# Conflicts of interest and recusal

> Declare a conflict of interest on a deal, have an admin or partner record whether you recuse, and see how recusal keeps your committee vote out of the tally.

Source: https://delsivo.com/help/pipeline-and-committee/conflicts-of-interest · Updated 2026-11-06

## Key takeaways

- Declare your own conflict on a deal from its Decision tab. Committee members declare it on the packet they review.
- An admin or partner other than you records Recused or Cleared, and can change it later.
- Until a conflict is cleared, you can't vote on that deal's committee packets, and any vote you already cast counts as recused.
- Turning on I have a conflict of interest on a committee review records you as recused straight away.

When you have a reason not to judge a deal, such as a stake in the company or a competitor, or a close relationship with a founder, declare it. A reviewer decides whether you recuse, and committee votes respect that decision. Every conflict, review and change is kept with who and when.

## Declare a conflict

1. Open the deal and choose **Decision**.
2. Under **Conflicts of interest**, click **Declare a conflict**.
3. Choose what kind it is: **Financial interest (I hold a stake in it or a competitor)**, **Personal or professional relationship** or **Something else**.
4. Add a **Note for the reviewer** if it helps, in a sentence.
5. Click **Declare conflict**.

Your conflict shows as **Waiting for review**. Until an admin or partner clears it, you can't vote on this deal's committee packets.

Committee members don't open deal pages. On the committee packet you review, turn on **I have a conflict of interest** and submit your review. You're recorded as recused straight away, and your vote doesn't count.

## Review a conflict

Admins and partners see every conflict declared on the deal, under **Conflicts of interest** on the **Decision** tab.

- Click **Recuse** when the person should stay out of the decision.
- Click **Clear** when the conflict doesn't need a recusal. They can vote again.

You can change your review later with the other button. Nobody reviews their own conflict: another admin or partner has to.

## What recusal means for committee votes

| Conflict | Can vote on this deal's packets | How an earlier vote counts |
|---|---|---|
| **Waiting for review** | No | As recused |
| **Recused** | No. Submit the review with **I have a conflict of interest** turned on | As recused |
| **Cleared** | Yes | As cast |

The tally on the packet counts recused reviewers separately, so the voting rule (majority, unanimous, or a champion and no veto) uses only the votes that count. See [Committee memos, packets, reviews and decisions](/help/pipeline-and-committee/committee-memos-and-votes).

## Who sees conflicts

| Role | Sees | Declares | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Admin**, **Partner** | Every conflict on the deal | Their own | Other people's |
| **Analyst** | Their own, on deals they can open | Their own | No |
| **Committee member** | Their own, through the packets they review | Their own, on the packet | No |

Notes are kept for the reviewer. They are never shown to the founder.

## Messages you might see

| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| **You've already declared a conflict on this deal. It's waiting for review.** | Nothing. An admin or partner will review it |
| **You're recused from this deal, so you can't vote.** | Turn on **I have a conflict of interest** and submit your review as recused |
| **Your declared conflict on this deal is waiting for review.** | Ask an admin or partner to review it |
| **Someone else has to review your own conflict.** | Ask another admin or partner |

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I declare a conflict again after it was cleared?
Yes. Declaring again puts it back to **Waiting for review**.

### Does a conflict hide the deal from me?
No. It only affects committee votes. Your fund decides whether you keep working on the deal.