Defending your decisions: How to stand up to those who claim you're not granting correctly

TomWickersham

I'm curious if any funder has a protocol, practice, or tool to use when a community member says, "Hey, I don't think you're granting the way you should!"

We know that not everyone is going to be pleased with your grant award decisions. And many people express disappointment. But every so often someone with privilege and/or power makes this claim and starts rocking the boat. Instead of standing up for our committee and their decisions, we often try to appease this person, even if their concerns aren't valid. (This usually results in lots of meetings and having to change procedures and practices.)

How do you defend your grantmaking practices? Do you have a strategy or approach you use when this happens?

Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom!

KaraAdams (Former Community Manager)

Excellent topic, @TomWickersham. I'm interested to hear what others would do, or have done, in this situation.

HeidiFindlay

Firmly and compassionately.

I experienced this within the first few months of being a brand new grants manager at a private foundation. Having come from near 20 years on the charity and service minded side of philanthropy, I went into automatic appeasement mode, but stopped myself.

Does the unhappy person have specific complaints? Is it a board member?? Do you have to engage in that debate???

We have policies for how we grant and they are published on our web, included in our materials, and part of the vetting process. We speak to them a LOT. We also discuss that these policies are in place because it's what our Benefactor Wanted.

So.... If you are unhappy with our grant policies because you don't qualify, I understand. When you do qualify and the answer is no, we have our reasons (funding? this year's grant budget??), though pointing them out sometimes leads to more uncomfortable discussions. Rarely, I've just stopped answering the email. And, if it's been by phone, I stop contributing to the conversation beyond "I understand this is difficult" or "thank you for your input."

We stand our ground, but not without discomfort. Present your policies and skip the debate, firmly and compassionately.

Does this help?