10d • General discussion
Transparency Isn’t Optional
Transparency Isn’t Optional. It’s a Leadership Requirement.
The recent situation involving a Maryland mayor and his wife’s nonprofit is a reminder of something many leaders try to minimize until it’s too late.
Transparency and ethics are not “nice to have” in nonprofit leadership. They are non-negotiable.
When personal relationships overlap with nonprofit decision-making, even the appearance of impropriety can erode trust. Once trust is questioned, funding, partnerships, and community confidence are usually not far behind.
A few important reminders for nonprofit leaders:
• Conflict of interest disclosures are not a formality. They are protection for you and for the organization.
• Transparency is not about being perfect. It is about being clear, documented, and accountable.
• Ethics matter even more when money, influence, or public trust is involved.
• “Everyone knows” is not the same as proper governance. If it is not documented, it does not exist.
Nonprofits do not belong to founders, spouses, board members, or political figures. They belong to the public trust they are meant to serve.
If your nonprofit leadership would feel uncomfortable explaining a decision out loud to a funder, journalist, or community member, that is your signal to pause and reassess.
Strong organizations do not just do good work.
They lead with integrity when no one is watching.
Let this be a moment of reflection, not judgment.
Ethical leadership is proactive, not reactive.
💬 Question for reflection:
If your nonprofit were audited tomorrow, financially and ethically, would everything be clear, documented, and defensible?
Let’s talk about it.
Later we will take a deeper look at this organization’s IRS filings.
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Transparency Isn’t Optional
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