Fundraising Principles and Practice, 3rd Edition

CHAPTER THREETHE ETHICS OF PROFESSIONAL FUNDRAISING

Ian MacQuillin

Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Understand key components of ethical theory and differentiate between applied and normative ethics.
2. Decide which type of ethical theories to apply in fundraising contexts to professional ethical dilemmas.
3. Critique the ethical context of fundraising codes of practice.
4. Develop opinions on and constructively contribute to the debate about which normative theory/lens of fundraising ethics is most appropriate to professional practice.
5. Work though ethical dilemmas in fundraising using normative lenses of fundraising ethics and ethical decision-making frameworks.

Introduction

Fundraising is a practical, hands-on profession. Fundraisers want to change the world and make their beneficiaries’ lives better, which they do by ensuring the organizations they work for have sufficient donated income to deliver their core charitable purpose. Not surprisingly then, conferences, training sessions, and textbooks are full of information, ideas, and tips about how to practically deliver that income. Fundraisers want to know what works and what doesn't. It could be said they are less interested in wanting to know why things work (or don't work) — a situation that textbooks such as this one attempt to remedy.

The same could be said of the fundraising profession's ...