Charity Commission: Updated fundraising guidance

The Charity Commission has released an updated version of its fundraising guidance, CC20, setting out trustees’ responsibilities for how fundraising is planned, managed and overseen. The revised guidance aims to clarify legal duties but is intended as a high‑level framework rather than a detailed operational manual. Day‑to‑day fundraising practice continues to be governed mainly by the Code of Fundraising Practice. A key focus of the guidance is trustee oversight.

Trustees are expected to agree a clear fundraising strategy, set an appropriate budget and ensure that suitable policies and controls are in place. While reference is made to planning and risk management, these tasks are often carried out by staff, with trustees responsible for direction, scrutiny and assurance. The guidance confirms that there is no prescribed or “acceptable” level of spending on fundraising. Trustees have discretion to decide what represents reasonable and proportionate expenditure for their charity.

However, it also suggests that fundraising materials should explain whether donations are used to cover fundraising costs and, where relevant, indicate the scale of those costs, which may be challenging for some organisations to implement consistently. The guidance also touches on working with professional fundraisers and commercial partners, offering general signposting while recognising the complexity of the legal requirements involved.

Find out more about charity fundraising: a guide to trustee duties.

If you have any questions, then please feel free to get in touch with Matt Pickett on 023 8046 1203 or email Matt Pickett.