Ethical decision-making models for nonprofit fundraising professionals

Rosen, Michael J. "Doing well by doing right: A fundraiser's guide to ethical decision-making."

International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing. London:

The desire to act ethically does not always translate into ethical action. Misconceptions about what promotes ethical behavior add to the challenges development professionals already face. Strong, clear codes of ethics and decision-making models can alleviate many of the pressures faced by professionals in the non-profit sector.

Ethics can sometimes, but not always, be based on common sense. Tricks like mental "tests" can be used to determine whether or not a decision is an ethical one but too often, conflicting sets of values preclude sound judgment. Similarly, ethical decisions must transcend legal analyses; that which is legal is not always ethical.

Ethics can no longer be considered a "soft" issue because it affects the viability of the organization, its reputation and its ability to raise funds. Research shows that ethical organizations fare best financially. Confidence and trust engender goodwill and stimulate giving.

Crafting codes of ethics may be the most important step a non-profit organization can take to garner public trust and maximize fundraising potential. Codes of ethics will not always clearly outline prescribed courses of action but rather, serve as guidelines as well as means by which the public can gauge the organization's credibility.

To help guide the ethical decision-making process within the code of ethics, organizations should develop routine methods. Two salient methods that can be used to reach high-quality decisions include the Fischer Model, designed specifically for non-profit institutions, and the Josephson Model.

The Fischer Model works in three stages:

Identify the problem