join American Grant Writers Association

The members of American Grant Writers' Association embrace these values for generating charitable support and administering grants:

Code of Ethics

1. Members put philanthropic mission above personal gain.
2. Members affirm, through personal giving, a commitment to philanthropy.
3. Members improve their professional knowledge and skills so their performance will better serve others.
4. Members practice their profession with the absolute obligation to safeguard the public trust.
5. Members value privacy and freedom of choice.
6. Members foster cultural diversity and pluralistic values, and treat all people with dignity and respect.
7. Members avoid even the appearance of any criminal offense or professional misconduct.
8. Members bring credit to the profession by their demeanor.
9. Members act according to the highest standards and visions of the organization, and profession, and conscience.
10. Members are aware of the codes of ethics of other professional organizations that serve philanthropy.

Professional Standards

Members shall not engage in activities that harm their employers, clients, volunteers, American Grant Writers' Association, Inc., its members, or the grant profession.

1. Members shall not engage in activities that conflict with their fiduciary, ethical or legal obligations to their employers or clients.
2. Members shall effectively disclose all potential and actual conflicts of interest, however, such disclosure does not preclude or imply ethical impropriety.
3. Members shall not exploit any relationship with a grant maker, employer, client, member, volunteer, or the American Grant Writers' Association, Inc.
4. Members shall comply with all applicable local, state and federal civil and criminal laws.
5. Members shall recognize their individual boundaries of competence and are forthcoming and truthful about their professional experience and qualifications.
6. Members shall take care that all solicitation materials and grant management reports are accurate and not misleading.
7. Members shall take care that grant funds are used in accordance with grantmaker's intentions and guidelines.
8. Members shall not disclose privileged or confidential information to unauthorized parties.
9. Members shall adhere to the principle that all donor and prospect information created by an organization is the property of that organization and shall not be transferred or utilized except on behalf of that organization.
10. Members shall not accept compensation that is based on a percentage of contributions or contingent upon the award of a grant.
11. Members may accept from employers performance-based compensation, such as bonuses, provided they are in accord with prevailing practices within the organization, and are not based on a percentage of contributions.
12. Members shall not pay finder's fees to gain access to donors and shall take care to discourage their organizations from making such payment(s).
13. Members shall, when stating fundraising results, use accurate and consistent accounting methods that conform to the appropriate guidelines adopted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) for the type of organization involved.
14. Members shall fulfill commitments made to the association, employers, clients, grantmakers, and other members
15. Members shall respect the right of Foundation grantmakers to stipulate "by invitation only" by not approaching said grantmaker by any means until an invitation to apply has been presented by said grantmaker.
16. The client has the exclusive rights to the Grant Consulting Entity's grant writing services, unless otherwise stipulated in the written contract.
17. The Grant Consulting Entity shall not receive, nor handle, any funds from a grant award.
18. The Grant Consulting Entity shall not apply for any grant on behalf of any client;  the client must always be the grant applicant
19. The Grant Consulting Entity shall comply with all laws and regulations, such as but not limited to the Secretary of State and the State Charity Official, in every State in which the Grant Consulting Entity is conducting business.
20. The Grant Consulting Entity may accept deposits, progress payments, or payment-in-full prior to commencing services, as long as the practice conforms to State laws and regulations.
21. The Grant Consulting Entity may set fees based on an hourly basis or a project basis (that is calculated by estimating the hours needed to complete the service).
22. The Grant Consulting Entity may not accept compensation that is a retainer, bonus, commission-based, or contingency-based.