Conflict of Interest Policy

In order to comply with this policy, it is expected that:

• If a board, committee, consultant or staff member has an interest in a proposed transaction with the Foundation in the form of a significant personal or organizational financial interest in the transaction or holds a position as director, director, officer, or staff member in such organization, he or she must make full disclosure of such interest before any discussion or negotiation of such transaction.
• Any board member who has a potential conflict of interest with respect to any matter coming before the board shall not participate in any discussion of or vote in connection with the matter unless invited to respond to questions or provide factual information by the board chair.
• Any board or staff member who gains privileged information by virtue of his or her role as a board or staff member shall not use that privileged information for personal or professional gain. This information is to be considered confidential.
• Committee members are also to reveal if they are aware of a potential conflict of interest, he/she must make it known to the other committee members and remove him/herself from all relevant discussions (examples may include extended family member, on board for another charity, have financial relationship with related entity).
• Committee members must make independent decisions on behalf of the grant selection processes without bias or influence by any conflict of interest. Specially, no committee member may participate in the application review of a relative (son, daughter, niece, nephew, stepchild, grandchild), or any person for whom that member cannot be objective unless arrangements for a non-majority family member participation has been approved.

This policy shall be distributed to all new board of directors, affiliate board of directors, committees, and staff members, and then completed on an annual basis. A signature in the designated space at the bottom of this policy will indicate the board, committee, consultant or staff member agrees to abide by this policy to the best of his or her ability.