Ask the Ethicist: When Donor Behavior is an Organizational Risk; How to Protect Your Organization and Your Staff

Ethics in our Policies: From Gift Acceptance to Relationship Acceptance. How can we use Due Diligence Best Practices to Address Prospects Whose Values are Misaligned With Organizational Values? How does your organization manage relationships with prospects whose behavior or ideology is more problematic than their source of wealth? Have you ever wished there were recorded best practices to safeguard our organizations from problematic donor relationships? You're in luck! Join the Ethics & Compliance Committee to learn more about the work they've done this year to codify best practices for 'Relationship Acceptance' that ensure a safe and equitable way for these values misalignments to be captured in our CRM to be addressed by relationship management policies. This new guidance centers on the well-being of our staff and our organizations, across all industries, incorporating an element of organizational risk that is consistently top of mind.

Stephanie Huggins

Kate McConnell

Associate Director, Prospect Management

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Kate McConnell (she/her/hers) is the Associate Director of Prospect Management for the Principal & Major Gifts team at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Kate was the first Prospect Management professional at PPFA, and implemented a brand new program now facilitated by a team of 5. She and her team advise on portfolio and departmental strategy for PPFA and 8 partner affiliates, and oversee the development of comprehensive organizational processes for data visualization, complex CRM coding, budget projections, and more - including the creation of PPFA's Values Misalignment Policy. Prior to joining PPFA, Kate implemented the first Prospect Management program for Yeshiva University, where she began her 10+ year career in Prospect Development. Kate serves as co-chair for Apra's DEIBJA committee and serves on Apra's Advocacy committee. She is also a co-chair for the Apra GNY DEI committee. In her free time, Kate is a superfan of musical theatre, BTS, and feminist podcasts, and serves on the Board of Directors of Phi Sigma Pi, a gender-inclusive Honor Fraternity committed to social service through scholarship, leadership, and fellowship.

Views expressed [during this discussion] are my own, and do not reflect the views of my employer.