Grant Writing Professional Ethics and Standards Questions and Answers

Question 1

A small nonprofit's board, eager to secure funding, offers to hire an independent grant writer on a contract that pays them 15% of any grant awarded.
According to the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Code of Ethics, how should the grant writer respond?

Accepted Answer

Decline the offer, explaining that compensation based on a percentage of the grant amount is unethical.

Answer

Accept the offer, as this is a standard, performance-based incentive in the field.

Answer

Negotiate a higher percentage, as 20% is more common for successful grant awards.

Answer

Propose a hybrid model with a small base fee plus a lower percentage (5%) of the grant award.

Question 2

Which of the following situations represents the most clear and direct conflict of interest for a grant professional employed by a nonprofit?

Accepted Answer

Recommending a program evaluation consultant who is their spouse, without disclosing the relationship to the nonprofit's leadership.

Answer

Serving on the board of a different nonprofit that operates in another city and serves a completely different population.

Answer

Using a previously written successful proposal as a template for a new proposal for a different project at the same nonprofit.

Answer

Attending a free workshop hosted by a foundation to which their organization is planning to apply.

Question 3

An independent grant consultant writes a successful federal proposal for Nonprofit A. A year later, Nonprofit B, which runs a similar program, hires the consultant and asks to reuse large portions of the proposal written for Nonprofit A to save time. What is the consultant's most ethical course of action?

Accepted Answer

Inform Nonprofit B that the work product for Nonprofit A is confidential and cannot be copied, but the consultant can use their expertise to create a new, customized proposal.

Answer

Use the original proposal for Nonprofit B, since the consultant owns the intellectual property of the text they wrote.

Answer

Ask Nonprofit A for written permission to reuse the proposal for Nonprofit B.

Answer

Refuse to work with Nonprofit B entirely to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Question 4

When drafting a needs statement, a grant writer finds that recent local data is weak, while older national data is much more dramatic and compelling. According to professional standards, what is the most ethical way to present this information?

Accepted Answer

Present the recent local data, clearly state its year, and use the older national data to provide context, while explaining any discrepancies.

Answer

Exclusively use the older, more dramatic national data to make the strongest possible case for funding.

Answer

Combine the data sets and present the average, describing it as a 'blended rate' for the community.

Answer

Slightly alter the local data points to better align with the national trends and create a more consistent narrative.

Question 5

Which of the following is a core ethical responsibility a grant professional owes to their organization and its potential funders?

Accepted Answer

Presenting the organization's mission, capabilities, and the community's needs accurately and without exaggeration.

Answer

Guaranteeing to the organization's leadership that a well-written proposal will be funded.

Answer

Using information learned while serving on a confidential grant review panel to benefit their own organization's future applications.

Answer

Developing personal friendships with program officers to increase the likelihood of funding success.

Question 6

A grant writer for a community health clinic is using client testimonials in a proposal. To comply with professional ethics regarding confidentiality, what is the MOST important step the writer must take?

Accepted Answer

Ensure all client data is aggregated and any personally identifiable information is removed or anonymized.

Answer

Create composite stories based on several clients to protect everyone's identity.

Answer

Only use the stories of clients who have already shared their experiences publicly on social media.

Answer

Change the client's name but leave all other specific details to ensure the story remains powerful.

A small nonprofit's board, eager to secure funding, offers to hire an independent grant writer on a contract that pays them 15% of any grant awarded.According to the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Code of Ethics, how should the grant writer respond?

A small nonprofit's board, eager to secure funding, offers to hire an independent grant writer on a contract that pays them 15% of any grant awarded.
According to the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Code of Ethics, how should the grant writer respond?