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Benefits of using the Standards

The National Occupational Standards for Fundraising specify the standards of performance those raising funds and resources should be working to across the UK.

They also describe the knowledge and skills fundraisers need in order to perform to the required standard. They allow individual fundraisers to be clear about what is expected of them in their work. Fundraisers can use them to check that they are doing a good job, to identify any knowledge they need to acquire or skills they need to develop.

Organisations can use the standards to ensure that their fundraisers are competent and have the knowledge and skills to deliver on their strategy in an appropriate way.

Benefits to employees and volunteers include:

  • Clear description of the work standards they need to meet
  • Statement of knowledge and skills required to meet each standard
  • Guide to resources designed to help them acquire the relevant knowledge and skills
  • Tool to help them plan their current career development
  • Qualification structure to support their career development
  • Heightened awareness of their job role and responsibilities
  • Chance to obtain objective appraisal and constructive feedback from their manager
  • Better understanding of how to transfer their skills from one situation to another across organisations, within and outside the nonprofit sector
  • Sense of achievement from a job well done
  • Greater confidence to do their job well

Benefits to employers include:

  • A tool to help design and evaluate policies, programmes and procedures
  • A set of fair and objective criteria for selecting, recruiting and appraising staff
  • A method of identifying training needs for both the organisation and individuals
  • A comprehensive system for managing and developing staff
  • A qualifications structure to support learning, development and competence
  • Common standards for everyone in the sector

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