Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO) Donations Policy adopted March 28, 2014

BACKGROUND

All organizations require funding to achieve their goals. Donations from corporations, labor unions, trade associations, elected officials, political organizations and individuals are important sources of funding by which a political non-profit organization achieves its mission. Concerns often arise that accepting corporate or labor funds or a sizable private donation may give the appearance of or actually compromise the ethical integrity of an organization. The establishment of a Board-approved Donations Policy safeguards against such compromises by clarifying for both potential donors and sponsors and the community at large the requisite criteria used by the organization in soliciting and accepting corporate and labor funding and private donations from individuals.

POLICY

DMO will gratefully accept monetary or in-kind donations from any business entity or individual that meets the following eligibility criteria:

  • The donation is unrestricted, i.e., no conditions or requirements are being proposed by the donor that must be satisfied by DMO or its leadership to secure the donation, other than benefits offered to all donors of the same class (i.e. Advisory Board, Sustaining Member, etc.) in writing, such as visibility on our website, recognition at an event, etc. This does not preclude a donor from making a donation that is earmarked for a specific purpose or program activity.
  • The donation will not fulfill more that 10% of DMO’s annual national budget.
  • Donations will not be accepted in exchange for a leadership position within DMO, nor will DMO solicit funds in exchange for a leadership position.
  • Donations will not be accepted in exchange for a policy position.

Board members affiliated with a business or labor entity or who are related to an individual donor will recuse themselves from any Board or Policy Committee vote related to DMO’s relationship with that donor.

Persons in key staff positions in DMO may not have a financial or membership relationship with a potential corporate/labor sponsor or individual donor such that their personal financial or political interests and the financial or political interests of DMO or its programs may be perceived to be or may actually be in conflict.

Board members who have a financial or membership relationship with a potential corporate or labor sponsor or individual donor such that their personal financial or political interests and the financial or political interests of DMO or its programs may be perceived to be or may actually be in conflict must disclose that relationship.

Serious financial or political conflicts of interest as described herein must be resolved by the Board of Directors before DMO may accept a donation in which a conflict exists. Such conflicts may be re-evaluated at any time by a request from any member of the board.

C. OPEN DISCLOSURE

  • DMO will provide any Corporation that wishes to donate to the program a copy of the DMO Corporate Donations Policy prior to acceptance of the donation.
  • DMO will provide a copy of the Corporate Donations Policy to any individual or organization that requests it.
  • DMO will post its Corporate Donations Policy on its website.

D. OTHER ISSUES

  • DMO will establish and implement funding development policies that promote well-balanced sources of funding.
  • When DMO sends out a request for sponsorship support, requests should be sent to all potentially appropriate sponsors to avoid the appearance of or inadvertently establishing a preferential relationship with any single corporate sponsor.
  • In the event that DMO is approached by a Corporation or Labor Union to partner on a special project or program, the Executive Committee must evaluate the request. Such projects will only be undertaken with majority Executive Committee approval.