Our governance
The Fundraising Regulator is a registered company limited by guarantee in England and Wales, which is governed by articles of association.
Our board
We have a non-executive Board of Directors which is responsible for our overall control and strategic direction, and whose members are drawn from both within and outside the charitable fundraising sector.
Our committees
The board is guided by recommendations from three committees:
- the Complaints and Investigations Committee
- the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee; and
- the Standards Committee.
Our staff
The board is supported by an executive function, led by the Chief Executive. Day to day operations are delegated by the board to the senior management team.
Articles of association and terms of reference
Our articles of association are supported by terms of reference which outline the role and responsibilities of the board and committees.
Committee terms of reference are available on request.
Board meeting summaries
Board meeting summaries
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- The Chair welcomed everyone to meeting that was held at the Fundraising Regulator’s office. The Chair welcomed Barbara Kasumu, Jo Swinhoe and Ian Karet to the Board and their first meeting as members.
- The Board noted the strong financial position and approved the draft Annual Report and Accounts for 2024-25. The Board noted that although the majority of charities that fall within the levy had paid, those that had not would be turned red on the Directory in March.
- The Board discussed the Risk Register and in particular a new risk relating to IT support while we undergo a process of changing our main supplier.
- The Board discussed the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme which went live in July 2025 and how it had impacted charities with funds outside of the UK.
- The Board received a paper on registration of free prize draw operators, and it was agreed to hold a short consultation in March with findings reported to the Standards Committee and then to the Board.
- The Board were updated on feedback from the recent staff survey which received a high response rate and overall was very positive. An action plan has been put in place to address the responses and the next survey would be carried out in 2027.
- The Board were informed that planning for the Strategic Plan 2027-2032 had begun and would be discussed at the Board away day in April 2026.
- The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting held at the Fundraising Regulator’s offices.
- The Board discussed recent developments in parliament, including the passing of the Data Use and Access Bill and the recent statement that had been published urging charities to wait for guidance from the ICO before the Act comes into force. In addition the Board were updated on the All Party Parliamentary Group meeting on Charities and Volunteering that the Chief Executive had spoken at the previous week.
- The Board were updated on recent developments in Wales including feedback from the GOFOD event where we had a joint stand with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
- The Board discussed the Risk Register and in particular a new risk relating to issues caused by the introduction of new banking arrangements at CAF Bank.
- The Board discussed the proposed budget and business plan for 2025/26. The Board agreed the budget (based on the current management accounts and reserves projection).. The Board approved the budget, and the business plan and summary budget will be published on the website in time for September 2025.
- The Board agreed to proceed with the second levy increase as planned. Invoices for the increased amounts will be going out to levy paying organisations in August 2025.
- The Board approved a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for the Fundraising Regulator. The new strategy acknowledges that EDI initiatives have been embedded in the organisation and are part of business as usual operations.
- The Board were updated on reactions to the new Code and the positive feedback that has been received. The Board noted the large number of speaking events that had taken place and the plan for ongoing communications during the implementation period.
- The Board discussed the current casework position and were updated on progress of the proactive regulation workstream. Finally, the Board agreed changes to the terms of reference for the Board and Committees.
- The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting that took place as part of the Board’s annual awayday. The Chair noted that this was the first formal meeting for Paul Amadi, Anne Heal, Nick Jones and Girish Menon.
- The Board were updated on recent meetings that had taken place regarding the new Home Office Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. The Board also discussed the consultation on SORP and delegated responsibility for the Fundraising Regulator’s response to the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.
- The Board discussed the Risk Register and received a paper on Cyber Resilience which related to an item on the Register. The paper was particularly timely given the issues that many large retailers were currently dealing with.
- The Board noted the financial position, including the strong performance of the levy.
- The Board were updated on the changes to the soft opt in provisions that are coming in the autumn through the Data Access and Usage Bill. Royal Assent for the Bill is expected in June or July with implementation in the Autumn. The Board noted that guidance will be developed to help the sector adopt the changes in a responsible way.
- The Board discussed the current casework position and were updated on a number of high risk and complex cases.
- The Board were updated on progress of the proactive regulation workstream, in particular the publication of guidance on child sponsorship campaigns and advice on cash collections for retailers.
- The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting that was held in the Fundraising Regulator’s new offices for the first time. The Chair welcomed Anne Heal, Nick Jones and Girish Menon, who were attending the meeting as observers before formally joining the board in April 2025.
- The board were updated on recent meetings that had taken place with the Civil Society Minister and the Shadow Secretary of State as well as the Chair and Chief Executive of the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The board also discussed other meetings with Govt Departments that had occurred in the last quarter and noted the Fundraising Regulators response to the Covenant consultation.
- The Board noted the Data (Use and Access) Bill would soon complete its passage through Parliament. Charities would be able to use soft opt-in as a result and the board noted that guidance would be produced on its use for fundraising and charity marketing.
- The board noted the financial position, and the strong performance of the levy despite the fee changes that were implemented in September 2024. The board approved the draft Annual Report and Accounts and discussed the Management Letter.
- The board agreed the proposed changes to the Code of Fundraising Practise, and noted the huge amount of work that had gone into the new draft. The board thanked all of the staff and Standards Committee and other board members who had worked so tirelessly on it. The board also thanked the sector for the engaged contributions they had made across both consultations and the initial call for information. The board noted that the next steps were to get Plain English accreditation for the new Code before it was published later in the spring. Once published there will be an agreed 6 month period before it is implemented.
- The board were updated on progress of the proactive regulation workstream including the ongoing work on sub-contracting. The board discussed the current casework position and were updated on a number of high risk and complex cases.
- The meeting closed with the Chair thanking Jenny Williams, David Cunningham, Sacha Deshmukh and Jill Thomspon for their service to the regulator as this would be their last board meeting.