Charities face funding queries

Kate Magee 01-Oct-08

Changes to the way the public can access information about charities may leave charity PROs facing more questions about funding, the Charity Commission warns.

The independent charity regulator has launched sweeping changes to its online register today, which make charity accounts and financial information more accessible. The move is part of its ongoing bid to increase transparency and accountability within the sector.

'Charity comms professionals should look at the new format of their charity's entry and ask themselves what questions the public, funders and others might have about the information they see. Be ready to answer those questions', said the Charity Commission's head of news Sarah Miller.

The changes have been welcomed by British Red Cross' head of media and public affairs Leigh Daynes. 'We should welcome public scrutiny because we are stewards of people's time and money', he said. 'Voluntary sector organisations should have a clear organisational policy for transparency. Honesty is everything', said Daynes.

Recent research from Ipsos MORI showed that 96 per cent of the public believe it is important that charities provide public information about how they spend their money. There were nearly 15 million page views of the old register during June 2007-08.

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