A gala fundraiser was recently written up in the newspapers as having offended thousands worldwide. The theme and the event inclusions - decor, entertainment etc. - of this particular event were viewed as being disrespectful to a specific religion and...
All the staff at my agency work on contracts, and renewals depend on confirming our core and project funding. The funding approvals usually come in at the last minute, sometimes even after we have worked a couple of weeks in...
I have been a volunteer at an agency for four years. In that time it has grown and I feel like a part of that and have particular insight where my volunteer function is concerned. Yet the organization does not...
Should alcohol be served during board meetings, retreats, staff parties and other internal events at a nonprofit? Is this normal practice? If so, who should pay for it? This simple-sounding question raises a set of thorny questions that each organization...
I am a board member of a local charity with seven staff members. I have no idea what the Executive Director earns or how it is determined. The Chair says only the Executive Committee needs to know, and they are...
I am a program manager, delivering human service programs in my region. I have been told to do something that feels all wrong. I can't break confidentiality to tell you what it is. I went through our code of conduct...
Is it ethical to pay grant writers a percentage of grants received? This question comes up all the time, as many charities would like to have a chance at new monies with no cost to them. They do not understand...
The amount I earn as a charity worker is not sufficient for a decent lifestyle for my kids. My children and I wear second-hand clothing, and one month when I had extra dental costs we ended up at a food...
I know that personal relationships at work can be career-limiting. But are there any ethical concerns? Yes, there are ethical issues because you are not the only stakeholder. You have to consider whether the other person's career is going to...
I see other staff at my nonprofit who take supplies home or make personal use of our equipment. Is this acceptable? As usual, it depends. It depends on whether: The use is minor and reasonable, such as jotting down a...
