UNITED WAY OF MISSOULA COUNTY
BOARD POLICIES *
Contingency Fund Policy (approved 2/08)
United Way of Missoula County’s Contingency Fund enables UWMC to fund compelling and missionrelevant projects, either within the organization or within the Missoula County nonprofit health and
human services community, which come to our attention from time to time but are not provided for in
UWMC’s operating budget or allocations process. Recommendations for Contingency Fund
expenditures come to the UWMC Administrative Committee through board committees or through the
CEO. The Administrative Committee determines the level of the Contingency Fund and approves all
Contingency Fund expenditures and reports them to the board promptly.
For projects within UWMC: the CEO submits proposals in letter form to the Administrative
Committee, including a specific dollar amount requested and an itemized budget including other funding
sources for the project, if any. Projects come to the CEO either through board committees or in the
course of our community impact work.
For “outside” projects: Applicants – which must be 501(c)(3) organizations – apply via a letter to the
UWMC CEO, describing the project for which they are seeking funding. Proposals must include a
specific dollar amount requested and an itemized budget including all other funding sources for the
project, if any.
Replenishing the fund: The Contingency Fund is replenished every two years.
Emergency Fund Policy (approved 2/08)
United Way of Missoula County maintains an Emergency Fund of $20,000 annually. Grants made from
the fund address one-time, nonrecurring capital emergencies at Missoula County nonprofit health and
human services agencies. Preference is given to agencies currently funded by UWMC. The Emergency
Fund is administered by UWMC’s Administrative Committee.
Organizations apply to the CEO via letter, describing the emergency and how they plan to address it.
Applicants should include an estimate of the total cost of replacement or repair, request a specific dollar amount
and list any other sources of funds for the repair/replacement project. Applicants that do not currently receive
funds from UWMC must also include a copy of their 501(C)(3) letter, a copy of their annual budget and audited
financial statement, a list of their other funding sources, and a list of their board of directors, with affiliations.
Emergency requests are considered on an as-received basis, at a special meeting to discuss the request, or via a
meeting convened via conference call. Application letters are circulated to the committee in advance.
Replenishing the fund: The Emergency Fund is replenished annually, as needed.
*These also apply to United Way of Ravalli County
Diversity Statement
As a human service organization continuously seeking to deliver community impact and maintain quality
service to our donors and clients, the United Way of Missoula County places high value on the concept of
diversity.
United Way of Missoula County values the uniqueness of the individual, the power of the collective good and
the importance of communities. We promote a climate that welcomes, understands and respects the diversity of
our clients, donors, staff, volunteers, agencies and community partners. Dimensions of diversity include but are
not limited to race, ethnicity, cultural orientation, national origin, sexual orientation, language, religious belief,
disability, gender and age.
United Way of Missoula County is committed to incorporating practices that enhance diversity into all areas of
activity, including the recruitment and retention of staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds. Staff and
volunteers are supported through training to address the needs of all individuals and communities served.
The Board of Directors and senior management team will provide leadership and collaborate with clients,
donors, staff, volunteers, agencies and community partners to ensure an environment that values diversity.
Nondiscrimination Policy
United Way of Missoula County (UWMC) is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination based on race, creed,
religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex or sexual
orientation.
UWMC and the agencies it helps support depend upon the goodwill and contributions of all citizens. UWMC
cannot survive in a climate of controversy or divisiveness. UWMC appeals to those involved in major local or
national conflicts to keep UWMC free from involvement in potentially divisive controversies because of risk or
harm to the greater community if proponents of either side of such issues were to use UWMC as a means to
foster their viewpoints.
Sexual Harassment Policy
Sexual Harassment includes unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
Submission to or rejection of the conduct is implicitly or explicitly made a term or condition of employment, or
is used as the basis for an employment decision affecting the employee.
The conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee’s work performance or
creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.
Examples of prohibited sexual harassment include, but are not limited to propositions or pressure to engage in
sexual activity or assault, repeated intentional body contact, sexual jokes, innuendoes, or comments, staring or
leering, display or distribution of any materials with a sexual connotation, a pattern of hiring or promoting sex
partners over more qualified persons, or any harassing behavior directed toward a person because of the
person's gender.
Sexual harassment of employees, volunteers, or agency partners will not be tolerated. Any employee who is the
subject of, who has knowledge of, or who witnesses any possible prohibited harassment or discrimination has a
responsibility to immediately bring such information to the attention of their supervisor or a Principal of the
Personnel Committee. Anyone who receives a report of alleged harassment or discrimination must immediately
notify the Director of Operations, who is also responsible for personnel matters, or a Principal of the Personnel
Committee. United Way pledges to promptly investigate concerns regarding prohibited harassment and
discrimination and, where appropriate, take corrective action. Complaints will be kept confidential to the
maximum extent possible that still allows investigation and, if necessary, discipline. United Way will
determine the steps to be taken balancing the rights of the alleged victim, including the severity of the alleged
conduct, and the rights of the alleged harasser.
Neither United Way nor any of its employees will retaliate against any employee for filing a complaint or for
participating in the investigation of any complaint.
Travel Policy
It is the policy of UWMC to pay the actual hotel costs with receipts, per diem for meals, actual costs of air
transportation and current IRS approved rate for mileage, for all trips made on behalf of UWMC. Per Diem
rates are based on those of the federal government.
Workplace Harassment and Workplace Violence Policy
United Way is committed to providing a working environment where all employees and members are treated
with courtesy, dignity, and respect. We will therefore not tolerate or condone any actions by anyone that
constitute any form of harassment, including sexual harassment, of our employees. We will likewise not
tolerate any action of violence against anyone in the workplace.
Whistleblower Policy
Purpose
The objectives of United Way of Missoula County’s Whistleblower Policy are to establish policies and
procedures for:
the submission of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters by employees,
directors, officers, and other stakeholders of the organization, on a confidential and anonymous basis.
The receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints received by the organization regarding
accounting, internal controls, or auditing matters.
the protection from retaliatory actions of directors, volunteers and employees reporting concerns.
Reporting responsibility
Each director, volunteer, and employee of United Way of Missoula County has an obligation to report, in
accordance with this Whistleblower Policy
1. questionable or improper accounting or auditing matters, and
2. violations and suspected violations (hereinafter collectively referred to as Concerns) of
United Way of Missoula County’s Code of Ethics.
Authority of Administrative Committee
All reported Concerns will be forwarded to the Administrative Committee in accordance with the procedures
set forth herein. The Administrative Committee shall be responsible for investigating, and making appropriate
recommendations to the board of directors, with respect to all reported Concerns.
No Retaliation
This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable directors, volunteers, and employees to raise
Concerns within the organization for investigation and appropriate action. With this goal in mind, no director,
volunteer, or employee who, in good faith, reports a Concern shall be subject to retaliation or, in the case of an
employee, adverse employment consequences. Moreover, a volunteer or employee who retaliates against
someone who has reported a Concern in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including dismissal from
the volunteer position or termination of employment.
Reporting of Concerns by Employees
Employees should first discuss their Concern with their immediate supervisor. If, after speaking with his or her
supervisor, the individual continues to have reasonable grounds to believe the Concern is valid, the individual
should report the Concern to the Chief Executive Officer. In addition, if the individual is uncomfortable
speaking with his or her supervisor or the CEO, or if the supervisor or CEO is a subject of the Concern, the
individual should report his or her Concern directly to the President.
The reporting individual shall reduce the Concern to writing. The CEO is required to promptly report the
Concern to the Chair of the Administrative Committee, which has specific and exclusive responsibility to
investigate all Concerns. If the CEO, for any reason, does not promptly forward the Concern to the
Administrative Committee, the reporting individual should directly report the Concern to the Chair of the
Administrative Committee.
Concerns may be also be submitted anonymously. Such anonymous Concerns should be in writing and sent
directly to the Chair of the Administrative Committee.
Reporting of Concerns by Directors and Other Volunteers
Directors and other volunteers should submit Concerns in writing directly to the Chair of the Administrative
Committee.
Handling of Reported Violations
The Administrative Committee shall address all reported Concerns. The Chair of the Administrative
Committee shall immediately notify the Administrative Committee, the President of the board of directors,
and CEO of any such report. The Chair of the Administrative Committee will notify the sender and
acknowledge receipt of the Concern within five business days, if possible. It will not be possible to
acknowledge receipt of anonymously submitted Concerns.
All reports will be promptly investigated by the Administrative Committee, or a task force thereof, and
appropriate corrective action will be recommended to the Board of Directors, if warranted by the
investigation. In addition, action taken must include a conclusion and/or follow-up with the complainant for
complete closure of the Concern.
The Administrative Committee has the authority to retain outside legal counsel, data systems technicians,
accountants, private investigators, or any other resource deemed necessary to conduct a full and complete
investigation of the allegations.
Acting in Good Faith
Anyone reporting a Concern must act in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the
information disclosed indicates an improper accounting or auditing practice, or a violation of the Code of
Ethics. The act of making allegations that prove to be unsubstantiated, and that prove to have been made
maliciously, recklessly, or with the foreknowledge that the allegations are false, will be viewed as a serious
disciplinary offense and may result in discipline, up to and including dismissal from the volunteer position
or termination of employment. Such conduct may also give rise to other actions, including civil lawsuits.
Confidentiality
Reports of Concerns, and investigations pertaining thereto, shall be kept confidential to the extent possible,
consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation.
Disclosure of reports of Concerns to individuals not involved in the investigation will be viewed as a
serious disciplinary offense and may result in discipline, up to and including termination of employment.
Such conduct may also give rise to other actions, including civil lawsuits.