If you think a code of conduct for donors is unnecessary, I urge you to think again

When tasked with leading a conference session on the impact of gender on fundraisers, Cara McKeown mined Rogare’s work for recommendations. Now a part of our project team, in this blog Cara explains why these resources are so useful, particularly the Donor Code of Conduct.

Picture this: You’ve signed up to lead a session at the CASE Europe Annual Conference in August 2023. You’re tasked with collating and chairing a panel to address the incredibly complex topic of the impact of gender for fundraisers. Your first port of call? Research.

Naturally, you head to your best friend, Google, and search for any studies or statistics which focus on the impact of gender in fundraising. Top hits include many excellent works on women’s philanthropy or gender imbalances within donor pools. Important as this research is, however, you’re looking for research on how gender impacts fundraisers themselves, not least because this a deeply under-explored topic, but because gender remains a crucial piece of our identity puzzle and its impact on our personal and professional lives.

A slightly tweaked keyword search shows an enlightening report?on the leadership gap in fundraising,?published by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (which reveals that over 75 per cent of women in fundraising experience gender stereotyping at work). And second from the top, an intriguing and very promising link: Gender Issues in Fundraising - Rogare.

Sure enough, this website offered a wealth of knowledge and resources focused on the impacts of gender for fundraisers themselves, with the overarching goal of dismantling the fundraising patriarchy through three distinct project phases. As part of this work, Rogare has published many resources to support women in fundraising facing challenges related to gender, as well as a dedicated document on how men in fundraising can become better allies.?

For the purposes of my conference session, this work made all the difference. The panel and I were able to identify particular recommendations from Rogare’s report (of which there are 52!) to share those most relevant to our audience and speakers. For example, the recommendation for individuals to take part in collaborative training opportunities, while encouraging colleagues to attend too, spoke to our desire to bring in advancement professionals of any gender to learn more about tackling this issue.

At the organisational level, Rogare recommends establishing protocols which ensure confidentiality and protections for complainants, which we encouraged attendees to feedback to their managers. The very fact that these recommendations were based on more than our own experience greatly impacted the session.

In my own role as a fundraiser, I have been able to feed these learnings and recommendations back to senior management colleagues and our equity, diversity and inclusion working group. The key recommendation I have advocated for is Rogare’s development of a Donor Code of Conduct.

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Do we really need a Donor Code of Conduct? Regrettably, yes

The Donor Code of Conduct takes into account the power dynamics which exist in fundraiser/donor interactions – which can be compounded by gender, race, age, class and other identity factors. It stipulates the duties donors have to uphold the rights of fundraisers such as treating all fundraisers with respect and dignity.

Perhaps this will sit uneasily with some fundraisers, due to implicit yet ubiquitous messages which place donors on pedestals, while labelling fundraisers as those who must meet donor needs at all costs. This narrative is focused on reaching the ultimate prize of a philanthropic gift, rather than fundraisers’ wellbeing.

Others may think a code of conduct is unnecessary, particularly if they have not had any negative experiences with donors such as discrimination, harassment or the crossing of professional boundaries.

Regrettably however, many fundraisers – in particular, young women – have experienced this treatment from donors in positions of power. From inappropriate questions about personal life, to verbal abuse, to sexual harassment, it goes without saying that these experiences are absolutely unacceptable. Yet without change, they will undoubtedly continue.

Some may think a code of conduct is unnecessary, particularly if they have not had any negative experiences with donors such as discrimination, harassment or the crossing of professional boundaries. Regrettably, many fundraisers – in particular, young women – have experienced this treatment from donors in positions of power.

My support for the Donor Code of Conduct is rooted in its nature as a meaningful action, which would change narratives around how organisations support their fundraising and advancement staff, while holding donors to account no matter the size of their gift.

As such, I have begun conversations with relevant internal colleagues and managers to discuss how we might include these recommendations in our existing gift agreement structures. Such work would ensure we are protecting our fundraisers – no matter their gender – in situations where there is a proven and tangible power dynamic.

Without Rogare’s work on this, I fear it would have been many years before I took part in such conversations.

Alongside this, I have also fed back recommendations to senior leaders on offering more training opportunities for colleagues on allyship, boundary-setting, and conducting safe external meetings. I have also noticed a difference in my own comfort levels when speaking about this topic at work. Since discovering Rogare, I now know my thoughts and recommendations are corroborated by research, statistics, and case studies.

Whether you’re prepping for a presentation, hoping to influence change in your workplace, or simply looking to learn more about gender’s impact from the fundraiser point of view, I believe Rogare’s research is by far the most thought-provoking and action-focused within the sector so far.

Their work (I should now say ‘our work’, since I have recently become a member of Rogare’s project team) has only furthered my assertion that gender still merits significant discussion in the workplace — particularly when all aspects of one’s identity are acknowledged as intersecting to create relative privilege or oppression for an individual.?

If you are hoping to volley your organisation to make significant change in this area, I believe Rogare’s publications are a fantastic tool to support you. And if you take anything from this article, be assured that advocating for change around this issue is both necessary and worthwhile.

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• Cara McKeown is philanthropy officer within the University of Edinburgh’s development and alumni office. She is also a member of Rogare’s Gender Issues in Fundraising project team. To find out more about this project, you can DM project co-ordinator Sarah Tite or reach out to Cara.