Harrisburg Sports Program
Conflict of Interest Policy
INTRODUCTION:
As an Oregon Non-Profit Organization, Harrisburg Sports Program (HSP), we adhere to the statutory requirements of Oregon State Law. The statutory (ORS 65) definition of Conflict of Interest is:
“A conflict of interest is a transaction with the corporation in which a director of the corporation has a direct or indirect interest.”
The basis for a Conflict of Interest Policy is to provide for the “unconflicted loyalty” by board members, which is to keep HSP’s interest first in the member’s decision making. This includes any situation in which a board member has a private or personal interest sufficient to appear to influence the objective exercise of his/her official duties.
Since trust by other board members, HSP friends, HSP donors and the general
public is at the ethical heart/core of this issue, in potential Conflict of Interest situations, HSP board members are encourage to use a “trust test”. This means that the member is encourage to think “would relevant others, such as my employer, clients or professional colleagues trust my judgment if they knew I was in this situation?”
CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXAMPLES:
1. Any conflicting loyalty that may exist stemming from occupation, employer or
other advocacy or interest group(s).
2. Membership on other boards or staffs.
3. Any personal interest or that of family/partner of any member’s acting as an
individual consumer of the HSP services or whose family member is a
consumer of services.
4. Financial or other interests or concerns of the board member’s immediate
family/partner that may be seen as competing or conflicting with the interests of
the HSP.
5. Discussions and procedures during Grant Committee deliberations that would
directly affect a member’s affiliated club, family or personal interest.
Some leading examples of typical conflicts include:
a. Self-dealing or conducting of private business or personal services with the Association.
b. Accepting benefits or gifts from vendors or others directly related to the
Association.
c. Influence peddling or soliciting benefits in exchange for advancement of another.
d. Using Association’s property for private advantage.
e. Using confidential information of Association’s donors or dealings.
f. Funding from Association of programs or through grants that would directly benefit a board member, or their business interests or family.
When any such potential Conflict of Interest is relevant to a decision being considered by the Association’s Board or any of the committees to which the member belongs, the following process shall occur:
1. The interested party shall call it to the attention of the organization.
2. Such person shall not be allowed to vote on the matter.
3. In some cases the Board President can request and have a majority vote by the Board to determine if such person should leave the room and shall not participate in the final deliberation. However, prior to their exiting, the questions may be asked of her/him.
4. A contract or transaction shall be considered binding if the interest is disclosed
and the Board approves, authorizes or ratifies the action in good faith by a
majority of directors (not counting the interested board member) at a meeting
where a quorum is present. After this action, the official HSP’s minutes shall reflect that these requirements have been met.
ANNUAL BOARD MEMBER DISCLOSURE:
In the interest of maintaining the integrity of the Conflict of Interest Policy, each board member will provide a list of their potential conflicts of interest to the board chair at the start of the Association’s fiscal year.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST PLEDGE
As a member of the HSP Board of Directors, I agree to the following conflict of intereststandards:
1. Serve the organization as a whole rather than any special interest group or
constituency.
2. Avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest that might embarrass the
Board or the Association, and disclose any possible conflicts to the Board in a
timely fashion.
3. Maintain independence and objectivity and do what a sense of fairness, ethics
and personal integrity dictates even though not necessarily obliged to do so by
law, regulation or custom.
4. Never accept (or offer) favors or gifts from (or to) anyone who does business with the Association.
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Signature Date
This document is taken from Oregon Youth Soccer Association, with permission, and revised by HSP in accordance with IRS form 1023 under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. For more information please visit: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1023.pdf