North Carolina Public Health Association

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North Carolina Public Health Association

Guidelines for Gifts and Donations

Approved by the Governing Council -

•I. INTRODUCTION

The North Carolina Public Health Association (NCPHA) must have the financial resources to continue to provide high-quality services and to expand its reach into important new initiatives. To fulfill its mission, NCPHA must consider securing resources from external sources rather than relying on increasing prohibitively high member dues, conference registration fees, and publication costs.

To guide NCPHA in securing outside support, the Association developed "Principles of Commercial Support".  The Principles are intended to guide NCPHA's collaboration with the private sector.

To strengthen implementation of the Principles, "Guidelines for Gifts and Donations to NCPHA" has been developed. The Guidelines describe specific criteria and a review and oversight process for evaluating potential donors and gifts. The Guidelines, in conjunction with the Principles, are intended to protect the mission and integrity of NCPHA while supporting the Association's fundraising efforts.

The Guidelines were drafted with the following considerations in mind:

  • NCPHA's approaches to donors should be considered as opportunities to build friends and supporters for public health for the long term.
  • The criteria for review should be reasonable and realistic.
  • The review and oversight process should not be overly cumbersome.
  • Over time the review process will build a body of knowledge for accepting and soliciting gifts and donations.
  • The Guidelines will be reassessed after one year and thereafter as necessary. Reassessments will take into consideration NCPHA's experience of applying the Guidelines. It is expected that methods for a more effective review and/or gaps in the criteria or the review process will be identified. As a result, modifications will be made to the Guidelines as appropriate.

The Guidelines apply to all donations received by NCPHA from Corporations and/or non-independent Foundations, solicited or unsolicited, including gifts and contributions received in support of Sections.

Government contracts and grants from independent Foundations are not classified as gifts or donations and need not be evaluated by Executive Committee.  However, such contracts or grants in amounts greater than $10,000 per year, have the potential to shape the public health agenda of NCPHA, and should be reviewed by the Executive Committee.

 

•II. GENERAL ASSUMPTIONS

Three general assumptions will shape the acceptance of all donations. They are:

  • NCPHA will solicit and accept support only for projects and activities that are consistent with the Association's mission.
  • Acceptance of donations and gifts must enhance, and shall not impede, NCPHA's ability to act in the best interest of the public at all times.
  • NCPHA's name, logo and other intangible intellectual assets must be protected at all times.

 

•III. INITIAL EVALUATION OF DONATIONS

The major determinants in evaluating donations will be the total amount of the gift or pledge and from whom it is received except for individual donations and/or gifts.  All individual donations and/or gifts will be reviewed by the Executive Director, or designee, who will identify any high profile restricted awards which require Executive Committee review. The dollar amount will determine the level of review for all donations from Corporations or non-independent Foundations. (Throughout the remainder of this document the term gift is used to refer to both outright contributions and pledges to be paid over a period of time). In addition, irrespective of the dollar amount of a gift or pledge, if it is a high profile donation, which involves Association-wide recognition, such as sponsorship of the Opening Session, sponsor identification on the Annual Meeting bags, or awards named for corporate donors, Executive Committee approval is required.

It is expected that all donors, particularly those from the corporate sector, making gifts of any amount will comply with NCPHA's Principles for Commercial Support and the criteria as stated in these Guidelines.

$10,000 and above

  • All gifts of $10,000 or more, including gifts received in support of Sections, will be reviewed by the Executive Committee for donor adherence to the criteria as stated in these Guidelines. The Executive Committee will report its findings quarterly to the Governing Council.
  • The Executive Committee will make final decisions about donor adherence to Guidelines.

Under $10.000

All gifts under $10,000 will be reviewed for donor adherence to Guidelines by the Executive Director, or designee, applying the criteria outlined in this document, including:

  • 1. Unrestricted gifts;
  • 2. Gifts made in support of established NCPHA programs or activities, e.g. gifts made in support of a Section and
  • 3. Gifts made in support of new programs or activities.

High Profile Gifts

All gifts for high profile, Associate-wide recognition (see examples in Section III above), regardless of the amount must be reviewed by the Executive Committee for donor adherence to.

  • The Executive Committee must review and approve all decisions related to the recognition of potential Association donors that involve high-profile, Association-wide recognition to ensure that these decisions preserve the credibility and reputation of the Association.

 

•IV. CRITERIA FOR REVIEWING A DONATION OR GIFT

Overall, the purpose of the review is to determine the balance of the benefit to the public in relation to the risks and costs of collaborating with the funding organization. On a case-by-case basis, the following conditions should be considered in determining the benefits and risks of accepting a donation.

A.   Are the specified proposed uses of the donation, congruent with the mission and priorities of NCPHA?

Issues to consider in determining this congruence include:

  • 1. How do the proposed uses of the donation relate to NCPHA's goals and mission?
  • 2. Why does the organization want to make a donation to NCPHA?
  • 3. How will the benefits to be derived from the intended purpose of the donation compare with the NCPHA's resources required to fulfill the intended purpose?
  • 4. Do the practices of the corporation fit with the adopted public policies of NCPHA? Recognizing that socially responsible practices are a cornerstone of NCPHA's policies, and that good corporate citizenship should embody socially responsible practices, the following are among the types of issues that should be considered in assessing the benefits and the risks of accepting donations from outside organizations, especially corporations:

a.    The types of core products or services produced or provided;

Note: Donations will not be accepted from tobacco companies and manufacturers of firearms and weapons of mass destruction. In the event that the donor corporation is part of a corporate conglomerate with ties to tobacco or the manufacturer of firearms or weapons of mass destruction, the donor corporation as well as the relationship between the donor corporation and the conglomerate would be reviewed.

b.   Occupational health and safety conditions under which products or services are produced;

c.   Employment practices, including commitment to diversity and a living        wage;

d.   Commitment to protection of the environment;

e.   Record of regulatory compliance;

f.    Marketing and advertising practices;

g.   Research and development policy and practices;

h.   Human rights record;

i.    Donor's relevant public policy positions;

j.    Record of support to public health organizations or public health-related issues and organizations;

k.   Other past activities will be weighed in relation to NCPHA's public policies and public reputation.

It is recommended that a discreet initial assessment by the Executive Committee be done as a prospect is identified or is self-identified as in the case of unsolicited requests to partner with NCPHA. The assessment will be based on available current knowledge, including web sites, a review of newspapers and contact with appropriate NCPHA leaders and section officers. NCPHA members contacted will be held to a level of confidentiality as it relates to discussing NCPHA's pursuit of potential donors until the information is made public.

B.    Are the donor's expectations pertaining to control, oversight, and outcome(s) of the donation and/or project to which the funds are applied acceptable to NCPHA?

As stated in the Principles for Commercial Support, NCPHA will accept funds only when NCPHA has control of the content of the activity and when NCPHA has and maintains complete control of all funds.

Issues to consider:

  • 1. Does NCPHA have editorial control over the content of educational materials and publications and input into their dissemination?
  • 2. Will NCPHA be able to review and approve public statements about the project, its findings and/or implications? Will NCPHA be in control of the funds at all times?
  • 3. Are expectations on outcome, responsibilities, methods of implementation, and duration of funding feasible and agreeable? (Any special expectations of the donor need to be explicit and documented).

C.    Are the donor's expectations regarding recognition or acknowledgment of their support acceptable to NCPHA?

As stated in the Principles for Commercial Support, acknowledgments will be limited to company name, logos, slogans which are an established part of the supporter's identity, trade names, addresses and telephone numbers.

Issues to consider:

  • 1. Is the extent to which the name of the corporation is affiliated with NCPHA and the proposed project defined by NCPHA acceptable to the donor?
  • 2. What public recognition is expected by the donor?
  • 3. Is the recognition appropriate for the amount of the gift?
  • 4. Is there an appearance of product endorsement?

D.    Would accepting the donation create any real or apparent conflicts of interest, and would the impact and/or benefits of accepting the gift outweigh the risks of partnering with the donor?

In considering the following issues, NCPHA recognizes the need to adhere to its principles and to weigh the benefits and risks of accepting the gift from the funding entity as opposed to weighing just the opportunity of not accepting the actual dollar donation. .

Issues to consider:

  • 1. Are there any personal, financial, or professional gains for NCPHA staff, members or other volunteers, which create a conflict of interest?
  • 2. What is the impact of the gift and benefits to the public and public health?
  • 3. Does the donor's image support or detract from NCPHA?
  • 4. Does the impact and/or benefit outweigh the risks of collaborating with the potential donor?

•V. PROCESS FOR REVIEWING A DONATION OR GIFT

•A. Role of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee will be responsible for:

  • 1. Reviewing all gifts of $10,000 or more for donor adherence to the criteria established in these Guidelines;
  • 2. Making the final decision about donor adherence to Guidelines on gifts of $10,000-$99,999;
  • 3. Reviewing all gifts that provide high-profile, Associate-wide recognition;
  • 4. Identifying more efficient review procedures and/or gaps in the process.

Reviews of gifts or donations may be done via conference calls or e-mail.

In the event that the Executive Committee cannot reach consensus, the majority vote will carry the final decision.

Note: In order for the review process to support the resource development effort it may be necessary to initiate the process before final gift negotiations are complete. In such cases the Executive Committee will be asked to make a recommendation based on the facts at-hand and to apply the decision to expedite a final recommendation as negotiations are completed.

B. Turnaround Time

It is essential that turnaround time for review be sufficient to allow time for staff to prepare materials for the Executive Committee and conference calls to be conducted. At the same time, it will be imperative that the review process be completed efficiently and promptly. It is recommended that this process be completed within a two-month time frame.

C. Documentation

All Executive Committee reviews of donation opportunities must be documented. Documentation of difficult decisions, particularly those in which consensus was not reached, should be detailed.

NCPHA staff must prepare statements for the donor and the Annual Report to the Executive Committee on Gifts and Donations on the agreed-to use of the funds and accountability to reporting outcome for both restricted and unrestricted gifts. A general, positive statement is recommended for unrestricted gifts, for example: "NCPHA will put the funds to use for the betterment of public health and to further our mission. NCPHA also agrees to provide periodic updates to the donor describing how the funds are used."

NCPHA staff should complete statements for the donor and the Annual Report to the Executive Committee on Gifts and Donations on gifts that do not require formal review, for example: "NCPHA received $$ from X Foundation for Y, Z activities; this is in keeping with NCPHA's donation policies."

D. Criteria and Mechanism for Expedited Reviews

Gifts below $10,000, from non-controversial prospects, in support of approved or established projects, and in which there are no extraordinary obligations or stipulations can be expedited. (Examples of non-controversial prospects may include gifts from NCPHA members or well-respected independent foundations.)  In these circumstances, review materials may be faxed or e-mailed to all members of the Executive Committee with a short deadline. Affirmative responses from at least 3 of the members of the Executive Committee are required before accepting the gift.

E. Multi-year Gifts

Multi-year gifts are to be evaluated by the Executive Committee on an annual basis to ensure that the criteria continue to be met, in particular, that the risk/benefit analysis warrants the continuation of the relationship. The process is to be documented.

F. Donations to Sections and Special Primary Interest Groups

These Guidelines and the Principles for Commercial Support apply to all Sections.

Section solicitations must be coordinated with NCPHA at all gift levels. Solicitation letters and lists of prospective donor organizations and contacts, or individual non-members to be solicited, must be approved by NCPHA before being sent to potential donors. All such correspondence should be sent to the Executive Director for review by appropriate NCPHA staff.

In-kind donations to Sections must conform with NCPHA' s Principles for Commercial Support and the Guidelines for Gifts and Donations and are to be self-governed by the Section. Sections must annually submit a list of in-kind donors to the Executive Committee.

NCPHA will administer all donations received by a Section in accordance with the donor's intent.

 

G. Donations to Third Parties

Donations received by a third party for an NCPHA activity or an activity that is associated with or publicized as an NCPHA function must conform with NCPHA's Principles for Commercial Support and the Guidelines for Gifts and Donations. NCPHA or the NCPHA constituent group involved with the donation or activity must inform NCPHA staff of the original source of the donation, its intended use and how the donation will be promoted. If the donation is above the $10,000 level, the review will be conducted by the Executive Committee.

K. Donor Recognition

Public recognition of donors is encouraged. To ensure that NCPHA's donor recognition is consistent and appropriate across programs, activities and Sections, guidelines have been developed.

As stated in the Principles for Commercial Support, acknowledgments will be limited to company name, logos, slogans which are an established part of the supporter's identity, trade names, addresses and telephone numbers. NCPHA will not provide product endorsements.

The following policies apply to recognition of donors in print and electronic mediums.

  • NCPHA's name and/or logo should appear first and be of equal or larger size than the donors.
  • NCPHA's name and/or logo should be equally as visible as the donor's name and/or logo.
  • Donors should be listed alphabetically or alphabetically within gift ranges. It is suggested that variations on the below wording be used as an introductory statement to a list of donors:

"NCPHA gratefully acknowledges the support received for xyz from the following contributors"

If exclusive recognition is to be given to a donor, for example, the donor's name is to be used in the naming of a program, activity or award, the Executive Committee must review and decide the use of the name.

As stated above, the donor's name should be used in conjunction with NCPHA's name and NCPHA's name should appear first.

  • Other special recognition opportunities will be reviewed by the Executive Committee.

L. Staff Role

NCPHA staff, with ultimate responsibility falling upon the Executive Director or his or her designee, is responsible for:

Reviewing gifts under $10,000.

  • Making a final determination on gifts of less than $10,000.
  • Researching the background and affiliations of donor prospects within reasonable parameters.
  • Determining if major NCPHA policies are relevant to a donation or donor.
  • Performing cost/deliverables/funding analysis.
  • Completing documentation of the considerations and recommendations/decisions of the sub-committee.
  • Completing documentation of the commitments and obligations of each gift.
  • Completing periodic reports on outcomes and accountability.
  • Annually compiling and providing to the Executive Committee and for public disclosure a list of all donors to NCPHA and its Sections.

APPENDIX II:  Principles for Commercial Support or Donations

Principles for Commercial Support or Donations

NCPHA will focus on purposes consistent with its strategic priorities and comply with the following "Principles for Commercial Support or Donations" in soliciting all gifts. These Principles will be discussed with all donors during the early stages of discussions.

Principles for Commercial Support or Donations

  • 1. NCPHA will at all times maintain an independent position on public health issues and concerns.
  1. NCPHA will solicit and accept support only for projects and activities that are consistent with the Association's Mission.
  2. NCPHA will accept funds for informational and educational activities only when the content is to be determined by NCPHA or an independent body of public health professionals designated by NCPHA.
  3. NCPHA will maintain complete control of all funds provided from commercial supporters for educational activities.
  4. NCPHA will not permit product promotions as part of a Continuing Education activity.
  5. It is the policy of NCPHA not to provide product endorsements.
  6. Acknowledgments for commercial support will be limited to company name, logos or slogans which are an "established part of the supporter's identity," trade names, addresses and telephone numbers. NCPHA will not permit the use of corporate names in naming NCPHA awards.
  7. NCPHA's intangible intellectual assets, including the Association's name and logo, will be protected at all times. Donors will not be permitted to use NCPHA's name or logo for any commercial purpose or in connection with the promotion of any product.
  8. NCPHA will be vigilant at all times to avoid any real or apparent conflict of interest in accepting donations.

Any situation that may be an exception to these Principles will be reviewed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will determine the final course of action.