Complaints policy and procedures

Statement of policy on complaints

UK Community Foundations welcomes feedback, both positive and negative on the services it provides. These comments are regarded as a useful tool to enable us to review and improve the service we provide to our members and other partners.

What is a complaint

A complaint arises when a member, service partner or other service recipient is dissatisfied with the service they have received from UK Community Foundations. The complaints procedure is not a development grant appeals process.

What to do if you have a complaint

Details should be sent in writing to The Chief Executive, UK Community Foundations (unless the complaint concerns the CEO in which case it should be addressed to the Chair of UK Community Foundations).

Your letter should state

• What the complaint is about
• Member(s) of staff, or governing committee involved
• When the event about which you are complaining occurred and if it is still happening
• What action / remedy would you expect to see as an outcome

What will happen when your complaint is received

• You will receive an acknowledgement within five working days advising you who is dealing with your complaint and when you may expect a fuller report. UK Community Foundations reserves the right to show all correspondence to its appointed solicitor
• The person responsible will investigate all aspects of your complaint, allowing others involved to make their contribution, possibly returning to you for supporting information or evidence
• They may also seek an independent review by a third party
• A full report, together with details of any action taken or recommendations for further action will be sent to you within 28 days of receipt of the complaint. If it is not possible to provide a full report within this time you will be advised, and an interim report given including details of action still to be taken
• We will retain a record the complaint for at least 24 months from the date the complaint was made apart from where data protection law requires that the information be put beyond use earlier than this.
• Records will include details of the complaint, the date it was received, details of any investigation that was undertaken and any communications regarding the issue. The Fundraising Regulator may investigate our records on request

What to do if you are still not satisfied

• You may ask for your complaint to be reviewed by the Board of UK Community Foundations
• The decision of the Chair of the Board is final
• If dissatisfied with the outcome of the investigation you can refer the complaint to the Fundraising Regulator provided that you do so within two months of our response
• UK Community Foundations will cooperate fully with the Fundraising Regulator if a complaint is referred to them and will comply with any remedy they propose. We will also provide the Fundraising Regulator with copies of our fundraising materials if requested to do so

What happens when your complaint has been satisfactorily dealt with

• The Company Secretary of UK Community Foundations maintains a complaints register
• This is reviewed annually by the Executive Committee
• Where appropriate, the Executive Committee will make recommendations to the Chief Executive or the Board for changes in policy or practice

Where UK Community Foundations receives a complaint about a member of the network or a service partner it will endeavour to follow a similar process, but it must be recognised that no governance authority exists. Details of the complaint will, in all cases, be passed to the member or service partner and you will be advised of any response or action resulting.

Document Owner
Operations Administrator

Updated
July 2020

Next Review Due
July 2021