Immediate release: 30 October 2014
WEBSITE LAUNCHED TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN CHARITY SECTOR
A new website was launched in Dublin today to increase transparency in the charity sector by providing information that will help members of the public to evaluate charities before they donate money or volunteer their time. The website, GoodCharity.ie, was developed by a team of volunteers from Dóchas, Fundraising Ireland, Total Fundraising, The Wheel and Whitebarn Consulting.
GoodCharity.ie also aims to develop a better understanding of what charities do and how they operate. A number of common questions about charities are answered on the website, including:
• Why are there so many charities in Ireland?
• Why do many charities pay workers?
• What should a charity spend on overheads and administration?
• Where do I find information about the finances of a specific charity?
Commenting on the launch of GoodCharity.ie, Ivan Cooper Director of Advocacy at The Wheel said: “In mid-2013, a number of stakeholders in the charity sector decided that the time was ripe to enhance the debate around charities in Ireland. We realised that the general public and the media were hungry for accurate information about how charities work, so we decided to develop this website as a positive step forward,” said Mr Cooper.
Hans Zomer, Director of Dóchas, the umbrella body of overseas development and humanitarian organisations added: “We know people in Ireland are incredibly supportive of the work of charities, but we also know that it may be difficult to decide which organisations to support. This new website celebrates the diversity of Irish non-profit organisations, while highlighting the professional standards that exist within the sector. We encourage people to continue to support charitable organisations, and to use this website to support those charities that are open, transparent and fully accountable for their work.”
Anne Hanniffy, CEO of Fundraising Ireland said the new website addresses many of the public’s concerns with regards to how charities are managed and provides donors with some insight into how their funds are spent. “This is a very positive step to enhancing public trust and confidence in fundraising. The more transparent and open we can be as a sector, the more willing the public will be to donate,” said Ms Hanniffy.
Simon Scriver, co–founder of Total Fundraising added: “We hope it will help develop the conversation around charities, and allow all of us to donate more effectively so that we might have the greatest positive impact on the world around us."
Sandra Velthuis of Whitebarn Consulting concluded: “It is important that charities are well governed and adopt good management practice. Equally, if not more important, is that they know - and show - what difference they are actually making. It is crucial that we start thinking about the outcomes, impact and social value generated by Ireland’s charities.”
Goodcharity.ie will be updated to take account of relevant developments in the charity sector. The website can be accessed at www.goodcharity.ie
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Please contact Gert Ackermann on Tel: 086 176 9287, 01-4548727 or email gert@wheel.ie. Interviews are available. #goodcharity
About the promoters of Goodcharity.ie
Dóchas is the association of Irish Non-Governmental Development Organisations. It provides a forum for consultation and cooperation between its members and helps them speak with a single voice on development issues. See www.dochas.ie
Established in 2007, Fundraising Ireland is the association for professional fundraisers in Ireland. We seek to foster excellence in fundraising and to promote high ethical standards for the fundraising profession in Ireland. See www.fundraisingireland.ie
Total Fundraising is a service provider to the not-for-profit sector, offering our charity partners a wide range of fundraising services. We fundraise everywhere and empower everyone: donors, charities and our staff. www.totalfundraising.ie
The Wheel is a national organisation that represents and supports community, voluntary and charitable organisations in Ireland. Founded in 1999, it currently have around 1,000 members across Ireland, reflecting the enormous scope and scale of this vibrant and diverse sector. See www.wheel.ie
Whitebarn Consulting helps not-for-profits to build a better world through the provision of a range of information and support services. www.whitebarn.info
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