5 questions about how Appco UK operates in face-to-face fundraising

Face-to-face fundraising remains one of the most effective ways for charities to find committed, long-term supporters. Behind every conversation on a doorstep or in a supermarket sits a clear structure of responsibilities, standards and checks.

This guide answers the five questions charities ask us most often about how Appco UK operates.

1. What does Appco UK do in face-to-face fundraising?

Appco UK is a face-to-face fundraising agency. We plan, manage and continually improve donor acquisition campaigns for some of the UK’s best-known charities, from initial set-up all the way through to volume delivery. At every stage, the focus is the same: securing valuable donors who stay with the cause for the long term.

That work covers four connected areas:

• Campaign management Agreeing objectives with each charity, securing fundraising locations, preparing campaign materials, onboarding the independent marketing companies who will deliver the campaign, and coordinating activity day to day until targets are reached. 

• Data and insight Our Data Management team looks well beyond headline sign-up numbers. We track how donor attrition is developing and why, explain the background behind specific results, and use those findings to inform where, when and how campaigns run next. 

• Innovation We continually invest in operations and systems that save time, automate manual processes and support all of our partners, so campaigns run more efficiently and every partner benefits from the improvements we make.

• Standards and quality Setting the requirements every campaign must meet, providing campaign training, and monitoring that those standards are met consistently.

2. Who does Appco UK work with on face-to-face fundraising campaigns?

Every Appco UK campaign brings together three parties, each with a clearly defined role:

1. The charity The charity chooses to fundraise face to face and agrees the campaign with Appco UK. Everyone who signs up becomes the charity’s supporter, and their regular gift goes directly to the charity.

2. Appco UK (face-to-face fundraising agency)  Appco UK designs and manages the campaign. We secure fundraising locations, set the standards, provide campaign training, analyse results and report back to the charity.

3. Independent marketing companies These are independent businesses, subcontracted by Appco UK to carry out donor acquisition on behalf of our charity partners. Their F2F fundraisers hold the conversations with the public, explaining each charity’s cause and signing up long-term donors.

3. How does Appco UK work with marketing companies to maintain high standards?

High standards are something Appco UK and the independent marketing companies we work with share, from before the first campaign and for as long as the partnership continues.

Our standards are not a one-off checklist. They are built into the working relationship in three stages.

1. Before a campaign: building the right foundations

Each new marketing company completes a structured 12-week Fit to Trade programme alongside Appco UK’s due diligence process. Together, these make sure the right structures, processes and understanding of fundraising regulations are in place before a charity campaign begins.

2. During a campaign: shared performance and quality benchmarks

Once a campaign is under way, performance is reviewed every month against agreed benchmarks, such as:

• Complaint rate

• Donor attrition and retention

• Quality of supporter data, including records successfully passed to the charity

• Gift Aid and contact-preference opt-ins

These reviews give both Appco UK and each marketing company a clear, shared view of what is working well and where to focus next, so performance and quality continue to improve throughout the campaign.

3. Throughout the partnership: continuous training and updates

Fundraising standards evolve, and so do each charity’s priorities. Appco UK provides ongoing refresher training, briefings on sector and regulatory updates, and regular sessions on each charity’s cause and requirements. This means everyone involved is working to the latest standards throughout the partnership.

4. How are F2F fundraisers trained, and why does it matter?

Appco UK sets the training standard for every campaign, and each marketing company makes sure its F2F fundraisers complete it before they are out in the field.

Every fundraiser completes a comprehensive compliance induction programme, which they must pass as part of their vetting process. Learning continues throughout every campaign through refresher training and regular knowledge checks.

What the training covers:

• The fundraising sector and its regulation

• Openness and transparency

• Protecting people in vulnerable circumstances

• Data protection and consent

• Professional conduct

• Knowledge of the cause

• Supporter experience

Why consistent training matters

Every conversation an F2F fundraiser has, on a doorstep or in a supermarket, reflects on the charity they represent. Comprehensive training means these conversations are accurate, respectful and compliant with the Code of Fundraising Practice, and that people receive the same courteous treatment whether or not they choose to support.

Campaigns are delivered by a number of independent marketing companies. Shared, campaign-specific training gives every charity one consistent standard, wherever its campaign takes place and whichever marketing company delivers it.

It also protects the long-term value of every campaign. Supporters who fully understand the cause and the commitment they are making are far more likely to stay with the charity for years, which is what makes face-to-face fundraising such a valuable investment for charities.

5. How does Appco UK monitor fundraising standards across independent teams?

Training sets the standard. Monitoring confirms that it shows up in real conversations, every day. Appco UK uses several monitoring, reporting and feedback channels:

• Field shadowing and field reviews

• Mystery shopping

• Complaint monitoring and trend analysis

• Targeted, continuous training

• Real-time feedback from our Field Development team

• Monthly performance reviews against agreed benchmarks

• Safeguards built into every sign-up

Appco UK is also registered with the Fundraising Regulator and is a corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, and we follow the Code of Fundraising Practice. Training on the Code, and checking that it is followed in every conversation, is a core reason charities trust Appco UK to acquire new donors on their behalf.

Built on long-term partnerships with the UK’s best-known charities

Our longest partnerships are the best proof that these standards work. Appco UK has supported charities including the British Red Cross, Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home for many years, with some of these partnerships now passing the 20-year mark. Partnerships like these are built on trust, consistency and a shared commitment to responsible fundraising.