Thorne Ecological Institute

“The 990 will be reviewed through e-mail.”

“Section 1. Purpose the purpose of this conflicts of interest policy is to protect the organization's interest when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer, director, committee member, or employee of the organization. This policy is intended to supplement but not to replace any applicable state laws governing conflicts of interest applicable to nonprofit and charitable corporations. Section 2. Definitions 1.interested person: any director, principal officer, member of a committee with board-delegated powers, or employee who has a direct or indirect financial interest, as defined below, is an interested person. 2.financial interest: a person has a financial interest if the person has, directly or indirectly, through business, investment, or family: a)an ownership or investment interest in any entity with which the corporation has a transaction or arrangement, or b)a compensation arrangement with the corporation or with any entity or individual with which the corporation has a transaction or arrangement, or c)a potential ownership or investment interest in, or compensation arrangement with, any entity or individual with which the corporation is negotiating a transaction or arrangement. Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are substantial in nature. Section 3. Procedures 1.duty to disclose: in connection with any actual or possible conflicts of interest, an interested person must disclose the existence and nature of his or her financial interest to the directors, officers and/or members of committees with board-delegated powers considering the proposed transaction or arrangement. 2.determining whether a conflict of interest exists: after disclosure of the financial interest, the interested person shall leave the board or committee meeting while the financial interest is discussed and voted upon. The remaining board or committee members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists. 3.procedures for addressing the conflict of interest: a)the chairperson of the board or committee shall, if appropriate, appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement. B)after exercising due diligence, the board or committee shall determine whether the corporation can obtain a more advantageous transaction or arrangement with reasonable efforts from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest. C)if a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably attainable under circumstances that would not give rise to a conflict of interest, the board or committee shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested directors whether the transaction or arrangement is in the corporation's best interests and for its own benefit and whether the transaction is fair and reasonable to the corporation and shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement in conformity with such determination. 4.violations of the conflicts of interest policy: a)if the board or committee has reasonable cause to believe that a member has failed to disclose actual or possible conflicts of interest, it shall inform the member of the basis for such belief and afford the member an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose. B)if, after hearing the response of the member and making such further inquiry and investigation as may be warranted in the circumstances, the board or committee determines that the member has in fact failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action. Section 4. Records of proceedings the minutes of the board and all committees with board-delegated powers shall contain: a)the names of the persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have a financial interest in connection with an actual or possible conflict of interest,”

“The organization has reviewed the colorado nonprofit salary survey and completed a salary analysis of like organizations and bases its salary on how it chooses to pay staff comparatively with approval done by board.”

“UPON REQUEST”

“Volunteer and in-kind support play a critical role in the success of thorne's mission, by ensuring all programs are delivered through the most cost effective means possible. Volunteer involvement: during 2015, thorne nature experience utilized 124 volunteers and interns who contributed more than 4,689 volunteer hours. Thorne is governed by a volunteer board of trustees who oversee policy level decisions for the organization, hire and managed the executive director, and ensure thorne's financial health and well being. Additional volunteers and interns provided support both in the office and with thorne programs. Thorne has a successful internship program for undergraduate and graduate students to gain hands-on experience with teaching outdoors in nature. Typical volunteer tasks at thorne include: assembling student-authored mini books and creating teaching props for thorne's in-school program, assisting teachers and students in the after school program, serving as teaching assistants for summer camp, identifying and eradicating invasive plants species at sombrero marsh, and procuring auction items for thorne's annual fundraiser, natural night out. In-kind support: thorne nature experience received more than 28,870 of in-kind support in 2015. The largest in-kind contributor is boulder valley school district, who provides free rent to thorne at the sombrero marsh education center. Thorne also receives significant in-kind support from landscapers, graphic artist, and several media outlets in addition to dozens of companies that contribute items that are used to thank volunteers and auctioned off at thorne's annual fundraiser, natural night out”

“Boulder open space and mountain parks department and the boulder valley school district (bvsd), the field trip program engages 1,850 bvsd fourth graders annually in a day-long field trip to the 45-acre sombrero marsh environmental education center. At the marsh, students learn about wetland ecology while hiking on boardwalks, viewing birds from a bird blind, and undertaking experiments in a laboratory. The marsh is also home to a 30 ft. Wind turbine, organic gardens, and a photovoltaic solar system which are used as educational tools to demonstrate the concept of conserving natural resources as a means of protecting the environment. In addition to serving 4th grade bvsd students at sombrero marsh, thorne also offers field trips to other bvsd grade levels and non bvsd schools and youth-serving organizations at both its boulder and littleton locations. In-school program - initiated in 2005, thorne's in-school program reaches 7,000 elementary students each year. The in-school program expands students' knowledge in the areas of science and literacy through a three class series of lessons that involve interactive explorations, inquiry- based experiments, scientific instruments and specimens, and writing a picture book. Emphasis is placed on working with schools neighboring thorne's environmental education centers and low-income, low-scoring, and culturally diverse schools throughout the denver and boulder metro area. At select schools with very high percentages of disadvantaged youth, thorne offers an additional twelve week after school program for students who are interested in expanding their knowledge of science and connection to nature.”