askCHARITY Contact Us

Journalists' frequently asked questions

How to get help from us

If you have a technical problem please e-mail Emma or call her on 020 7426 8877.

What is askCHARITY.org.uk?
What is The Answer Service?
How do I find the charity I'm looking for?
Who can sign up as a media professional on askCHARITY?
Who runs askCHARITY.org.uk?
Is askCHARITY really a free service?
How do I sign up?
What sorts of organisations are listed?
What do I do if I want to send more than two requests in a day?
Why am I limited to two requests per day?
Does CharityComms monitor requests?
Should I use the search instead of the Answer Service?
What do I do if I've forgotten my password?

1. What is askCHARITY.org.uk?
It's a free online charity contacts book and case study finder for journalists.

2. What is The Answer Service?
The Answer Service lets media users send out their requests for case studies, spokespeople and subject specialists to hundreds of charities at a time, through a quick online form.

3. How do I find the charity I'm looking for?
If you want to find the contact details of charities working in a particular sector or area, you can use the askCHARITY search facility which allows you to search by keyword or geographical area. You also have the option of browsing charities by category.

4. Who can sign up as a media professional on askCHARITY?
You must be a media professional. We do allow student journalists to sign up but they are not permitted to use the Answer Service. We do allow marketing professionals to sign up but they must not use the Answer Service or use details for commercial purposes.

5. Who runs askCHARITY.org.uk?
askCHARITY is operated by CharityComms - the professional body for charity communicators.

6. Is askCHARITY really a free service?
Yes! It's absolutely free for media professionals and charities to use.

7. How do I sign up?
Just give us your email address, job title and password on this sign up form. If you are from the BBC you can bypass this step.

8. What sorts of organisations are listed?
There are over 2800 charities and not-for-profit organisations using the site, from some of the smallest to the largest charities covering all sectors.

9. What do I do if I want to send more than two requests in a day?
Media users have a maximum of two requests each day (or eight categories) ensuring they reach thousands of charities at a time.

If you feel you need to send more than this then please contact us and we will be able to assess the situation. In exceptional circumstances we may allow you to send more.

10. Why am I limited to two requests per day?
Many of the categories overlap - meaning that charities receive your request multiple times. Also the service is very popular and we need to ensure that charities don't feel overwhelmed by the number of requests they receive.

11. Does CharityComms monitor requests?
We don't censor requests as this would stop them from going out instantly, and we understand that often deadlines are tight. We do look at requests as they go out - and will contact you if we feel the service is being abused. With this in mind please visit our top tips section, and also read our terms and conditions.

12. Should I use the search instead of the Answer Service?
You can use the search to find out about the charities listed on askCHARITY. We usually recommend using the search for example: when your deadline is very tight, or your request is very sensitive or niche. The search enables you to find information about charities working in the area you're interested in - it gives you their contact details and information about their work.

13. What do I do if I've forgotten my password?
You can use the site password reminder on the left of the front page, or email emma@charitycomms.org.uk

I want to speak to someone about askCHARITY!
You can call us on 020 7426 8877, or email Emma.

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