Fundraising complaint procedure
At Ripple Effect, we are committed to the highest standards in our fundraising and supporter care.
If something hasn’t met your expectations, we want to hear from you. Your feedback helps us improve and ensures we remain accountable to our supporters.
How to make a complaint
If you would like to raise a complaint about our fundraising activities or the service you have received, you can contact us using the details below.
Email
supporter@rippleeffect.org
Phone
01225 874222 / 01225 688222
Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
Post
Ripple Effect
Runway East / Kings Court
Parsonage Lane
Bath, BA1 1ER
All complaints are treated confidentially and handled in line with our data protection policy.
What happens after you contact us
Complaints Process Timeline
Day 0 — Complaint received
You contact Ripple Effect with your complaint.
Within 2 working days — Acknowledgement
If you shared contact information with us, we will confirm we have received your complaint and begin investigating.
Within 21 working days — Initial response
We will provide a full response explaining:
- What we investigated
- What we found
- Any actions taken as a result
If you remain dissatisfied after receiving our response, you can request that your complaint be reviewed. Details of this process are outlined below.
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about our fundraising, communications, or the actions of our staff or volunteers where a response or resolution is expected.
Examples may include concerns about:
- The way we contact supporters
- The behaviour of our staff or volunteers
- Our fundraising activities or communications
- An action taken by Ripple Effect, or a situation where action was expected but not taken
We always welcome feedback and suggestions for improvement.
If your message is simply feedback rather than a complaint, we will still review it and use it to improve our work.
We aim to resolve most complaints within 21 working days.
If the complaint needs further review, the full process may take longer due to escalation stages, but we will keep you informed of progress.
If you are not satisfied with our initial response, you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed by the Director of Income Generation & Engagement.
We aim to provide a response within 28 working days following this escalation.
If the issue remains unresolved, your complaint can be referred to Ripple Effect’s Senior Leadership Team for further review.
We will acknowledge this escalation within 5 working days and provide a full response within 28 working days.
Our fundraising is regulated by the Fundraising Regulator, the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in the UK.
If your complaint relates to our fundraising activities and you feel we have not resolved it satisfactorily through our internal process, you have the option to contact them for further review.
You can also manage how charities contact you through the Fundraising Preference Service, which allows you to stop or change communications from specific charities.
You can:
- Escalate your complaint to the Fundraising Regulator
- Update your communication preferences through the Fundraising Preference Service
Yes. All complaints are handled confidentially and personal data is processed in accordance with our data protection policies. Please see our privacy policy here.
Our Commitment to Supporters
At Ripple Effect, we view complaints as an opportunity to improve our fundraising practices and supporter experience.
We regularly review complaints to identify trends and learn how we can do better.
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