New quality standards for F2F fundraising in a socially distanced world

With the reintroduction of face-to-face fundraising in Austria this week, new quality standards have been set to help practitioners fundraise successfully and safely.

Launching today, 5^th May – the international day of giving #GivingTuesdayNOW, the new standards have been developed by members of Qualitätsinitiative Fördererwerbung, the Austrian initiative on quality in Face2Face Fundraising. A working group of nonprofits, face-to-face agencies and the Austrian Fundraising Association agreed these standards in a concerted drive to protect this ‘vital fundraising channel’.

Face-to-face practitioners across Austria – those who work on the street, doorstep and at public sites – have signed up to maintain the new standards, minimising contact with the public.

Bringing in new hygiene measures, the standards require regular hand washing, disinfecting of equipment and public sites, and protective face gear for all practitioners. Direct physical contact is to be avoided, with fundraisers keeping at least one metre away from the public. On the street, fundraisers should avoid approaching anyone who clearly falls into an ‘at risk’ group (aged 65+ or with an obvious health condition).

The standards limit the number of fundraisers according to the size of the site, advising that more spacious locations are chosen.

Fundraisers who have potential coronavirus symptoms such as a fever, cough, sore throat or flu-like respiratory symptoms must not work. If an infection is confirmed within a team, all team members must stop working and advise authorities.

Peter Steinmayer, head of “Qualitätsinitiative Fördererwerbung” and the First International Face2Face Fundraising Congress says:

“Face-to-face is a vital fundraising channel for charities in Austria, particularly when it comes to donor recruitment and it’s critical that we protect this income stream by adapting our practices to meet current health concerns.

“The new standards are a truly collaborative piece of work that reflects the commitment of practitioners, nonprofits and industry bodies alike.”

According to the Austrian Fundraising Association, more than 100,000 supporters are recruited as regular givers through face-to-face fundraising in Austria annually.

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