The policies come first, then the money.

1. Purpose

This policy exists so that no decision made by Dream Big Buffalo can quietly benefit the person making it. If there is a conflict, we write it down, we say it out loud, and the person with the conflict does not vote.

2. The board

The board is made up of at least three people, and a majority of them are independent — meaning they are not employed by the organization and are not related to anyone who is. Board seats are unpaid.

The board meets at least four times per year. Minutes are written for every meeting and kept permanently.

• A quorum is a majority of seated members.
• Decisions pass on a majority of members present, unless this policy requires more.
• Any member may request that a matter be tabled for more information.

3. What counts as a conflict

A conflict of interest is any situation where a board member, an officer, a staff member, or one of their family members could personally gain from a decision of the organization.

• A financial interest in a vendor, partner, facility, or licensee.
• Employment or a paid role with an organization on the other side of a transaction.
• A gift, loan, or favor of more than nominal value from someone doing business with us.
• A family relationship with anyone who would be hired, paid, or served under a special arrangement.

4. Disclosure and recusal

Everyone covered by this policy signs an annual disclosure statement. Conflicts that come up between statements are disclosed immediately and in writing.

A member with a conflict may answer questions, then leaves the discussion and does not vote. The minutes record the disclosure, the recusal, and the vote.

5. Related-party transactions

A transaction with an interested party may proceed only when the board finds it fair to the organization, documents an alternative that was considered, and approves it without the interested party voting.

6. Human accountability

No automated system holds a seat, a vote, or an ownership interest. Software may prepare materials and drafts; a human being signs every filing and approves every payment.

7. Violations

If the board believes someone failed to disclose a conflict, it tells them what it has found and gives them a chance to explain. If the board still finds a failure to disclose, it may remove the person from their role. Nobody is punished for reporting a concern in good faith.

1. Purpose

This policy sets the rules for accepting money and property. It protects the people we serve first and the organization second. No gift changes who gets help.

2. Standing commitments

We do not charge a person seeking help. We do not solicit charitable gifts until incorporation, the board, these policies, separate bookkeeping, and public reporting are all in place and verifiable.

3. Gifts we accept

Once solicitation begins, the following are accepted without special review:

• Cash, checks, and electronic transfers.
• Publicly traded securities, sold promptly on receipt.
• In-kind goods we can actually use or hand directly to a family.
• Sponsorships tied to named deliverables we can describe publicly.

4. Gifts that require board review

These are accepted only after board review, because they carry cost, risk, or restriction:

• Real property, vehicles, and equipment with ongoing carrying costs.
• Closely held stock, partnership interests, and other illiquid assets.
• Gifts restricted to a purpose we do not currently run.
• Any gift above a threshold set annually by the board.

5. Gifts we decline

We say no, plainly and without hard feelings, to:

• Any gift conditioned on who we are allowed to serve, or not serve.
• Paid placement, referral fees, kickbacks, or pay-for-ranking in matching.
• Gifts that require secrecy, or that we could not describe publicly and honestly.
• Gifts from a source whose conduct would put the people we serve at risk.
• Gifts that would require us to reduce or ration free services.

6. Donor privacy and recognition

Donor records are confidential. We never sell or trade donor information. A donor may ask to remain anonymous publicly, and we honor that. Recognition is never a promise of influence.

7. Valuation, receipts, and returns

Donors obtain their own independent valuations and tax advice; we do not appraise gifts. Every gift receives a written acknowledgment. The board may return or refuse a gift at any point if accepting it would conflict with this policy.

1. Purpose

Transparency is the product, not the press release. This policy commits us to publishing where money came from, where it went, and what happened as a result — in language anyone can read.

2. What we publish

On a public page, kept current:

• Formation documents, bylaws, and these governance policies.
• The board roster and annual conflict disclosures in summary form.
• Revenue by stream and spending by category.
• Direct assistance delivered, counted in units families recognize: rides, nights of housing, phones, records retrieved, court appearances supported.
• Annual financial statements and required filings once available.

3. Schedule

Program and assistance numbers are refreshed at least quarterly. Financial summaries are published annually within 30 days of board approval. Policy changes are posted within 10 days of adoption, with the prior version kept available.

4. Privacy comes first

We report totals, never identities. No names, photos, addresses, diagnoses, or case details of the people we serve appear in public reporting. Nothing is published that could identify a family, and no family is ever shown on their worst day.

5. Records requests

Anyone may request a governing document, a policy, or a published financial summary by email. We respond within 10 business days at no charge. If we cannot release something, we say why.

6. Corrections and mistakes

When we get something wrong, we correct it in place, note what changed, and leave the correction visible. Errors are published on the same page as the original figure — not buried.

7. Whistleblower protection

Anyone may report a concern about finances, safety, or conduct without retaliation. Reports may be made anonymously and go to an independent board member.