The Fundraising Regulator and the Institute of Fundraising have published free guidance for fundraisers on the General Data Protection Regulation.
The organisations said the guidance was based on questions that charities had asked about the GDPR, which will introduce stricter data protection rules from 25 May.
They said the guidance, which consists of six short guides covering areas including community fundraising, legacies and trusts, had been reviewed by the Information Commissioner’s Office, which will police the new regulations.
The guidance looks at ways in which charities are likely to use personal data in different situations, such as how fundraisers can lawfully contact potential donors.
Daniel Fluskey, head of policy and external affairs at the IoF, said it was essential that fundraisers got it right on the GDPR.
"We know that fundraisers have had questions about how the law will apply in practice, and hope that these new guidance pieces help to demystify GDPR and enable fundraisers to plan their work to give supporters the best experience of fundraising," he said.
