Client
Charity Commission

Brief
In September 2002 the Cabinet Office published Private Action, Public Benefit - a review of the legal and regulatory framework in which charities, and the wider not-for-profit sector, operate. One of its recommendations was that each charity with an income of above £1million should complete an annual Standard Information Return (SIR) which highlights key qualitative and quantitative information about the charity, in order to ensure that the general public, donors and investors are better informed about the work of charities. The Charity Commission has been charged with implementing the introduction of the SIR. We want to make certain that this information is as meaningful and usable as possible for all stakeholders – in particular donors, and the charities themselves.

Approach
Meg Abdy and Sue Pedley facilitated a series of discussion groups with donors, volunteers, charity managers and trustees, to understand their attitudes towards charities, their need for information and their reactions to the proposed forms. Based on the – often very vociferous - feedback, the form was streamlined, using clear language, and supporting guidance material was rewritten. The revised form was tested with further groups of donors, to check that the new version was on track.

Outcome
The findings of the research were presented at a sector seminar in January 2005, opening the issue up to wider debate. The Summary Information Return was introduced in 2005 as part of the Annual Return.

Feedback
“The Charity Commission promotes the public's trust and confidence in charitable activity. Your research provided us with important objective evidence on the proposed Standard Information Return, enabling us to create a document that is both accessible and useful, without over-burdening charities with unnecessary paperwork.”
Caroline Cooke, Head of PolicyTesting Propositions - II