Ethics Flashcards

A small, resource-strapped nonprofit offers a freelance grant writer a contract stating that compensation will be 15% of any grant funds awarded. What is the most appropriate ethical response from the grant writer?

Answer: Decline the percentage-based fee and propose a fee-for-service or hourly rate, explaining it aligns with professional ethics.

Professional codes of ethics from organizations like the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) strictly prohibit members from accepting compensation based on a percentage of funds raised. [3, 4, 13] This practice can create a conflict of interest, incentivizing the pursuit of funding over the organization's best interests and undermining donor trust. [15, 16] The ethical standard is to work for a pre-determined salary, hourly rate, or project fee. [5, 11]

A grant writer serves on the board of a local printing company. A nonprofit client, unaware of this affiliation, is preparing a grant proposal that includes a large budget for printing and dissemination. Which of the following actions is ethically required for the grant writer?

Answer: Disclose the relationship to the nonprofit client before the proposal is submitted.

Ethical practice demands transparency and the management of any potential, actual, or perceived conflicts of interest. [1, 2, 12] The grant writer has a duty to disclose their affiliation with the printing company to their nonprofit client. [14] This allows the client to make an informed decision and ensures the grant process remains fair and unbiased. [6] Resigning may be an option, but disclosure is the essential first step.

Which of the following is an ethical breach when writing the Statement of Need in a grant proposal?

Answer: Intentionally using five-year-old statistics that show a greater need than more recent data indicates.

Honesty and accuracy are cornerstones of ethical grant writing. [1, 17] Intentionally using outdated statistics to exaggerate a problem is a form of misrepresentation that misleads the funder and violates the principle of truthfulness. [14] While proposals should be persuasive, the data used must be accurate and presented in good faith. Using compelling stories and recent, relevant data are considered ethical best practices.

A freelance grant writer develops a comprehensive proposal for Nonprofit A, but the grant is not funded. Six months later, Nonprofit B, which has a very similar mission, hires the writer to apply to a different funder for a similar project. What is the most ethical way for the writer to proceed?

Answer: Use their own background knowledge and structure, but write an entirely new, tailored proposal, as the original work belongs to Nonprofit A.

Work produced for a client is typically the intellectual property of that client, even if the project was not funded. [26] Therefore, the grant writer cannot ethically sell or reuse the proposal created for Nonprofit A for a new client. [21] While the writer's skills and general knowledge can be used, the narrative, data, and specific programmatic details must be newly crafted and customized for Nonprofit B to avoid plagiarism and respect the ownership of the prior work. [19]

After a grant is successfully awarded, the primary ethical responsibility of the grant professional, in collaboration with the nonprofit, shifts to what?

Answer: Ensuring proper stewardship, using funds as proposed and reporting on outcomes accurately.

Ethical grant practice extends beyond securing the award. The core responsibility becomes accountability and stewardship. [2] This includes ensuring that the organization uses the grant funds exactly as described in the proposal and that all programmatic and financial reports submitted to the funder are timely and accurate. [19] This upholds the public trust and builds a long-term, credible relationship with the funder. [8]

A grant writer learns confidential, non-public information about a foundation's internal funding deliberations through a previous client. When working with a new client applying to the same foundation, the writer's primary ethical obligation is to:

Answer: Refrain from using or disclosing the confidential information learned from the previous client relationship.

Grant professionals have a duty to maintain the confidentiality of information obtained during their work with clients. [9, 11] This obligation extends to proprietary or sensitive information about funders. Using such information for the benefit of another client would be a breach of trust and professional ethics. The writer must protect this privileged information and not use it to create an unfair advantage. [19]