Foodbank SA Donor Survey 2023 | FAQ’s about survey design & research project

Understanding Donors propensity to give.

The Foodbank SA Donor Survey 2023 has been developed by Foodbank SA in collaboration with Master of Business Administration (MBA) student Michael Miller, at the University of Adelaide.

Michael is undertaking a research project to understand donors’ motivations to donate to Foodbank. What motivates a donor to give, either regularly or once-off, and what are decision-making factors that contribute to the decision to donate.

Michael Miller is supervised by University of Adelaide lecturer Nicole Swain.

Why am I being invited to complete this survey?

You are being invited because you have previously donated to Foodbank SA, either once-off, or on a more regular basis. We value your feedback, and we would like to understand your motivations for giving to Foodbank better. This will help us improve the way we engage with our donors.

MBA student Michael Miller will analyse the de-identified feedback for his research project to understand Foodbank SA’s donors’ propensity to give, and share these findings with Foodbank.

What am I being invited to do?
You are being invited to complete an online survey, which takes 8-10 minutes of your time. Personalised data will only be used by Foodbank SA, the de-identified data will then be provided to Michael as part of his studies.

If you are willing to do so, Michael Miller may follow-up with you to ask you more questions in a Focus Group. This is optional, and you will only be contacted to participate in a Focus Group if you have indicated you are interested in this.

Are there any risks associated with participating in this research project?

There are no foreseeable risks. Your identifiable data will be provided in a system only accessible by Foodbank staff for inclusion into our secure database.

What are the potential benefits of the research project?

The aim of this research is to obtain a clearer understanding of the valued support that comes from the donor community so that Foodbank South and Central Australia can in turn provide better support and services to their donors, and to people in need in our community.

Can I withdraw from the survey?

Participation in this survey is completely voluntary. If you have submitted your survey responses and would like to have your information removed (i.e. you have a change of heart) you can email Sanne Reijenga, Fundraising Coordinator, via fundraising@foodbanksa.org.au and ask to withdraw your submission. Your survey submission will be deleted; this means no one can access your survey data anymore.

What will happen to my information?
Information provided by completing this survey, will be shared with MBA research student Michel Miller in a de-identified manner.

This means that for the research project he can analyse your answers, but without knowing who you are. Michael Miller does not have access to any personal details that you have previously provided to Foodbank SA.

In some situations, even if identifiers are removed, and if the sample of participants is small and from a discrete population, there may be the potential that individuals could be identifiable. While all efforts will be made to remove any information that might identify individuals, if the sample size is small, complete anonymity cannot be guaranteed. However, the utmost care will be taken to ensure that no personally identifying details are revealed.

How and where will my data be stored?

The data from this Donor Survey will be de-identified by Foodbank SA to share with research student Michael Miller for analysing purposes for his research project. The de-identified data and research project information will be securely stored on the University of Adelaide server for a minimum of 12 months. The Researcher and the student have access to this.

Foodbank SA will have access to all data from this Donor Survey, which will be securely stored in our Donor Database and on our company server. This can only be accessed by authorised Foodbank SA staff members. We have risk mitigating strategies for the safe storage and access to this server and database.

Will the research finding be published?

Research student Michael Miller will write a report for his MBA degree and for Foodbank. This report will summarise the outcomes of his research project and data analysis. Project outcomes in the form of a copy of the final report can be provided to all participants on request. No personal participant information will be identified in publications. Your information will only be used as described in this participant information sheet and it will only be disclosed according to the consent provided, except as required by law.

Who do I contact if I have questions about the MBA research project?

Researcher, Michael Miller, michael.miller@student.adelaide.edu.au

Supervisor, Nicole Swain, Nicole.swain@adelaide.edu.au

Who do I contact at Foodbank if I have questions about this survey, or anything relating to Foodbank and my donations to Foodbank?

Fundraising Coordinator, Sanne Reijenga, fundraising@foodbanksa.org.au

What if I have a complaint or any concerns about this research project?

The study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of Adelaide (approval number H-2021-020).

This research project will be conducted according to the NHMRC National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007 (Updated 2018).

If you have questions or problems associated with the practical aspects of your participation in the research project, or wish to raise a concern or complaint about the project, then you should consult the student researcher.

If you wish to speak with an independent person regarding concerns or a complaint, the University’s policy on research involving human participants, or your rights as a participant, please contact the Human Research Ethics Committee’s Secretariat on: Phone: +61 8 8313 6028 Email: hrec@adelaide.edu.au Post: Level 4, Rundle Mall Plaza, 50 Rundle Mall, ADELAIDE SA 5000

Any complaint or concern will be treated in confidence and fully investigated. You will be informed of the outcome.

If you prefer to submit a complaint or express your concern about this project to Foodbank, please send us an email at fundraising@foodbanksa.org.au.