Cooke Center for Learning and Development

“The draft of the form 990 was emailed to each member of the board of trustees during the first week of may. Any issues were discussed with the finance department and the final draft was then reviewed and approved by the full board of trustees.”

“Cooke center adheres to high standards of ethical conduct in its governance and operations. Each member of the board of trustees of cooke center has fiduciary obligations to cooke center that require acting with due care and acting without personal or financial interest. Cooke center seeks to ensure that members of the board of trustees, staff, and consultants do not use their relationship with cooke center for personal gain. Accordingly, members of the board of trustees, staff, and consultants have a continuing obligation to disclose any personal interest, relationship, or holding that could potentially result in a conflict of interest. Each board member completes a questionnaire concerning conflicts of interest annually, and on changes of circumstances, which is reviewed by the finance/audit committee or by the chairman of the board (the chair). In addition, the conflict of interest policy requires an interested board member to promptly disclose to the chair all material facts relating to any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest. The finance/audit committee or the chair will evaluate the disclosures to determine whether they involve actual conflicts. The interested board member must recuse himself or herself from discussion and voting relating to the matter. However, as a member of the board or committee, the interested board member may be counted in determining the establishment of the quorum at such a meeting. Cooke center may enter into a transaction or arrangement in which a board member has a conflict of interest only if at a duly held meeting of the board or committee of the board, a majority of those board members or committee members (if a quorum is present at such time) who have no interest in the transaction or arrangement approve the transaction or arrangement after determining, in good faith and after reasonable inquiry, that: 1. The transaction is fair and reasonable to cooke center and in its best interest; 2. The transaction or arrangement furthers cooke center's charitable purposes, and 3. The transaction does not result in private inurement, an excess benefit transaction or impermissible private benefit under laws applicable to organizations exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code. The minutes of the board of cooke center or any committee meeting during which a potential or actual conflict of interest is discussed will reflect the name of the interested board member(s), the nature of the conflict and the deliberations of the disinterested trustees. If the board has reasonable cause to believe that a board member has failed to comply with this policy, the board may make such further investigation as may be warranted in the circumstances and if the board determines that the board member has in fact failed to comply with this policy, it will take appropriate action in accordance with law and cooke center's certificate of incorporation and by-laws, which may include removal from office. Annually board members must affirm that they have read, understand and have and will continue to adhere to this conflict policy.”

“Comparable compensation for similar positions based on 990s of other organizations (including guidestar salary survey) is examined. Cooke center's process for determining compensation of its senior executives does include a review and approval by members of its board's executive committee of comparability data. This process was last done in august 2015.”

“The organization does not make its governing documents or conflict of interest policy, available to the general public. It is not aware of any requirement to do so. The organization's financial statements are available on the new york state attorney general's charities registry.”

“The process has not changed since last year.”