name and contact details.

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that their representatives always make and keep written records of fundraising activities that can be easily read and understood.

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that their representatives always acknowledge and comply with a:

1. refusal to make a donation
2. request not to receive future solicitations, including marketing and promotional materials
3. request to be contacted at a more convenient time or by a different means
4. request to limit the number, type or frequency of solicitations.

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that their representativesnever conduct a door-to-door or telephone fundraising activity at the following times:

1. on a weekend - before 9 am or after 5 pm
2. on a weekday and door-to-door - before 9 am or after 6 pm
3. on a weekday and by telephone - before 9 am or after 8 pm
4. on a public holiday - unless the public holiday is closely connected with the charitable organisation's charitable purpose.

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that their representatives never mislead, deceive or knowingly use false or inaccurate information when fundraising.

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that their representatives never place undue or unreasonable pressure on a person when fundraising, or act unconscionably in any way to obtain a donation.

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that their representatives never exploit the trust, lack of knowledge, lack of capacity, apparent need for care and support or vulnerable circumstances of any donor.

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that their representatives always make it clear whether a donation is a one-off donation or an ongoing donation and clearly explain how to end an ongoing donation.

When conducting fundraising activities, charitable organisations must ensure that persons acting for a commercial fundraiser (to raise funds on the charitable organisation's behalf) never accept a donation without first explaining:

1. that the person is acting for a commercial fundraiser that profits from fundraising, and
2. how the person is paid.

At all times, charitable organisations must conduct all reasonable due diligence when engaging third parties to assist, support or deliver fundraising activities on its behalf.

At all times, charitable organisations must make and keep written records of the total funds raised and the purposes for which funds are applied.

At all times, charitable organisations must take all reasonable measures to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of persons employed or directly engaged by the charitable organisation, as well as members of the public, when fundraising.

At all times, charitable organisations must establish and maintain a complaints process that allows for proper investigation and redress of fundraising complaints that may be made by the public, and encourage persons with concerns about a fundraising activity conducted by or on behalf of the charitable organisation to contact the charitable organisation.

At all times, charitable organisations must ensure information covered by the Privacy Act 1998 of the Commonwealth is collected, used and managed in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles where required under that Act.

At all times, charitable organisations must always ensure remuneration to commercial fundraisers engaged to fundraise for a charitable organisation is not excessive when compared to money or goods received for the charitable purpose of the fundraising.