A guide for fundraisers on new data protection rules aims to ensure charities don't fall foul of new EU rules

The Institute of Fundraising (IoF) has launched a new guide on new EU data protection rules.

The guide, GDPR: the essentials for fundraising organisations, has been produced in partnership with law firm Bircham Dyson Bell. It will be an important resource to help charities understand the coming changes in data protection law and support them to be ready for the introduction of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018.

It comes at the same time as the IoF is set to run a series of ‘Be GDPR Ready’ training courses in locations across the UK in the summer, including one in Edinburgh in July.

The practical and accessible guidance covers key questions raised by many of the IoF’s members over recent months. These include what is going to be different about the new rules that are coming in; the main changes charity fundraisers need to be aware of; how these will impact on how and when supporters can be contacted; and the practical things charities should be doing now to prepare.

The guide has been written for anyone with an interest in fundraising including individual fundraisers, charity chief executives or trustees.

GDPR will come into effect in the UK on 25 May 2018 replacing the current Data Protection Act and introducing new and different requirements for all sectors and organisations. Charities, alongside any private sector organisations, businesses, or public bodies, will have to follow these legal requirements when processing individuals’ personal data.

Daniel Fluskey, head of policy & research at the Institute of Fundraising, said: “We have put this short guide together to help fundraisers answer the really key questions they’ve got about how they can contact their supporters. We know that all fundraisers and charities want to get this right to be sure that they’re meeting their legal requirements as well as giving their donors a great experience of supporting that cause. GDPR is coming, and with just over a year left to get ready it’s vital that charities are aware of what changes are coming and have policies and processes in place to be ready.”

Penny Bygrave, senior associate at Bircham Dyson Bell, said: “BDB are delighted to support IoF with this guide to provide clear, practical help for charities to manage this period of uncertainty and take appropriate steps to get to grips with the GDPR and data protection compliance.”