Background

All nonprofit organizations require funding to achieve their goals.  Private donations from individuals are important sources of funding by which a nonprofit organization achieves its mission.  Concerns may arise that accepting a sizable private donation may give the appearance of or actually compromise the ethical integrity of an organization. The establishment of a Board-approved Individual Donations Policy safeguards against such compromises by clarifying for both potential donors and the community at large the requisite criteria used by the organization in soliciting and accepting private donations from individuals. In general, concerns about potential compromise do not arise with regard to private donations unless the donation is of substantial value.  Thus, the Caring Ambassadors Program Individual Donations Policy is applicable only to monetary or in-kind donations greater than $50,000.

Policy Statement

A. Eligibility

The Caring Ambassadors Program will gratefully accept monetary or in-kind donations from any person (“Donor”) that meets the following eligibility criteria. 1. The Donor is not engaged in business activities that conflict in whole or in part with the goals of Caring Ambassadors or any of its disease- or condition-specific programs. 2. The Donor has not attempted to manipulate or influence the activities, policies, mission, and/or goals of Caring Ambassadors or any of its disease- or condition-specific programs as a condition or his/her donation. 3. The Donor’s donation is unrestricted, i.e., no conditions or requirements are being proposed by the Donor that must be satisfied by Caring Ambassadors to secure the donation.  This does not preclude a Donor from making a donation that is earmarked for a specific purpose or program activity.

B. Conflict of Interest

In addition to the aforementioned eligibility criteria, potential conflicts of interest will be avoided by adherence to the following requisite criteria for all private donations from individual Donors. 1. Donations will not be accepted in exchange for a position on the Board of Directors of Caring Ambassadors, nor will Caring Ambassadors solicit funds in exchange for a position on the Board of Directors of Caring Ambassadors. 2. Caring Ambassadors Board members and persons employed in key staff positions by Caring Ambassadors or any of its disease- or condition-specific programs may not have a financial relationship with a potential Donor such that their personal financial interests and the financial interests of Caring Ambassadors or its programs may be perceived to be or may actually be in conflict.  Serious financial conflicts of interest as described herein must be resolved before Caring Ambassadors may accept a donation from an individual donor with which a conflict exists.

C. Open Disclosure

1. Caring Ambassadors will provide any Donor that wishes to donate to the program a copy of the Caring Ambassadors Individual Donations Policy prior to acceptance of the donation. 2. Caring Ambassadors will provide a copy of the Individual Donations Policy to any individual or organization that requests it. 3. Caring Ambassadors will post its Individual Donations Policy on the official Caring Ambassadors Internet site.

D. Other Issues

1. All disease- or condition-specific programs that are part of Caring Ambassadors will adhere to Caring Ambassadors Individual Donations Policy. 2. Caring Ambassadors Board approval is required for all private donations from individuals >$50,000.  While Board approval is not required prior to acceptance of an individual donation of $50,000 or less, the program director of a disease- or condition-specific program or the corporate chair may request Board review of a proposed donation if he or she is concerned about the propriety of the donation. 3. Caring Ambassadors and each disease- or condition-specific program will establish and implement funding development policies that promote well-balanced sources of funding such that ideally, neither Caring Ambassadors nor any of its programs is primarily funded by one or two individual sponsors. 4. In the event that Caring Ambassadors or any of its disease- or condition-specific programs is approached by a Donor to partner on a special project or program, the Caring Ambassadors Board of Directors must evaluate the request.  Such projects will only be undertaken with majority CAP Board approval.