National Voices’ Ethical Fundraising Policy

Purpose of this policy

This policy has been created to ensure that the work of National Voices is funded ethically. Having an Ethical Fundraising Policy enables a charity to express its values and ethos.

This policy sets out our criteria for individuals, companies, public sector organisations and grant giving bodies who provide funding to National Voices, and the process we follow to review funding opportunities, making our expectations clear to all our stakeholders.

Our ethical fundraising guidelines

This policy sets out the criteria which must be followed when deciding whether National Voices should be involved in opportunities connected with accepting donations, grants, sponsorships, contracts or other funding.

National Voices works with a wide range of individuals and external organisations to achieve shared objectives. It is vital, however, that we act primarily to further our own objectives and we do not allow individuals and external organisations to bring our name into disrepute. National Voices, therefore, accepts financial support from, and works in partnership with individuals, companies, public sector organisations and grant-making trusts, on the following conditions:

• There will be a resultant benefit to our mission to advocate for more inclusive and person-centred health and care, shaped by the people who use and need it the most, either directly (for example, to support decision makers to connect with people and communities) or indirectly (for example, through awareness raising).
• We will not allow a funder to influence our campaigning, policymaking, research or fundraising for their own purposes. We will ensure our editorial independence is maintained on all National Voices’ branded work and all information produced by National Voices will be based on the latest evidence, informed by our members and Lived Experience Partners.
• We are confident that neither the independence nor the integrity of National Voices would be compromised by accepting such support.

Donations from tech and pharmaceutical companies

National Voices recognises the importance of working collaboratively with all stakeholders with an interest in person-centred and equitable health and care. As such, National Voices may accept donations from or delivery consultancy work for private sector organisations, including tech companies and pharmaceutical companies, to achieve this aim. This may be in the form of grants, sponsorships or contracts.

All funding received from private sector organisations will comply with all relevant laws and regulations, as well as good practice. This includes full compliance with sector specific guidance, for example the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry’s Code of Practice (ABPI), the Association of British Healthtech Industries’ (ABHI) Code of Ethical Business Practice, as well as the Code of Fundraising Practice, Charity Commission Guidance and the UK Bribery Act 2010. It is vital that National Voices maintains its independence, integrity, impartiality and transparency in all that we do.

To support National Voices’ independence and integrity:

• All funded partnerships with pharmaceutical and tech companies will be governed by a written agreement which will detail requirements and expectations from each party.
• In general, the level of income the charity receives from any single pharmaceutical company or tech company will not exceed 10% of anticipated organisational income per annum.
• In exceptional circumstances, the charity may accept a donation or funding opportunity (in excess of the above limit) from a single pharmaceutical company or tech company with Board approval, where the Board agrees that accepting the funding would not compromise the charity’s independence. In these instances, we would be proactive in communicating publicly about the funding opportunity and steps we are taking to ensure our independence. The contract/donation would be added to the organisational risk register and monitored ongoing by Board.
• In general, the level of income the charity receives from pharmaceutical companies or tech companies will not exceed 25% of anticipated organisational income per annum.
• In exceptional circumstances, the charity may accept donations or funding worth more than 25% of anticipated organisational income per annum, where the Board agrees that accepting the funding would not compromise the charity’s independence. In these instances, we would be proactive in communicating publicly about the sources of our funding and steps we are taking to ensure our independence. Contracts/donations from pharmaceutical companies and tech companies would be added to the organisational risk register and monitored for the duration by the Board.
• We will never unduly promote products or solutions by pharmaceutical companies or tech companies that fund us.

Returning or refusing donations and opportunities

National Voices must carry out due diligence, appropriate for the size and nature of any donation, on both the financial and reputational dealings of possible partners before accepting their donations.

Regulations in the Fundraising Code and guidance from the Charity Commission are clear that our organisational starting point should be to accept and keep any donations or opportunities given, however, in exceptional circumstances we can refuse or return donations if this is in the best interests of National Voices.

National Voices are likely to refuse or return opportunities where:

• The donation or opportunity comes from an individual or organisation which is in direct conflict with our mission, vision, values, or could compromise who we are or what we do. Circumstances where this may apply include, but are not limited to:
  • Tobacco companies
  • Junk food companies
  • Gambling companies
  • Alcohol companies
  • Slavery-tainted money
• It is believed that the cost to National Voices of accepting a donation or opportunity will be greater than the value of the donation or opportunity itself
• It is believed that the motivation of the donor or potential client is misplaced e.g they are only engaging with National Voices for appearances or as an insincere act of public penance
• The donation or opportunity is made with the intention of influencing National Voices with an explicit or implicit exchange for favours or benefits
• It is considered that the opportunity may, in the opinion of National Voices, bring the organisation into disrepute or involve the organisation in controversy or publicity which would do meaningful damage to National Voices’ reputation and standing.

There are also a small number of circumstances where National voices must refuse donations or opportunities. This includes situations where:

• The donation comes from illegal sources (e.g from terrorist or criminal activity) or with an illegal condition
• The donation or opportunity is deemed to come from a vulnerable person or a person in vulnerable circumstances
• The donation cannot be legally given to National Voices, for example, where the donor does not own the property they are donating
• Under the terms of the donation, it is clear that the donation must be returned in certain circumstances e.g. if the grant agreement says that your charity must return any unused funds by a particular date

When National Voices is considering whether or not to accept or refuse a donation, trustees must carefully balance all the factors that are relevant to National Voices’ circumstances, following general trustee duties and the following decision-making principles. Guidance on refusing and returning donations can be found on the relevant section of the Charity Commission website.

If National Voices’ trustee board or a member of the Senior Management Team decide to refuse a donation, there must be a record kept of the decision and the reasons for it.

Members of the National Voices’ Senior Management Team may refuse or return donations or funding opportunities of up to £10,000. Any decisions on refusal or return of donations or funding opportunities above £10,000 must be made by the Board.

Transparency

National Voices will report on all financial and in-kind contributors who give more than £10,000 in its annual report with information on the funder and activity undertaken.

National Voices will make information available on funders and clients who have contributed over £10,000 using an easy to find page on our website.

When communicating publicly (e.g. on social media, website or via speaking opportunities), National Voices staff, trustees, Lived Experience Partners and volunteers will be transparent and open about the funders of any projects described.

Fundraising as a membership organisation dedicated to ending inequality

National Voices is the only pan-equalities, pan-conditions and pan-communities coalition of health and care charities in England. Our strengths come from understanding what matters to people, finding common cause across communities and conditions, and in connecting and convening charities, decision makers and citizens.

We achieve our mission in collaboration with our membership charities and with a wider network of voluntary sector organisations. We recognise that each of our member charities are experts in the conditions and communities they focus on. We recognise also that each of our members undertake their own fundraising activities to support and achieve their organisational mission.

At times, conflicts of interest may arise where National Voices may identify funding opportunities which are of interest to us, but also may be of interest to a member organisation or a voluntary sector organisation in our wider network who specialise in a particular area. When these issues arise:

• If National Voices identifies a funding opportunity in a condition-specific or community-specific area, we will check with members or those working in this area whether they are comfortable with us doing work in this area and explore potential for collaboration if so.
• If there are a large number of members and partners working in an area, it may not be possible to get consensus from everyone working in the space, and so we may consult a small number of members/partners to get their views.

In coming to a decision about whether we will pursue a particular funding opportunity, we will take into account:

• Sustainability implications on projects and organisations (e.g. if an organisation is likely to utilise the insights gathered from a project in a longer term way than we would, or if the funding is important for an organisation’s financial sustainability).
• Whether we have the legitimacy to deliver against the funding opportunity (e.g. if we are aware of a user-led organisation interested in pursuing an opportunity, we may step back).

As a membership organisation, we also often pursue funding opportunities which we are reliant on our member and wider networks’ connections and expertise to deliver. In many instances, we can involve our members in helping to design any activities to be delivered and allow them to set rates for their involvement. However, in some instances due to timescales or practical restrictions, this may not be possible. In these instances, we will ensure funding made available to members is fair.

This webpage was last updated in November 2024.