NAMS Foundation Code of Ethics In an effort to demonstrate the accountability of our nonprofit organization to donors and community members, The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Foundation (hereafter, “the Foundation”) has adopted the following responsible management guidelines.
NAMS Foundation Code of Ethics
In an effort to demonstrate the accountability of our nonprofit organization to donors and community members, The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Foundation (hereafter, “the Foundation”) has adopted the following responsible management guidelines.
A. Management and Fundraising
a) As stated in its Code of Regulations, the Mission of the Foundation, as a Supporting Organization to The North American Menopause Society (hereafter, “the Society”), is to develop and execute fundraising initiatives to support the Society in its Mission of promoting the health and quality of life of women through an understanding of menopause. b) The Foundation will adopt an annual budget before the beginning of each fiscal year. The budget will be prepared with Board of Directors’ participation, will set forth expenditures for administration, fundraising, and program expenses, and will be reviewed and approved by the Board. c) The Foundation will have an established process for Board and staff to periodically review, throughout the organization’s fiscal year, actual expenses and income. The Foundation will make every effort to achieve a balanced budget each year. d) A summary of the Foundation’s annual budget will be made available to any interested person upon request. e) The Foundation’s fundraising and administrative expenses will be monitored by the Board and periodically compared to similar costs in like organizations. They will be judged to be reasonable based on the particular circumstances and stage of development. f) The Foundation will have an annual independent audit. The final report, including management letters from the auditor, will be made available to the Board, staff, donors, or other interested persons upon request. g) The Foundation will have a written contract with any paid fundraising firm or consultant. The contract will specify the nature of the responsibilities of all parties, and the terms on which payments will be made. All contracts entered into by the Foundation will be reviewed and approved by the Board. h) When the Foundation sponsors a program (eg, event, cause marketing campaign) which has fundraising among its goals, the actual expenses and income of the program will be compiled into a financial statement shortly afterward. This financial statement will be provided to Board members, and made available to donors and other interested persons upon request. i) The Foundation will have a written policy that defines conflicts of interest between individual Board or staff members and the Foundation, and provides for disclosure and fairness in the public trust.
a) As stated in its Code of Regulations, the Mission of the Foundation, as a Supporting Organization to The North American Menopause Society (hereafter, “the Society”), is to develop and execute fundraising initiatives to support the Society in its Mission of promoting the health and quality of life of women through an understanding of menopause.
b) The Foundation will adopt an annual budget before the beginning of each fiscal year. The budget will be prepared with Board of Directors’ participation, will set forth expenditures for administration, fundraising, and program expenses, and will be reviewed and approved by the Board.
c) The Foundation will have an established process for Board and staff to periodically review, throughout the organization’s fiscal year, actual expenses and income. The Foundation will make every effort to achieve a balanced budget each year.
d) A summary of the Foundation’s annual budget will be made available to any interested person upon request.
e) The Foundation’s fundraising and administrative expenses will be monitored by the Board and periodically compared to similar costs in like organizations. They will be judged to be reasonable based on the particular circumstances and stage of development.
f) The Foundation will have an annual independent audit. The final report, including management letters from the auditor, will be made available to the Board, staff, donors, or other interested persons upon request.
g) The Foundation will have a written contract with any paid fundraising firm or consultant. The contract will specify the nature of the responsibilities of all parties, and the terms on which payments will be made. All contracts entered into by the Foundation will be reviewed and approved by the Board.
h) When the Foundation sponsors a program (eg, event, cause marketing campaign) which has fundraising among its goals, the actual expenses and income of the program will be compiled into a financial statement shortly afterward. This financial statement will be provided to Board members, and made available to donors and other interested persons upon request.
i) The Foundation will have a written policy that defines conflicts of interest between individual Board or staff members and the Foundation, and provides for disclosure and fairness in the public trust.
B. Board Oversight
The Foundation’s Board of Directors has a fiduciary and legal responsibility to oversee the activities of the Foundation in accordance with the dictates set forth in its Code of Regulations. Each member of the Board accepts this responsibility and pledges to promote the honest and ethical operation of the Foundation in its charitable activities and goals. To this end: a) The Foundation has an active Board with clear attendance requirements that are enforced. The organization makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that the composition of the Board reflects the community served. b) No member of the Board shall receive compensation for services they provide as a Board member. c) The Foundation has a minimum of four Board meetings annually. The composition of a quorum and the means for voting are made clear in the organization’s Code of Regulations. d) The Foundation has specified procedures for staff access to the Board. e) The Foundation has written personnel policies which are available to all staff and Board members, and which are periodically reviewed and updated. These policies include: Grievance procedures for the use of personnel as well as clients served by the organization; Compliance with nondiscrimination laws and other laws affecting employers and workplace operations; and Accommodation for disability and medical conditions that conform to federal, state, and local laws.
The Foundation’s Board of Directors has a fiduciary and legal responsibility to oversee the activities of the Foundation in accordance with the dictates set forth in its Code of Regulations. Each member of the Board accepts this responsibility and pledges to promote the honest and ethical operation of the Foundation in its charitable activities and goals. To this end:
a) The Foundation has an active Board with clear attendance requirements that are enforced. The organization makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that the composition of the Board reflects the community served.
b) No member of the Board shall receive compensation for services they provide as a Board member.
c) The Foundation has a minimum of four Board meetings annually. The composition of a quorum and the means for voting are made clear in the organization’s Code of Regulations.
d) The Foundation has specified procedures for staff access to the Board.
e) The Foundation has written personnel policies which are available to all staff and Board members, and which are periodically reviewed and updated. These policies include:
C. Donor’s Rights of Access to Information from Charities
Each donor and each member of the public has the right to request and receive information about the services and operations of the Foundation, which is operating in the public trust. Donors and other interested persons are entitled to request and receive: A copy of the Foundation’s annual financial statement, including detailed income and expenses, showing administrative, fundraising, and program costs; A list of the Foundation’s governing board; Reports and summaries of services rendered by the Foundation with charitable funds, including information about the number of clients served and the types of services provided; and A financial summary of the actual income and expenses of any fundraising program. Donors and other interested persons are also entitled to know how their contributions are being used, and expended in accordance with any restrictions and designations placed upon them at the time the contribution is being made.
Each donor and each member of the public has the right to request and receive information about the services and operations of the Foundation, which is operating in the public trust. Donors and other interested persons are entitled to request and receive:
Donors and other interested persons are also entitled to know how their contributions are being used, and expended in accordance with any restrictions and designations placed upon them at the time the contribution is being made.
D. Ethical Guidelines for Joint Ventures with For-Profit Organizations
Most business-education partnerships are cooperative relationships in which partners share values; objectives; human, material, or financial resources; roles; and responsibilities in order to achieve desired learning outcomes. The Foundation will additionally follow the Society’s Code of Ethics, including the code of conduct on contributions from industry. In addition, the organization will support business-education partnerships that: Enhance the quality and relevance of education for learners; Mutually benefit all partners; Treat fairly and equitably all those served by the partnership; Provide opportunities for all partners to meet their shared social responsibilities toward education; Acknowledge and celebrate each partner’s contributions through appropriate forms of recognition; Are consistent with the ethics and core values of all partners; Are based on the clearly defined expectations of all partners; Are based on shared or aligned objectives that support the goals of the partner organizations; Allocate resources to complement and not replace public funding for education; Measure and evaluate partnership performance to make informed decisions that ensure continuous improvement; Are developed and structured in consultation with all partners; Recognize and respect each partner’s expertise; Identify clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all partners; and Involve individual participants on a voluntary basis. [March 2007]
Most business-education partnerships are cooperative relationships in which partners share values; objectives; human, material, or financial resources; roles; and responsibilities in order to achieve desired learning outcomes.
The Foundation will additionally follow the Society’s Code of Ethics, including the code of conduct on contributions from industry. In addition, the organization will support business-education partnerships that:
[March 2007]