Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public

The Asthma Society of Ireland is fully committed to achieving the standards contained within the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public.

The Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public exist 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 they support

We, the Asthma Society of Ireland, have considered these guidelines and believe we meet the standards they set out.

A report on our fundraising activities is available in our Annual Report which can be found here.

We welcome your feedback on our performance. For details on how to contact us with feedback, please see our Feedback and Complaints Procedure (below).

Public compliance statement

  • The Asthma Society of Ireland (ASI) is committed to complying with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public and has formally discussed and adopted the Guidelines at a meeting of the governing body.
  • ASI 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.
  • ASI has a Donor Charter which is consistent with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public.
  • ASI regularly monitors compliance with the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public and compliance reports are received regularly by the governing body.
  • ASI considers the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public when planning all fundraising activity.
  • ASI has a policy on working with third party fundraisers (if applicable).
  • ASI provides honest, open, and transparent disclosure when fundraising from the public.
  • ASI 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.
  • ASI ensures that fundraising staff are provided with information and training on the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public and its implementation.
  • ASI 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 CEO and governing body. Feedback is responded to promptly and appropriately.
  • ASI prepares financial reports consistent with the requirements of the Charities Act 2009 which include a statement concerning the extent to which control of the organisation is independent of its funding sources.
  • ASI ensures that all donations are tracked and recorded and complies with data protection requirements.
  • ASI is accessible to the public through a number of readily available contact options.

Disclosure statement

The Asthma Society of Ireland is open about whether those seeking donations on their behalf are volunteers, employees of the organisation, or third-party agents.

Anyone fundraising on behalf of the Asthma Society of Ireland must ensure that prospective donors are aware of their status, i.e., volunteers, employees, or third-party agents.

Donor Charter

As a charity seeking donations from the public, we the Asthma Society of Ireland 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 the Asthma Society of Ireland.

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.

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), and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

Feedback & Complaints

The Asthma Society of Ireland 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.

We welcome 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 or to be taken;
  • We learn from complaints, use them to improve, and monitor them at management level and where necessary at the Board.

If you do have a complaint about any aspect of our work, you can contact us at:

Address: Complaints Officer, The Asthma Society of Ireland, 42-43 Amiens St, Dublin 1, D01 E4X5
Phone: (01) 817 8886
Email: office@asthmasociety.ie

Our office is open 5 days a week, Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm and is closed between 1.00 and 2.00pm for lunch.

In the first instance, your complaint will be dealt with by a member of staff such as the Complaints Officer or a Manager. Please give us as much information as possible and let us know how you would like us to respond to you, providing us with relevant contact details.

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 5 working days and do everything we can to resolve it within 30 working days. If this is not possible, we will explain why and provide you with a timeframe for a response.

What if the complaint is not resolved?

If you are not happy with our response, you may write directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the same address. The CEO will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and will investigate further. A response will be issued following this investigation. Every effort will be made to resolve your complaint in 30 working days. If this is not possible, you will be informed in advance about the proposed timeframe.

If you are still not happy with our response, you can appeal the decision of the CEO by writing to the Chairperson of the Asthma Society of Ireland’s Board. The Chairperson will acknowledge your letter within 5 working days and ensure that your appeal is considered at Board level. A response will be issued within 30 working days of receipt of your appeal.