Conflict of Interest Policy 

Policy Statement 

The purpose of this conflict-of-interest policy is to prevent the institutional or personal interests of the CityView News Fund board members, officers, and staff from interfering with the performance of their duties to CityView News Fund, and to ensure that there is no personal, professional, or political gain at the expense of CityView News Fund. This policy is not designed to eliminate relationships and activities that may create a duality of interest, but to require the disclosure of any conflicts of interest and the recusal of any interested party in a decision relating thereto. 

A conflict of interest may exist when the interests or potential interests of any director, officer, or staff member, or that person’s close relative, or any individual, group, or organization to which the person associated with CityView News Fund has allegiance, may be seen as competing with the interests of CityView News Fund, or may impair such person’s independence or loyalty to CityView News Fund. A conflict of interest is defined as an interest that might affect, or might reasonably appear to affect, the judgment or conduct of any director, officer, or staff member in a manner that is averse to the interests of CityView News Fund. 

Examples 

A conflict of interest may exist if a director, officer, staff member, or close relative: 

  • Has a business or financial interest in any third party dealing with CityView News Fund. This does not include ownership interest of less than 5 percent of outstanding securities of public corporations. 
  • Holds office, serves on a board, participates in management, or is employed by any third party dealing with CityView News Fund, other than direct funders to CityView News Fund. 
  • Derives remuneration or other financial gain from a transaction involving CityView News Fund (other than salary reported on a W-2 or W-9 or salary and benefits expressly authorized by the board). 
  • Receives gifts from any third party on the basis of his or her position with CityView News Fund (other than occasional gifts valued at no more than $[50], or if valued at more than $[50], the gift is made available in a team space or common area for others to share — e.g., fruit baskets, boxes of candy). All other gifts should be returned to the donor with the explanation that CityView News Fund policy does not permit the acceptance of gifts. No personal gift of money should ever be accepted. 
  • Engages in any outside employment or other activity that will materially encroach on such person’s obligations to CityView News Fund; compete with 

Conflict of Interest Policy 

  • CityView News Fund’s activities; involve any use of CityView News Fund’s equipment, supplies, or facilities; or imply CityView News Fund’s sponsorship or support of the outside employment or activity 

Use of Information 

Directors, officers, and staff shall not use information received from participation in CityView News Fund affairs, whether expressly denominated as confidential or not, for personal gain or to the detriment of CityView News Fund. 

Disclosure and Recusal 

Whenever any director has a conflict of interest or a perceived conflict of interest with CityView News Fund, he or she shall notify the board chair of such conflict in writing. 

Whenever any staff member (paid or volunteer) has a conflict of interest or a perceived conflict of interest with CityView News Fund, he or she shall notify the chief executive of such conflict in writing. 

When any conflict of interest is relevant to a matter that comes under consideration or requires action by the board, or a board committee, the interested person shall call it to the attention of the board chair and shall not be present during board or committee discussion or decision on the matter. However, that person shall provide the board or applicable committee with all relevant information on the matter. 

The minutes of the meeting of the board or its committee shall reflect that the conflict of interest was disclosed, that the interested person was not present during discussion or decision on the matter and did not vote. 

Dissemination 

A copy of this conflict-of-interest policy shall be furnished to each director, officer, and staff member who is presently serving this organization or who may become associated with it. 

Certification 

The policy and its application shall be reviewed annually for the information and guidance of directors, officers, and staff members, each of whom has a continuing responsibility to scrutinize their transactions and outside business interests and relationships for potential conflicts of interest, and make such disclosures as described in this policy.