By submitting this form, I attest and agree to be bound by the foregoing standards and policy (complete policy is listed below the form for reference). I agree to actively participate in carrying out the mission of GOA and to fulfill the board duties described above to the best of my ability. I have not been party to an unethical or conflicting action that has not been previously disclosed. I also agree to report any potential future conflicts of interest or observed unethical activity of which I have become aware to the appropriate parties. I do not currently have pending against me any criminal proceedings, nor have I been placed under arrest for or been convicted of a criminal offense within the past year.

As an employee/volunteer of the Gift of Adoption Fund (GOA), I have an obligation to the organization I serve, to the general public, and to myself to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct. I will neither commit acts contrary to these standards nor will I condone the commission of such acts by others within the Organization. I have a responsibility to:

Non-discrimination Policy

Gift of Adoption believes that a loving family is a basic human right of every child, everywhere. Since inception in 1996, we have awarded grants to unite children and families of all descriptions free of discrimination. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a way to reflect the communities we serve and to live fully into our mission: awarding grants to complete the adoptions of vulnerable children – giving them permanent families and the chance to thrive.

It is the policy of Gift of Adoption that all applicants, volunteers, employees, donors, and grant families be treated in an equitable, non-discriminatory manner, in all aspects of our engagement, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any characteristic protected by law.

We embrace and support our employees’, volunteers', Board members', and grant applicants' differences as an expression of our core values (honor, amplify and be scrappy).

Our Expectation: As such we expect and welcome internal and external stakeholders to let us know if there are areas where we are failing to live up to this commitment.

Confidentiality

• Keep confidential information confidential unless legally obligated to do otherwise.

• Refrain from using or appearing to use confidential information acquired in the course of my service for unethical or illegal advantage either personally or through third parties.

Conflict of Interest

• Avoid direct or indirect, actual or apparent, conflicts of interest and advise all appropriate parties of any potential conflict, e.g.:Refrain from engaging in any activity that would prejudice my ability or the ability of others to carry out duties ethically.
  • A GOA representative’s personal business provides goods or services to GOA for consideration.
  • A friend or relative of GOA representative provides goods or services to GOA for consideration.
  • A vendor or business acquaintance with which a GOA representative has an outside business relationship provides goods or services to the GOA for consideration.
• Refuse any gift, favor, or hospitality that would influence or would appear to influence my actions or the actions of others, e.g. a GOA representative receives a referral fee or preferential discount, gift, or other valuable consideration from a vendor, paid promoter, fundraising event sponsor, or any other outside party, for referring Gift of Adoption business to such party.
• Refrain from engaging in electoral political activity, except for on a personal basis, provided the activities do not conflict with my ability to carry out GOA responsibilities or create confusion between positions or actions that are taken by me personally versus as a GOA representative.
• In the event any member of the National Grant Selection Committee, National or Chapter Board of Directors, staff, or any other person engaged in the determination of grant awards has a relationship with a Grant Applicant, whether personal or professional, that member must excuse him/herself from the decision making related to that applicant’s grant request.

For GOA board members who are serving on other charity boards:

GOA board members can serve on other charity boards. And, as a board member or a volunteer for another charity, GOA board members can fundraise for other charities with the following considerations:

GOA Board members

• cannot reach out to GOA donors for another charity unless the donors are the board member's own personal or professional contacts
• cannot do a joint fundraising program (or event) that supports 2 or more charities without permission from a GOA staff member
• cannot direct any funds that a donor intends to give to GOA to another charity

Please reach out to a GOA staff member with any questions or concerns.

Ethics

• Refrain from violating any criminal or civil law or regulation.
• Disclose if I have ever been party to or convicted of any felony or crime of moral depravity.
• Refrain from either actively or passively subverting the attainment of GOA’s legitimate and ethical objectives.
• Refrain from engaging in or supporting any activity that would discredit GOA.
• Perform my duties in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, GOA policies and standards.
• Represent the interests of all people served by GOA and not favor special interests inside or outside the organization.

Public Speaking

We honor the deeply personal nature of adoption and the many motivations that move individuals to adopt, become involved in the cause and/or financially support Gift of Adoption. In recognition of the unique inspiration and circumstances surrounding each adoption, our organizational culture reflects a profound commitment to honoring the diversity of experiences and motivations of all we are privileged to know and work with.  To reinforce this important dimension of our culture, our board has established the following policy guidelines that apply to those speaking publicly on Gift of Adoption’s behalf.

Gift of Adoption grants are awarded without regard to an applicant’s race, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, or sexual orientation.

We highly value and respect our diverse population of families, volunteers, donors and supporters.  We ask that anyone speaking publicly on our behalf to show respect for Gift of Adoption’s non-discriminatory grant making policy, even if it clashes with that person’s personal beliefs, political affiliations or expression of faith.

By agreeing to speak on behalf of GOA, the potential speaker agrees to share personal stories and motivations while avoiding partisan political statements or using the opportunity to evangelize for anything other than the cause of adoption.

Whistle-Blower Policy and Complaint Procedures

As a matter of general policy, the immediate supervisor will provide an open door for discussion and a receptive ear and will review all staff member/volunteer suggestions or complaints concerning our work practices and procedures.

If a staff member/volunteer wishes to make a formal complaint, it should be done within a reasonable time after the incident has occurred or the issue has arisen. We consider an open discussion between employee/volunteer and the immediate supervisor as the first step in the complaint procedure. The supervisor must respond to the complaint in a timely manner.

At this point, the complaint must be submitted in writing, with the nature of the grievance clearly outlined. The immediate supervisor will investigate the complaint and notify the staff member/volunteer, in writing, of a decision within a reasonable amount of time. If the staff member/volunteer feels its complaint was not fully evaluated the next step would be to address the complaint to the Chief Executive Officer.

As a last resort, a staff member/volunteer may take a complaint to the National Board of Governors. The National Board of Governor’s decision constitutes the organization’s final word on the matter.

For concerns about financial irregularities, employees/volunteers are instructed to contact the Treasurer of the National Board of Governors. This is compliant with Sarbanes-Oxley: Section 301, which mandates organizations implement a system to allow employees to come forward with concerns surrounding accounting and auditing irregularities. Our organization encourages you to submit concerns and complaints regarding workplace issues, such as accounting discrepancies, fraud, accounting misrepresentations, auditing matters, accounting omissions, ethics violations, or any other financially related concerns you may have. If you have any other workplace concerns that are not financially related, please utilize our current procedures as described above. Your confidential report will be forwarded to the individuals our organization has deemed appropriate to review and respond to your concerns.

Board Responsibilities

In serving on a GOA Chapter Board, I agree to actively participate in carrying out the GOA mission and to fulfill the following duties to the best of my ability:

Chapter Responsibilities

• Maintain Chapter Board membership of 5+ members
• Raise the designated amount needed to meet or exceed the Chapter’s current operating budget (but not less than $10,000), and engage 50 or more volunteers and/or supporters
• Meet Chapter Standards:
  a. Establish and monitor annual plan and budget
  b. Maintain a cost/$ raised ratio of $0.35 or better
  c. Comply with Gift of Adoption Brand and Communications Style Guide
  d. Participate in Leadership Council and Grant Selection calls/meetings

Individual Board Member Commitments

• Sign annual conflict of interest statement and notify GOA of potential conflicts
• Make a personal gift of $250 or more annually, (in kind, matching gifts, and purchases of auction items excluded)
• Raise an additional $750 or more annually in contributions to GOA
• Identify and recruit one additional chapter board member per 3-year term 
• Participate regularly in Chapter Board conference calls and meetings

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By submitting this form, I attest and agree to be bound by the foregoing standards and policy above for the next 3 years. I agree to actively participate in carrying out the mission of GOA and to fulfill the board duties described above to the best of my ability. I have not been party to an unethical or conflicting action that has not been previously disclosed. I also agree to report any potential future conflicts of interest or observed unethical activity of which I have become aware to the appropriate parties. I do not currently have pending against me any criminal proceedings, nor have I been placed under arrest for or been convicted of a criminal offense within the past three years.  If any of the the above statements change in the next three years, I will advise Gift of Adoption of those changes immediately.