Ethics in the Grant Profession
Just About Compensation? Think Again.
- Cheryl Weiner, MBA, GPC, GPA Ethics Committee
If you’re a member of any grant professional group on LinkedIn, you’re familiar with the nonstop discussions
about compensation. Percentage of the award, flat fee, inclusion in the proposed budget? For GPA members,
there is no debate. GPA’s Code of Ethics clearly states our organization’s position on compensation.
(http://www.grantprofessionals.org/ethics)
However, ethics in our profession extend far beyond the topic of compensation. Ethics for grant professionals
address donor relations, appropriation of funds, confidentiality, and potential conflicts of interest in our
organizations, businesses, and our community. And that’s not an inclusive list.
You may not have perceived it as an ethical dilemma at the time, but it’s likely that you’ve faced one during
your grant proposal writing career. I know I have. The situation wasn’t about what was legal. It was about what
was right. It was about appearances. It was about being ethical.
I was approached years ago to write proposals by the CEO of XYZ, a small nonprofit organization that
operated a day treatment program for 25 adults with developmental and physical disabilities. During our initial
meeting, the CEO stressed that her organization’s decision not to apply for government funding was a
competitive advantage. (That’s another discussion!)
I was baffled after reviewing XYZ’s budget and Form 990. How did an organization operate a full-time day
treatment program for adults with disabilities with a staff to client ratio of 1:3 on $200,000 a year? It turned out
that XYZ contracted with a local nonprofit agency that applied for and received nearly $500,000 in state
funding to provide direct care to the adults in the program. XYZ was actually a fundraising organization. Its
revenue paid for several outstanding services and activities for its clients; activities that were not covered by
state funding.
Was the CEO lying by saying that XYZ didn’t receive government funding? No. Was she doing anything
illegal? No. But I felt, and still do, that she was unethical by deliberately misleading donors and the community.
I decided not to work with XYZ, electing not to perpetuate its misrepresentation to the community. Less
importantly, how would I explain the inconsistency between XYZ’s budget and its expansive scope of services?
This was a valuable lesson for me to research potential clients before agreeing to a meeting and then wasting
my time.
That was one of my dilemmas. Do you agree with me? A grant professional in my area has no problem with
XYZ, and has worked with the agency for years. Have you had a similar experience? Perhaps you had an
executive at your organization use donated tickets for a baseball game that were intended for your clients? It
may not seem like much but it’s an unethical misuse of an in-kind contribution. What do you do?
The Grant Professionals Association has an active Ethics Committee that is available to help should you face
an ethical dilemma. We’re not here just to review alleged unethical actions.
Join us in Portland for the presentation on ethics in our profession. It won’t be an hour about the virtues of a flat
fee as compensation. I promise. It’s a safe place where your experiences are held in confidence by everyone
in the conference room. We’re here to help.