When non-profits go wrong

In any population, you are going to have people who will go above and beyond for their jobs and people who will do the absolute minimum to keep their jobs and still others who will engage in unethical or immoral or criminal activities.

Unfortunately, when this sort of thing happens in a non-profit organization, everyone has an opinion, other non-profits are guilty by association, and it's tremendously difficult to live down. Scandal has rocked an organization close to mine. The director made some very poor decisions from which she and her family profited, illegally. She jumped from the ship before the depth of her actions were fully understood. Now, her agency is left to clean up the mess.

The local newspaper has run several front page articles. Local organizations are pondering their options for future funding. Everyone seems to have an opinion. And, tomorrow, the person who was elevated to the position of "interim director" is going to be forced to attend a very public event with people who donate lots of money to organizations like ours, and unfortunately will have to hold her head up while people undoubtedly will be whispering.

And, me? I have to work even harder to demonstrate that my organization is not guilty by association.