Just over a year ago, new data protection regulations came into law.
The EU-wide regulation gives people more control over their personal data, as well as new ‘digital rights’ that better reflect the economic value of personal data in the digital economy.
Charities need to be aware of how this impacts on their work and their fundraising and communications with supporters.
All organisations that collect personal data must adhere to the data protection regulations.
There are plenty of free or inexpensive resources out there, including from Get Legal who has a simple policy which is drafted by experts and can be customised to your organisation’s needs.
Charities need to ask themselves key questions to make sure they are in line with the regulations, including knowing what their responsibilities are in handling personal data of supporters and having strict consent for communications.
The Institute of Fundraising has a range of resources and guidance including practical webinars and a 10 step action plan for GDPR.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, have also released detailed guidance to GDPR compliance for charities here, with a useful Frequently Asked Questions section.
The full General Data Protection Regulation can be found here.
To find free resources from the Institute of Fundraising, click here.
Get Legal resources can be found here.
Resources from NCVO are here.
A plain-English summary of data protection responsibilities for small, volunteer-run community groups by the Resource Centre is here.
To read more news from the Trust, click here.
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