Social Media Guidelines

Grant Professionals Association Guidelines and Policies for Social Media Usage

Introduction:

With social media becoming an increasingly important resource for grants professionals, their employers, and their colleagues, the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) has compiled this list of policies and guidelines for social media usage for GPA staff, board, and members.  

For Staff:

While the GPA encourages all of its staff to join conversations on topics in which they have expertise or interest, it is important for staff who choose to do so to understand what is recommended, expected, and required when they discuss GPA‐related topics, whether at work or on their own time.

Ultimately, the same principles and guidelines that apply to GPA staff members’ activities in general, apply to their activities online, both at work and outside of work. This includes all forms of online publishing and discussion, including blogs, user‐generated video and audio, social networks, and other social media applications.

A GPA staff member’s engagement in social media will vary, depending on its relevance to the person’s position at the GPA. Discuss with your supervisor how much of your job—if any—necessitates your on‐the‐job participation in social networking of any sort, and act accordingly. If your position doesn’t relate specifically to the GPA’s social media efforts, check the GPA Personnel Manual or contact your supervisor with any questions you may have regarding time spent online while at work.

For Members:

The GPA is currently establishing a social media presence on several networks, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. We encourage GPA members to join the social media conversation on both GPA-sponsored sites and sites sponsored by others. However, it is important for any member to be mindful of how their online conversation may impact organizations with which they are affiliated, whether their comments appear on that organization’s site or not. Remember that the Internet is neither anonymous nor forgetful, and that there is no clear line between one’s work life and personal life on a social media site.

Policy on Speaking for the GPA:

1. 1.Only those authorized to do so by the Chief Executive Officer may speak for the GPA, whether online or offline. If you are not sure whether you have been authorized, err on the side of caution and do not speak for the GPA without first checking with your supervisor (staff) or a GPA representative (members).
2. 2.When staff communicates through social media, or when a member communicates via a GPA-sponsored social media site, they are representing themselves unless authorized to speak on behalf of the GPA. They should only communicate information about the GPA on a Social Media site if they have been authorized to do so.
3. 3.Think of ALL social media as the same as writing a signed letter to the editor of a newspaper.

• Don’t speak for the GPA,
• clearly state who you are and your relationship to the topic,
• make it clear you are representing your own ideas,
• and finally, don’t write anything that you would be embarrassed about seeing printed on the front page of a print publication.

1. 4.If you have any questions about posting GPA-related info to a social media platform, discuss it with your supervisor (staff) or the GPA Membership Director at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (members). Staff and members should use the same good judgment about discussing the GPA’s information as they would in an elevator or any location where non‐staff or non-members may overhear.
   
   

Policy on the Use of GPA’s Name and Information:

1. 1.Do not post confidential or proprietary information about the GPA, its staff, board, or members. Follow all applicable federal and state laws regarding such information, and adhere to all applicable GPA privacy and confidentiality policies [do these exist?].
2. 2.When posting on Social Media sites, be mindful of the copyright and intellectual property rights of others and of the GPA. If you have questions about fair use or copyrighted material, please contact the GPA National Office at (913) 788-3000 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
3. 3.Do not use the GPA’s name to promote a product, cause, or political party or candidate without receiving specific prior written permission from the GPA.
4. 4.Do not use the GPA’s logo without prior written permission from a GPA representative at the National Office (913) 788-3000 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
5. 5.Obey the Terms of Service of any social media platform you use.

Policies for Use of GPA-sponsored Social Media sites:

1. 1.Users of GPA-sponsored Social Media sites are responsible for their own behavior while on the site. The GPA is not responsible for third-party conduct. Persons using GPA-sponsored Social Media sites are expected to abide by applicable laws and the Terms and Conditions of the site in question.
2. 2.Unauthorized use or copying of third-party content (including copyrighted or trademarked content), as well as other unlawful, objectionable, or defamatory content is prohibited on GPA-sponsored Social Media sites. Defamatory content includes, but is not limited to; content that is racist, sexist, threatening, insulting, or harmful to another’s privacy. The GPA reserves the right to remove any content that it considers to be in violation of this policy.
3. 3.The GPA or users of its Social Media sites may post links to other websites or Social Media sites that are not in violation of the rules above. However, users may follow these links at their own risk. The GPA does not necessarily endorse or approve of any content on other websites--regardless of whether they have been linked to via a GPA-sponsored Social Media site--unless specifically stated by a GPA representative. The GPA reserves the right to remove any links that it considers to be in violation of this policy.
4. 4.All content posted to a GPA-sponsored Social Media site falls under the site’s privacy policy.

General Guidelines for Social Media Usage:

The GPA recommends the following for all staff, board, and members when they use Social Media sites, whether GPA-sponsored or otherwise:

1. Respect your audience. As an organization that values diversity, we expect that you will not use ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, or engage in any conduct that would not be acceptable in the GPA's workplace. Also, don’t talk down to your readers, and communicate clearly.
   
   
2. Be who you are. Some bloggers work anonymously, using pseudonyms or no name at all. The GPA discourages this when staff participates in online conversations or blog posts that relate to the GPA or issues with which the GPA is engaged. We believe in transparency and honesty. If you are blogging or posting about your work for the GPA, use your real name, and identify that you work for the GPA. Do not use social media applications for covert marketing or public relations. If you have a vested interest in something you are discussing, be the first to point it out.
   
   
3. Be smart about protecting yourself and your privacy. What you publish will be around for a long time, so consider the content carefully and exercise caution when disclosing personal details.
   
   
4. Be thoughtful about how you present yourself in online social networks. The lines between personal and professional lives are blurred in online social networks. If you choose to identify yourself as a GPA staff person, board member, or member within a social network (like Facebook), you are then connected to your colleagues and other GPA members. You should ensure that content associated with you is consistent with your work at the GPA.
   
   
5. Use a disclaimer. If you write anything related to your work with the GPA on a blog or another online space, make it clear that what you say there is representative of your views and opinions and you are not presenting yourself as a spokesperson for the GPA. Use a disclaimer such as: " “I am a member of the Grant Professionals Association; however this is my personal opinion,” or something to that effect. Of course, this would only apply to writings that mention GPA business‐related topics.
   
   
6. The GPA respects the right to free speech. Staff and members are free to express themselves and their opinions in whatever way they see fit as long as they are clearly representing themselves as individuals and not staff or representatives of the GPA. Again, staff only need disclose their affiliation with the GPA if they’re writing specifically about the GPA. For example, if an employee writes a blog post about his/her personal experience at a GPA‐sponsored event they do not need to do so with a disclaimer that they work for the GPA. In that context, affiliation with the GPA is incidental and no disclaimer is necessary.
   
   
7. Managers, Board members, and executives have a unique responsibility. A standard disclaimer does not by itself exempt GPA managers, Board members, and executives from a special responsibility when blogging or otherwise communicating in online public spaces. By virtue of their position, GPA managers, Board members, and executives must consider whether personal thoughts they publish may be misunderstood as official GPA positions. Also, a manager should assume that his or her colleagues will read what is written. A public blog is not the place to communicate GPA policies to GPA staff.
   
   
8. Be accurate and factual. It’s important to stick to the facts and to identify your actual GPA affiliation. Here and in other areas of public discussion, make sure that what you are saying is factually correct, and do not make inflammatory statements or attempt to engage in an aggressive or defensive way. If, for example, you see a misrepresentation made about the GPA by the media or by another blogger, you should inform an authorized GPA spokesperson and they will decide if or how to respond. While you may certainly use your blog—or join someone else's‐‐to point out discrepancies, do so respectfully, factually and with the disclaimer that the views you are expressing are your own and you are not speaking on behalf of the GPA.
   
   
9. Use your best judgment. Remember that there can be consequences to what you publish in any format. Assume that what you post on social networking sites or blogs will be part of a permanent public record, accessible to members, colleagues, friends and members of the media. If you're about to publish something that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, review the suggestions above and think twice about posting it. Ultimately, however, you have sole responsibility for what you post to your blog or publish in any form of online social media.