Start International Inc

“The governing body reviews the Form 990 electronically prior to filing with the IRS.”

“If an employee has any indication that he or she has a direct or indirect conflict of interest, or if an employee receives information regarding a potential conflict of interest for another, the Director of Human Resources must be notified immediately of the potential concern. Members of the Board of Directors are required to sign a statement affirming their adherence to START's policies each year at our annual in-person Board meeting.”

“The Executive Director's compensation is annually reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors. The most recent compensation review occurred in July of 2020.”

“START's governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements are available to the public upon request.”

“In 2020, a few program services included: START supported three grants through the SUGI-FWE Nexus call by the Belmont Forum and the Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe. The initiative seeks to improve access to resources and quality of life in urban areas, by focusing on the interactions between the food, water and energy sectors. Research topics include: 1) Robust knowledge, indicators and assessments; 2) Multi-level governance and management of the Food-Water-Energy Nexus; and 3) Managing potential strategies and solutions to address emerging risk and tradeoffs at the intersection of sustainable urbanization and the Food-Water-Energy Nexus. START designed a leadership course for the African Academy of Science and Royal Society's Future Leaders-African Independent Research (FLAIR) Fellowship program. The leadership course features learning on transformational leadership skills related to (among other topics) gender and power dynamics, strategic influencing, negotiation skills, risk and adaptive management, professional network development and research career strategies. START collaborated with the Institute on Global Environmental Strategies in Japan for work in South and SE Asia on the circular economy, rural-urban linkages and the adaptation. START partnered with scientists and practitioners from the Rural Polytechnical Institute for Training and Applied Research (IPR/IFRA) in Katibougou, Mali, the Association Malienne d'veil au Dveloppement Durable (AMEDD) in Koutiala, Mali, the Universit Nationale d'Agriculture in Benin and ReosPartners (South Africa) on the Collaboration For Adaptation and Resilience in Mali (Co-FARM) project to reconvene stakeholders and key development partners around the shared use of the BCER resources. The main objective of this 15-month project is to increase the resilience and adaptive capacities of the BCER water resource users in Koutiala. START partnered on The Digital Agricultural Services to Improve the Livelihoods of Communities (DigitAL) program to bridge persistent information gaps and further strengthen adaptive capacity of local stakeholders. DigitAL is doing this in three ways: 1) Bringing novel opportunities for meaningful engagement with diverse stakeholder groups through expanding the reach and content of Climate Adaptation Resource Centres and mobile communication technologies; 2) Strengthening capacities of knowledge brokers to help facilitate transparent and open information exchange between local communities and DigitAL researchers through new communication and outreach tools, updating and broadening types of information available to stakeholders, and encouraging virtual participatory methods; and 3) Supporting the capacities of local leaders to encourage uptake of climate smart information. START coordinates capacity building efforts within Global Observation of Forest Cover and Land Dynamics (GOFC-GOLD), by organizing or supporting training and learning events, including Data Initiative workshops providing early-career scientists with knowledge and resources for accessing and using earth observation data. START also promotes the participation of scientists from the GOFC-GOLD networks in international events, an opportunity to learn, connect and exchange knowledge and information with a larger community of scientists. START, with support from Research Fund of Quebec, is initiating Promoting Gains in Renewable Energy (ProGREEN), a four-year project on renewable energy in West African Francophone countries. The key question the project is seeking to address is: How can small-scale renewable energy systems contribute to broader energy transition in West Africa? The ProGREEN-West Africa project explores the influence of small-scale renewable energy systems, such as solar, hydropower, and biomass, on wellbeing and security related to how increased energy access influences water and food security outcomes and other important development priorities related to health, education, g”

“Other professional and consulting fees: Program service expenses 146,541. Management and general expenses 46,925. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 193,466.”

“The organization's Audit Committee is responsible for oversight of the audit, including selection of the independent accountant. The process has not changed from previous years.”