as healthcare and education provide ethical perspectives as well. Commitment to a code of ethics, understanding of more general philosophical approaches to ethics, and tools for handling ethical dilemmas must undergird the individual philosophy of fundraising.
Voluntary Action
Payton (1988) defined philanthropy as “voluntary action for the public good.” The case for support is about community benefit. But the philosophy of fundraising must also consider that philanthropy is a voluntary activity. This was one of the key pillars of Rosso's (1991) philosophy as the gentle art of teaching others the joy of giving. Fundraisers cannot pressure potential donors and must educate board members, staff, and volunteers not to push potential donors based on relationships, reciprocity, financial situations, or other factors that make it difficult for them to act freely.
Professional Responsibility
Finally, as the fundraising profession grows and matures, members have a responsibility to each other. Fundraisers serve as role models for generous behavior within their families, organizations, and communities. Indeed, they give and volunteer at a much higher rate than the general population (Shaker et al. 2020). Fundraisers' generous actions, then, become an expression of their commitment to philanthropy on and off the job.
Likewise, a component of a philosophy may also include a sense of professional responsibility to support fellow fundraisers, especially newcomers to the field and those who have historically been excluded. Sharing knowledge and encouragement, formally or informally, with colleagues reflects a larger commitment to fundraising. Gene has intentionally mentored countless fundraisers throughout his career. Sarah has created a semi‐formal network of peers who she can call on for support and guidance.
Conclusion
Philanthropy is stimulated by a vision for the future that improves on the present. Fundraising is the difficult work of engaging potential donors with an organization's vision for the future, its case for support, and its mission, goals, and objectives. The first statement is idealistic; the second, the view of a realist. Articulating a philosophy of fundraising will help each fundraiser soar, inspired by their own life experiences and philanthropic journey and uplifted by a compelling case for support. And, a philosophy, undergirded by guiding principles from the field, will provide grounding for carrying out the work, institutionalizing it, developing a culture of philanthropy, and deciding on the activities, approaches, and individuals to pursue to support the cause.
Fundraisers are called to become reflective practitioners prepared to critique their own work. To do so they must develop their philosophy of fundraising, one that evolves over time to remain relevant and to guide them through complexities of a changing world and field. Individual experiences, cultural traditions, a quest for justice, and consideration of organizational and social influences all contribute to a robust philosophy of fundraising.
Discussion Questions
1 What is a personal philosophy of fundraising and why should fundraisers develop one?
2 What is a culture of philanthropy and how does it relate to one's philosophy of fundraising?
3 Consider at least three tenets covered in this chapter and describe how you will incorporate them into your philosophy of fundraising.
Application Exercises
1 Develop the beginning of your philanthropic autobiography by writing down in free form the answers to the following questions: “What are some of your earliest memories of philanthropy? What are some of your defining philanthropic moments? Who are your philanthropic role models? Describe the most meaningful gift you've received.” How is fundraising present and how might you see it differently after reading this chapter?
2 Outline the initial approach you will take in your own philosophy of fundraising by considering the roles of philanthropy in society, the position of fundraising in your organizational context, and your core beliefs about fundraising as a foundation for philanthropy.
CHAPTER TWO A COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL FUNDRAISING
By Anne Bergeron and Eugene R. Tempel
Fundraising is a noble profession, supporting organizations in the voluntary sector – arts, humanities, education, health and human services, religion, social justice, international aid, animal welfare, and the environment. Individuals, including fundraisers, are often drawn to these fields over other public‐facing occupations out of service and commitment to enhancing civil society. Fundraisers wield influence in their facilitative role developing relationships among organizations, donors, and beneficiaries. They are responsible to their organizations for helping to realize institutional missions, to donors for fulfilling their gift intentions as agreed, and to beneficiaries for representing their best interests. With these responsibilities come the obligation to act ethically with care and good judgment, and create trust, the foundation of philanthropy.
Ethics is not commonly discussed for fear of sounding preachy or old‐fashioned. But understanding and applying ethics is as important for fundraisers as technical skill. This chapter explicates ethical practice in fundraising.
In this chapter, readers will explore:
The principle of trust that buttresses the nonprofit sector.
Ethical values and philosophies that undergird moral conscience.
Professional ethics and ethical behavior.
Common ethical issues and dilemmas.
Ethics and social justice.
A Foundation of Trust
The nonprofit and philanthropic sectors are built on a covenant of trust that serves the public good (Pribbenow 1994). Trust anchors nonprofit organizations, the constituencies they serve, and the patrons who support them. Although there is a correlation between trust and donor generosity (Sargeant and Lee 2001), recent studies express some contradictions. One report finds that trust in nonprofits is high among educated, upper income, urban residents, but low among those from underserved, impoverished, rural communities (Independent Sector 2020). Another finds there is little trust in institutions worldwide due to systemic injustice and bias (Edelman 2020), while a third indicates that nonprofits are viewed as more trustworthy than for‐profits and government, but overall trust has declined among donors (Give.org 2020).
Trust is the foundation on which philanthropy is developed and sustained. Donors must be assured that their contributions will be used as promised and applied in ways to generate the impact intended. Benefactors and beneficiaries expect transparency and accountability from public benefit organizations. The nonprofit sector has not been immune from scandals or stories of abuse and mismanagement, and the inevitable result is an erosion of the public's confidence. Faith in the sector is restored through “stewardship of the public good” (Pribbenow 1994, 40) when nonprofit leaders and fundraisers practice ethical behavior and maintain organizational cultures that honor “… a set of core values that are in keeping with the historical, philosophical, moral, and religious roots of the voluntary sector” (Jeavons 2016, 207).
Philosophy of Ethics
If public trust is so critical to the nonprofit sector (Independent Sector 2002), then how does one engender trust? Trust is gained by consistently practicing the highest ethics and values (Pribbenow 1994). Ethics is defined as “how a moral person should behave” and values as “the inner judgments that determine how a person actually behaves” (Josephson 2002, 3). The Josephson