Traps for the Unwary Program Officer
Most people who become grantmakers start as grantseekers, which is as it should be. After switching roles (Russ Mawby, former CEO of the Kellogg Foundation, quipped that he “swapped his academic robes for a foundation garment”), nearly all of them vow that they will not practice the annoying habits of program officers to whom they have submitted proposals. Specifically, they resolve that they will be completely forthcoming with applicants as to why their proposals were declined. It does not take long, however, before they discover that artless transparency is not the wisest policy. There are often legitimate reasons for keeping confidential some of the factors that contributed to the decision. Unscrupulous ...
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