Find out more about Concern Universals Street Fundraising approach

Rich (right) with Omar, Gambia office manager
Hi! Thanks for taking the time to read a bit more about Concern Universal's face-to-face fundraising campaign. I hope the information below answers any questions you have, but if you would like to know more or have any further questions, just drop me a line at richard.thunder@concern-universal.org

Rich Thunder, F2F Campaign Manager

Select a question below to find out more:

Why does Concern Universal use face-to-face fundraising?

In 2006, Concern Universal decided to make a concerted effort to increase its member base and public fundraising activities to make the greatest possible impact in the fight against poverty and inequality. Face-to-face continues to be one of the most cost-effective methods of fundraising available in the UK, with the ‘committed giving' it generates growing year on year.
This type of fundraising accounts for over two-thirds of the total income that we generate through public fundraising and by being able to rely on this income, we can plan ahead and put the money to best use.
Since we launched the campaign, Concern Universal has increased its membership from around 500 to nearly 3,000 individuals, with our fundraisers now generating a gross income of over £20,000 a month, a very significant amount for a small charity like ours. We calculate that for every £1 we invest in recruiting supporters, we will get back at least £6.50 over the course of four years.
So, for CU to get maximum benefit from the donation, we encourage new members to get involved and stick with us for as long as possible!

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Who are the people that I meet on the street?

Concern Universal has taken the unusual step of recruiting ten fundraisers as members of the charity's staff; ensuring that we do all we possibly can to present issues in a way that is consistent with our values.

One team, led by Dan Everett, is based in Bristol and covers the South West; the other is based in Cardiff, led by Dan Rowlands (confusing, we know!), and covers South Wales and the border counties. Both of our team leaders are highly experienced fundraisers, and have both visited international projects and have an excellent understanding of international development issues.

None of our team work on commission and they are all paid a flat hourly rate. Many of our fundraisers stay with us for a long time, and all are highly knowledgeable and passionate about our work, often specialising and researching areas that they are particularly interested in.

Each fundraiser receives full training and induction before they start, with skill-share workshops and follow up training occurring on a weekly basis thereafter. Once a month, on average, they will meet a member of the international or senior management team for a detailed briefing on an area of the charity's work.

Each year, our most committed fundraisers also have the opportunity to visit one of the international programmes.


Dan RowlandsDan (Bristol Team Leader)
"The great thing is that people are giving long-term support. It's all about long-term solutions, and with the committed support of our donors we can effect real change in the world.

"I've spent a year and a half talking about the issues faced by our partners overseas, so it was fantastic to travel to the Gambia and see first hand the work that my fundraising has supported, and to see the impact it has had on rural communities and people that no-one else was there for."


Andrew GilmoreAndrew (Coach)
"It was incredible to see the dedication of the field staff, to gain a glimpse into the difficulties faced in development work and appreciate the passion of all those involved in this fight against poverty. It also has made me realise how important my contribution is and that my work really makes a difference."

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How do you ensure that my donation goes to where it is most needed?

At an organisational level every effort is made to reduce overhead costs, resulting in more than 95% of total income going overseas. By any standards this is an achievement that we are very proud of. We strive to work in the most cost effective way in this, and every facet of our work, and by operating both our fundraising and back-office ‘in-house' it means that we keep very tight control over expenditure and the investment helps to grow the charity rather than boost the profits of a commercial organisation.

Concern Universal has an exemplary record of accountability and transparency in its finances and robust audit procedures both at Country Programme and UK level. Read our Annual Report here.

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How do I know that my Direct Debit is secure?

Our fundraisers are very carefully trained in the completion and handling of Direct Debits and this is monitored on a daily basis. By operating an ‘in-house' campaign we can ensure that member's personal information is recorded and stored properly and that all Data Protection regulations are adhered to. To add further security, the charity uses a specialist bureau to liaise between the charity and the banks when processing each donation.

Monthly donations are protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee which is the scheme operated by the banks so that if an error is made by the organisation or your bank or building society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund from your branch of the amount paid.

For further information, visit the BACS website (opens the BACS website in a new window.) 

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Who regulates this form of fundraising?

PFRA logoConcern Universal is a member of the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA) which represents 95% of the organisations that take part in face-to-face.

Access to fundraising sites is strictly controlled by the Local Authorities and, in some of the more popular sites, managed by the PFRA, to ensure that they are not over-used and to help maintain public confidence.
The PFRA also works to ensure that fundraising on the street and door-to-door is of the highest possible standard. All its members follow a code of practice, and the PFRA performs spot checks (sometimes called ‘mystery shopping') to see this code is adhered to. The PFRA also deals with any complaints from members of the public

For further information about the PFRA, please visit their website (opens the PFRA website in a new window.)

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