Learning from the Literature: Fundraising Communication and Ethics

Communication is critical for nonprofit fundraising activity because it fosters trust and accountability as well as enhances mutual understanding of the nonprofit's mission and objectives. Nonprofit organizations develop their own strategies based on who they communicate with and utilize a variety of content through various channels and media. Although it is critical for nonprofits to use their funds efficiently for communication and fundraising, they must also consider ethical concerns. Utilizing a text network analysis and narrative review, we find that although research on fundraising communication has been increasing in the past years, ethical fundraising communication has been rarely studied. Furthermore, beneficiaries and fundraisers have been far less studied compared to donors. The results also show that the emergence of new media such as social media was the main driver of diversifying research in recent years. Our findings suggest that nonprofits are ethically and equally accountable to both givers (donors and funders) and receivers (beneficiaries and recipients). Especially, it is critical being cautious when dealing with socially vulnerable populations such as the elderly, patients, and those in need. This study provides directions for future research and practical implications.