Anyone in the organisation can be approached with a gift, funding, donation or favour. If you are offered something, consider:

• Is there pressure to act quickly? If someone insists you accept an offer right away or discourages you from discussing it with others, that’s a red flag. Legitimate support doesn’t require secrecy or urgency.
• Do you feel uncomfortable or unsure? If something about the offer feels off, trust your instincts and raise it with your team.
• Are you discouraged from documenting or reporting the offer? If someone asks you to keep the offer informal, off the record, or “between us”, take a moment to pause and consider why.
• Does the offer seem unusually generous or out of proportion? If the support being offered is far more than the organisation typically receives or seems beyond what you would consider usual, it's worth asking why.
• An international visit sounds exciting, but is the offer too good to be true? Attempts at foreign interference are more effective when on “home ground”. Do your due diligence on your destinations to understand any associated risks.
• Is there a lack of transparency about where the support is coming from? If the person or organisation offering can’t (or won’t) explain the source of the offer or seems vague about who they are representing, that’s a sign to be cautious.
• Does the offer include requests for sensitive or detailed information about your organisation, community, or operations? Legitimate support typically doesn’t require sharing private or internal details beyond what’s necessary.
• Does the supporter ask for involvement in your organisation’s internal meetings or strategic planning in exchange for their offer? Be cautious if they expect roles or influence beyond what is appropriate for a donor or partner.
• Does the offer come with pressure to change your services, messaging, or public positions? If the offer is tied to your organisation altering what you do, say, or stand for, it could be an attempt to undermine your organisation’s independence.
• Is there pressure to reciprocate? The offer may come with a caveat of needing to return the favour. While this may align with the community organisation’s values, it could be used to apply unwanted pressure.

This content is based on information from the Protective Security Guidance resources.