Question

Find an article about a nonprofit scandal or controversy, or interview a nonprofit leader about an ethical issue the leader faced. How did the ethical standards and values of each of the levels discussed in this chapter — personal, professional, organizational, and societal — come into play in the situation?

To receive full credit, the exercise assignment must be 1-2 pages, provide a review of all areas of the assignment, follow APA guidelines, and include at least one reference.

Answer 1

There are six areas in particular where ethical issues arise in the nonprofit sector: compensation; conflicts of interest; publications and solicitation; financial integrity; investment policies; and accountability and strategic management.

Greg Mortenson, founder of the Central Asia Institute (CAI) and author of New York Times best selling books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools, was the darling of philanthropic and literary communities until CharityWatch began investigating his charity in 2009. CharityWatch uncovered a serious lack of segregation between CAI's finances and Greg Mortenson's personal business interests. 2009 financials showed that the charity funded Mortenson's book promotion and speaking events, yet it received no revenue from book sales or advertising and little to none of the $25,000 to $30,000 per-event speaking fees Mortenson charged at speaking engagements.

After seeing CharityWatch's articles on the charity, 60 Minutes contacted us for insight into CAI's finances. CharityWatch president, Daniel Borochoff, was later interviewed by 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft for a story that revealed the problems at CAI went well beyond financial mismanagement. 60 Minutes surveyed about thirty schools that CAI claimed to have built, finding that roughly half of them were empty, built by someone else, or not receiving funding from CAI. 60 Minutes also interviewed author and former donor to CAI, Jon Krakauer, who argued that many claims made in Mortenson's inaugural book were fictitious. Mortenson later admitted that events in his books were compressed, but insisted any literary license taken did not amount to lying.

CAI's board confirmed to 60 Minutes that CAI spent only 41% of its expenses on building or supporting schools in 2009, but argued that the funds it spent on speaking events at which Mortenson promoted his books should also be counted as a charitable program. That year CAI spent $1.7 million on book-related costs that included "Advertising, events, film and professional fees, publications (books & freight), and some travel," according to its audit. One attorney who examined CAI's financial activities advised Mortenson and the charity's board that "CAI's outlays for book advertising and travel expenses for Mortenson's speaking engagements appear to be in violation" of IRS rules, and that Mortenson could owe $7.2 million or more for "excessive benefits received during 2007, 2008, and 2009."

The charity's 2010 tax form revealed it continued to spend more on "awareness," including Mortenson's books, than funding schools that year. CharityWatch called for Mortenson's resignation earlier this year, arguing that CAI will be unable to recover from its tarnished reputation with him at the helm. The charity is also under inquiry by the Montana attorney general.