Deep Dives Into The AFP Code of Ethical Standards

Taking a Closer Look at Our Ethical Standards

Throughout the month of October, members of the AFP Ethics Committee address each of the standards in our Code of Ethics!

Standard 1: Members shall not engage in activities that harm the members’ organizations, clients or profession or knowingly bring the profession into disrepute. (Mark Hefter)

Standard 2: Members shall not engage in activities that conflict with their fiduciary, ethical and legal obligations to their organizations, clients or profession. (Tycely Williams, CFRE)

Standard 3: Standard 3: Members shall effectively disclose all potential and actual conflicts of interest; such disclosure does not preclude or imply ethical impropriety. (Tycely Williams, CFRE)

Standard 4: Members shall not exploit any relationship with a donor, prospect, volunteer, client or employee for the benefit of the members or the members’ organizations. (Gene Tempel, Ed.D.)

Standard 5: Members shall comply with all applicable local, state, provincial and federal civil and criminal laws. ( Janice Gow Pettey, Ed.D.)

Standard 6: Members shall recognize their individual boundaries of professional competence. (Grant Gilbert)

Standard 7: Members shall present and supply products and/or services honestly and without misrepresentation. (Krista Thompson)

Standard 8: Members shall establish the nature and purpose of any contractual relationship at the outset and will be responsive and available to organizations and their employing organizations before, during and after any sale of materials and/or services. (Jason Lee)

Standard 9: Members shall refrain from knowingly infringing the intellectual property rights of other parties at all times. (Janice Gow Pettey, Ed.D.)

Standard 10: Members shall protect the confidentiality of all privileged information relating to the provider/client relationships. (Jason Lee)

Standard 11: Members shall refrain from any activity designed to disparage competitors untruthfully. (Fernando Rodríguez Hernández)

Standard 12: Ensure that all solicitation and communication materials are accurate and correctly reflect the organization’s mission and use of solicited funds. (Fernando Rodríguez Hernández)

Standard 13: Members shall ensure that donors receive informed, accurate and ethical advice about the value and tax implications of contributions. (Amir Pasic.)

Standard 14: Members shall take care to ensure that contributions are used in accordance with donors' intentions. (Paul Pribbenow, Ph.D., CFRE)

Standard 15: Members shall take care to ensure proper stewardship of all revenue sources, including timely reports on the use and management of such funds. (Gene Tempel, Ed.D.)

Standard 16: Members shall obtain explicit consent by donors before altering the conditions of financial transactions. (Janice Gow Pettey, Ed.D.)

Standard 17: Members shall not disclose privileged or confidential information to unauthorized parties. (Claudia A. Looney, FAHP, CFRE)

Standard 18: Members shall adhere to the principle that all donor and prospect information created by, or on behalf of, an organization or a client is the property of that organization or client. (Robbe Healey, MBA, NHA, ACFRE)

Standard 19: Members shall give donors and clients the opportunity to have their names removed from lists that are sold to, rented to or exchanged with other organizations. (Robbe Healey, MBA, NHA, ACFRE)

Standard 20: Members shall, when stating fundraising results, use accurate and consistent accounting methods that conform to the appropriate guidelines adopted by the appropriate authority. (Robbe Healey, MBA, NHA, ACFRE)

Standard 21: Members shall not accept compensation or enter into a contract that is based on a percentage of contributions; nor shall members accept finder’s fees or contingent fees. (Barbara Levy)

Standard 22: Members shall be permitted to accept performance-based compensation, such as bonuses, only if such bonuses are in accord with prevailing practices within the members' own organizations and are not based on a percentage of contributions.(Jason Lee)

Standard 23: Members shall neither offer nor accept payments or special considerations for the purpose of influencing the selection of products or services. (Jason Lee)

Standard 24: Members shall not pay finder’s fees, commissions or percentage compensation based on contributions.

Standard 25: Members shall meet the legal requirements for the disbursement of funds if they receive funds on behalf of a donor or client.