Personal and Professional Integrity

Staff and Board members of Bridgeway Foundation act with honesty, integrity, and openness in all their dealings as representatives of the Foundation. All interactions with those served by the Foundation reflect our commitment to integrity, respect for the contribution of others, and fairness.

Governance

The Foundation is governed by a board of directors that is responsible for setting its mission and strategic direction. The Board has oversight of the Foundation’s finances, operations, and policies. The Board —

• Ensures that its members have the requisite skills and experience to carry out their duties and that all members understand and fulfill their governance duties acting for the benefit of the Foundation and its public purpose.
• Has a Conflict of Interest Policy that ensures that any conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof are avoided or appropriately managed through disclosure, recusal or other means;
• Is responsible for the hiring, firing, and regular review of the performance of the Foundation staff, and ensures that compensation is reasonable and appropriate;
• Ensures that the staff provide the Board with timely and comprehensive information so that the Board can effectively carry out its duties;
• Ensures that the Foundation carries out all transactions and dealings with integrity and honesty;
• Ensures that the Foundation promotes working relationships among Board members, staff, and program beneficiaries that are based on mutual respect, fairness, equity and openness;
• Ensures that the Foundation is fair and inclusive in its hiring and promotion policies and practices for all Board and staff positions;
• Ensures that policies of the Foundation are in writing, clearly articulated and officially adopted;
• Ensures that the resources of the Foundation are responsibly and prudently managed; and
• Ensures that the Foundation has the capacity to carry out its program effectively.

Legal Compliance

Bridgeway Foundation is knowledgeable of and complies with all laws, regulations and applicable international conventions.

Responsible Stewardship

Bridgeway Foundation manages its resources responsibly and prudently taking the following into consideration:

• The largest percentage of the Foundation’s annual budget is spent on programs in pursuit of its purpose.
• It spends a reasonable amount on administrative expenses to ensure effective accounting systems, internal controls, competent staff, and other expenditures critical to professional management.
• The Foundation compensates staff and any others who may receive compensation, reasonably and appropriately.
• The Foundation does not accumulate operating funds excessively;
• The Foundation ensures that all spending practices and policies are fair, reasonable and appropriate to fulfill its purpose.
• All financial reports are factually accurate and complete in all material respects.

Openness and Disclosure

Bridgeway Foundation provides comprehensive and timely information to the public, the media, and all stakeholders and is responsive in a timely manner to reasonable requests for information. All information about the Foundation will fully and honestly reflect its policies and practices. Basic informational data about the Foundation will be posted on its website or otherwise made available to the public.

Grantee Relationship Guidelines

In carrying out its stated purpose in partnership with other organizations Bridgeway Foundation will —

• Have constructive relations with grant-seekers based on mutual respect and shared goals;
• Communicate clearly and on a timely basis with potential grantees;
• Treat grant-seekers and grantees fairly and respectfully;
• Respect the expertise of grant-seekers in their fields of knowledge;
• Seek to understand and respect the organizational capacity and needs of grant-seeking organizations; and will
• Respect the integrity of the mission of grant-seeking organizations.