What Community Partners policies do we need to know?

Throughout the online project handbook, there are many policies related to the management of your project. This article exists to highlight the policies all projects must follow to manage our collective risk and support our shared systems. We're happy to chat with you about any of them. In summary, here are the policies:

Financial

1. Each project will cover their administrative fees. 
2. Each project is expected to contribute a minimum of $2,000 in administrative fees each fiscal year.
3. Projects must notify the financial services team if they intend to charge a fee for any products or services.
4. You must not have a separate bank account for your project. Funds for the Project must be received by and processed through Community Partners.
5. All projects should maintain an eight-week operating reserve in their account at all times.
6. Projects cannot exist for private inurement or private benefit. None of your project's income or assets may unreasonably benefit any private interests including those of your advisory board members, employees, family members, or volunteers. 
7. All assets of your project, both tangible and intellectual, belong to Community Partners until your project separates. Your project may not buy or own real estate.
8. Your advisory board must approve the compensation of the Project Leader and/or Executive Director.
9. Projects are required to spend donations and grant funds on project expenses in accordance with donor intent.
10. In-kind donations of cars can only be accepted through CARS vehicle donation program. The cash value of the car will then be donated to the project.
11. All Project Leaders must develop an annual operating budget that is approved by their project advisory board and is submitted to the financial services team.
12. If hiring an independent contractor, projects must have the contracted payment documents committed or in hand prior to the contractor starting work.
13. W-9 forms are required for ALL non-employees as the IRS may impose fines for missing tax information.
14. All expenditures for the project are paid or reimbursed by Community Partners.

Leadership

1. All projects must have a Project Leader.
2. Each project must have an advisory board.
3. Each project leader must attend orientation.
4. You must agree to be fiscally sponsored by Community Partners for a minimum of one year.
5. All new Project Leaders must sign the Project Sponsorship Agreement.

Communication

1. You are expected to describe the relationship of your project to Community Partners in all written materials.
2. Project Leaders and/or staff are prohibited from signing documents on behalf of Community Partners.
3. Community Partners must review all grant proposals before they are submitted to a funder.
4. You must remain in regular communication with Community Partners.
5. Project Leaders should confer with the Programs Team by emailing [e-mail] and obtain Community Partners’ approval before engaging in lobbying and advocacy activities.
6. Each project must submit an Annual Project Report. 
7. The Project Leader is expected to write and submit all required reports to funders.

Human Resources

1. For projects that serve youth, elderly, the homeless, mentally ill, and other vulnerable populations, Community Partners requires all project employees, volunteers, and contractors to complete a Live Scan.
2. Your project should have a 6-month operating reserve in order to hire a new employee.
3. Community Partners must be notified prior to any employee termination.
4. All employees of Community Partners must sign an employment agreement.
5. Project Leaders cannot hire people as contractors who should be classified as employees.
6. Employees cannot work directly for or supervise a relative. All related-party relationships of the project have been disclosed to the HR team. A related party includes (i) spouse, (ii) domestic partner, (iii) parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, or sibling (and their spouses), (iv) parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, or sibling (and their spouses) of spouse or domestic partner.
7. All non-exempt employees must record time worked daily by completing a timesheet in Paylocity and submitting these records to their supervisor for approval in a timely manner. 
8. Project employees must correctly report vacation and sick time in Paylocity.

Insurance and Risk Management

1. Each project must submit an insurance and lobbying report after they sign the Project Sponsorship Agreement.
2. Projects may be required to pay for insurance coverage beyond the general liability coverage included in the administrative fees. 
3. Each project must submit an event form prior to holding any special even on or off project premises for insurance purposes. 
4. Projects cannot own a car in the name of their project.
5. Every project should have an Emergency Action Plan.
6. Every project should have a Fire Prevention Plan.
7. Projects cannot rent a 15 passenger van as part of their project activities.
8. Projects must disclose any pending, possible or subsequent to fiscal year litigation, claims, or assessments, or unasserted claims or assessments related to the Project.