Conflict of Interest Policy

The Canadian Women’s Foundation, as a public foundation which provides grants to voluntary organizations working on women’s issues, has developed a Conflict of Interest Policy to guide the members of its Board of Directors, volunteers, and staff on potential, perceived, and actual conflict of interest situations.

While the Foundation recognizes and encourages the volunteer involvement of its Board members, volunteers, and staff within and beyond the women’s community, it also recognizes the perception of favouritism and inequities these relationships may cause with the Canadian Women’s Foundation business, and, in particular, in the granting process.

POLICY

1. No member of the Board of Directors will receive financial remuneration for serving on the Board of the Foundation.
2. No member of a Foundation committee will receive financial remuneration for serving on that committee.
3. Any committee volunteer who wishes to submit a proposal in response to a tendering call for a Foundation project/activity that directly relates to the work of the committee on which s/he serves, will take a leave of absence from that committee during the development of the Request for Proposal/tendering process and until a decision is made on the awarding of the tender. If the work is awarded to the volunteer, s/he will resign from the committee. No member of the Board of Directors will be allowed to tender for paid work from the Foundation.
4. Fees or per diems awarded to any member of the Board, volunteer or staff for speaking engagements, writing of articles, and other similar activities or services done on behalf of the Foundation will be considered income for the Foundation. In order to implement this, speakers should request that cheques are made payable to the Foundation.
5. Members of the Board of Directors, staff and volunteers will be expected to declare potential conflict of interest when an organization they are currently involved with in a voluntary or paid capacity applies for funding from the Foundation.

When a volunteer or staff member is directly involved in the decision-making around the awarding of funds to such an organization, she will be expected to withdraw for the voting process.

6. Members of the Board of Directors, volunteers and staff shall not accept gifts, or services from a potential applicant for funds from the Foundation. Expenses incurred by Board, staff or volunteers in their dealings with applicants (for example meals and transportation) will be covered by the Foundation.
7. When a volunteer or staff member is directly involved in the decision-making around the purchasing of items and services from a supplier with which she has direct or indirect pecuniary interest, she will disclose this interest, declare a conflict, and not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter.
8. Where a Director, staff member, member of the Finance and Administration Committee, or (investment) adviser to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, has any pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in any investment matter in which the Canadian Women’s Foundation is concerned, the person involved shall, as soon as practicable, disclose this interest, declare the conflict, and shall not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter. The disclosure of conflict of interest should be made at the time the matter is raised at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Finance and Administration Committee or at such time as the person is aware of the interest.
9. Every disclosure of a conflict of interest shall be recorded in the minutes of the relevant committee or of the Board of Directors meeting.

The failure of a person to comply with the procedures described in the Conflict of Interest Policy shall not of itself invalidate any decision, contract, or other matter by the Canadian Women’s Foundation.