Fundraising

Doing Well by Doing Right: A Fundraiser's Guide to Ethical Decision-Making" reveals that trust impacts if donors will contribute to charities as well as how much they are willing to donate. While organizations may believe they have "good" people, who will do the right thing, complex situations still challenge them, making ethics training a necessity. Having a code of ethics is a necessary foundation, but this alone is not enough to ensure ethical decision-making because the code cannot provide all the answers to unanticipated circumstances. Therefore, the author recommends the use of formal decision-making models to improve decisions while still remaining true to one's values..

The author provides examples of two models he believes offer value. The Fischer Model, a model designed specifically for fundraising professionals, recommends that decision should be aligned with an organization's mission and values, strengthen long-term relationships with colleagues, donors, volunteers and the community and preserve and foster personal integrity. Another model, a more general one developed by the Josephson Institute, is a series of seven processes to guide decisions. The first step is dubbed "Stop and Think." As the steps' name implies, it advises that the decision maker take it slow to avoid bad decisions based on emotions. The second step, "Clarify Goals," is about understanding both short- and long-term impacts of the decision. Next, in step three, the decision maker is to "Determine the Facts" by gathering information. The fourth step, "Develop Options" leads the decision maker to develop a list of possible actions and the fifth step, "Consider the Options," involves visualizing each possibility. In the sixth step, "Choose," the decision maker has to go with what is perceived to be the better alternative. Finally, in step seven, "Monitor and Modify" the decision maker reviews the impact of their decision and makes changes where needed.

Bibliography

Rosen, Michael J. "Doing Well by Doing Right: A Fundraiser's Guide to Ethical Decision-Making." International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing. Vol. 10, Iss 3 (Aug 2005)