Spark

“Form 990 is prepared by an outside tax professional. The form is then reviewed by the organization's management, at least one member of the board of directors, and the executive director. This group of individuals then discusses the contents of the return with the outside tax professional. After a full review, the final version of the tax return is provided to all members of the organization's voting body. A representative of management authorizes the final form 990 which is then e-filed with the internal revenue service.”

“Members of the board of directors review all potential conflicts of interest at least annually. The executive director and all board members are required to disclose, in writing, potential conflicts and any related party affiliations. Loans between the organization and members of management and the board are strictly prohibited. The organization seeks full transparency on all relationships. Any potential conflicts, in fact or appearance, are discussed openly and resolved in accordance with the organization's policies and procedures.”

“Members of the board of directors review the compensation of all high-level personnel periodically in accordance wtih irs rules and regulations. Efforts are made to secure compensation data from industry sources in order to determine competitiveness and appropriateness of salaries. Every effort is made to ensure that the process is thorough and transparent in accordance with irs guidelines and the organization's policies and procedures.”

“Compensation of other personnel and key employees is reviewed periodically by members of management. Efforts are made to secure compensation data from industry sources in order to determine competitiveness and appropriateness of salaries and all related benefits. All decisions are then documented in personnel files.”

“All of the organization's governing documents, financial statements and other legal filings are maintained in a secure environment and held avaliable for inspection by tax authorities and the general public. Tax returns are posted annually to www.guidestar.org (where they are available for viewing as electronic copies) and are also available for a physical inspection at the organization's office in san francisco, california.”