The institute, which campaigns for the highest standards in fundraising, is to take action after media reports uncovered figures showing that SMS donations saw between 17% and 25% of the total amount donated was lost in charges, including those levied by the mobile operators and aggregator companies.
A report in the Daily Telegraph today cites examples such as a 拢3 donation during the London Marathon seeing 拢1.20 siphoned off, and a 拢1.50 text to Capital Radio's Help a London Child appeal that resulted in only 拢1 going to the charity.
Lyndsay Boswell, chief execuitve of the Institute of Fundraising, said: "Donating money to charities is a very different proposition to a commercial transaction and the two should not be treated in the same way."
It is only since the outpouring of goodwill after that Boxing Day tsunami that charities have begun to harness the power of SMS donations.
The Disasters Emergency Committee raised 拢1m through 700,000 text donations in two months through its tsunami appeal. Other charities to embrace the medium include Samaritans and Breast Cancer Care.
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