The Greater Pinebelt Community Foundation

The Greater PineBelt Community Foundation

Conflict of Interest & Confidentiality Policy for Scholarships

The Greater PineBelt Community Foundation’s (PineBelt Foundation) Conflict of Interest & Confidentiality Policy is based on the premise that it is important for the PineBelt Foundation’s volunteers, staff and Board members to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest while conducting PineBelt Foundation business. The purpose of this Policy is to protect the PineBelt Foundation’s interest when scholarship applications are being reviewed. This Policy is intended to supplement, but not replace, any applicable state laws governing conflicts of interest applicable to nonprofit and charitable corporations as well as the PineBelt Foundation’s conflict of interest policy.

Policy Statement

1.  No member of the Board of Directors or a person working on a committee that evaluates existing or potential scholarship recipients shall have or receive any monetary benefit, direct or indirect, in any scholarship grant.

2.  All scholarship applicants will be evaluated based on fair and equitable criteria established prior to the review process.

3.  No scholarship applicant shall receive any special consideration whatsoever. No variation in the procedures or standards for processing scholarships shall be permitted.

4.  A scholarship applicant cannot be related to a member of a scholarship and/or advisory committee nor can any immediate family member of PineBelt Foundation employees and /or Directors of said Foundation be eligible for a scholarship. Immediate family is defined as a spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, nephew, niece or parent. This prohibition extends to step-relationships.

A conflict in interest exists when any of the following apply:

·  You have a relative, close personal friend, business partner or client with any direct or indirect financial or propriety interest in the result of a decision made by the scholarship committee.

·  The result of a decision made by a scholarship committee could benefit you, your relatives, your employer or your clients in terms of your financial or business interests.

·  You, a relative, a client, or an employer could obtain personal gain or advantage from the result of a decision made by a scholarship committee.

Confidentiality

The protection of confidential business information is vital to the interests and the success of the PineBelt Foundation. Any information about the PineBelt Foundation and its donors, prospective donors, grantees and grant applicants, or other confidential information obtained as a result of working with the PineBelt Foundation should be considered confidential and should be discussed only as required in connection with the PineBelt Foundation’s work. The obligation to keep information confidential continues even after a volunteer ceases to volunteer with the PineBelt Foundation.

Agreed to by (Signature): Date: ______

Name (Please Print): ______