Hi everyone - I’ve heard recently from several fiscal sponsors that they’ve received requests to participate in research on fiscal sponsorship from university students. In each case, the fiscal sponsor was concerned that the request may have been less-than-above board. (In at least one case, the researchers strangely emailed a junior staff member directly.)
Given the current political climate and the “fishing” that is going on all around the nonprofit sector by potentially bad actors, please be aware that this may be going on and you may want to alert your team not to agree to participate in these activities — or share any information with these folks — at all, or unless and until you’re able to verify who they are and what they are poking around about.
I’m not trying to spread fear, but just ask that we all stay vigilant if something like this happens to show up at your doorstep.