Chapter Leader Service Agreement 2024

Duty of Care: Chapter leaders must take care of the nonprofit by ensuring prudent use of all finances and assets, including facility, people and goodwill; and oversight for all activities that advance the nonprofit’s effectiveness and sustainability. 

Duty of Loyalty: Chapter leaders must act in good faith and in a manner which does not harm the organization to the benefit of the director or officer.  Avoid any conflicts of interest or appearances of impropriety.

Duty of Obedience: Chapter leaders must comply with the provisions of the articles of incorporation, bylaws, and state laws in accordance with ethical practices; that the nonprofit adheres to its stated corporate purposes and that its activities advance its mission. 

General Chapter Leader Expectations:  

• Be an active BHA member and/or donor.
• Demonstrate commitment to further the organizations’ mission and goals – and assist with furthering those goals through engagement with the chapter.
• Work collaboratively with BHA leaders and staff.
• Commit to welcoming and encouraging all people, regardless of political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity who wish to be a part of the BHA family.
• Know Backcountry Hunters & Anglers mission, purposes, goals, policies, programs, services, strengths, and needs.
• Acknowledge that BHA chapters and BHA North America are pieces of a whole and must work in concert to effectively pursue our mission.
• Work in active collaboration with the chapter coordinator, chapter leadership and other relevant staff to support BHA’s work within the respective state/province.
• Follow trends and issues affecting Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
• In coordination with staff, assist with BHA’s engagement on state and local conservation and advocacy efforts.
• Assist with the organization of local events, fundraising and community building efforts which support the organizations policy priorities and programs.
• Prepare for and participate in board and committee meetings, asking timely and substantive questions, maintaining confidentiality and speaking for the board when authorized to do so.
• Help identify potential leaders to the chapter board who have a positive can-do attitude and can make significant contributions to the work of the board and BHA's progress.
• Exercise prudence with the board and chapter treasurer in the oversight and management of chapter funds.
• Recruit BHA members.
• Participate in regular chapter board and HQ communications.
• Read, and commit to follow, all provisions laid out in the Chapter Manual.

Code of Ethics

• BHA chapter leaders must act with honesty, integrity and openness in all their dealings as representatives of BHA.
• Treat and welcome all with equity, dignity without regard to gender, race, color, creed, ancestry, place of origin, political belief, religion, marital or family size, size, appearance, income, ability, age, gender identity or sexual orientation who wish to be part of the BHA family.
• Pledge to have respect for the members, partners and society with integrity in our actions and by taking responsibility for our decisions and their consequences.

Privacy Policy

At Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, we are committed to the protecting of non-public information and recognize that this information is restricted to staff, board members and key volunteers on a need-to-know basis.  When collecting, storing and retrieving nonpublic personal information, positive control will be maintained throughout the process to ensure security and confidentiality.  Access to donor, financial, or member information is restricted on a need-to-to know basis.  This information is confidential and highly sensitive as it concerns the nature of donors’ financial and personal affairs. 

Board members, volunteers and employees are cautioned to demonstrate professionalism, good judgment, and care to avoid unauthorized or inadvertent disclosures of confidential information and should, for example, refrain from leaving confidential information contained in documents or on computer screens in plain view.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers information will be used only for the lawful conduct of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers business and will never be shared with third parties without the consent of the member, contact or donor except as permitted by law.  Backcountry Hunters & Anglers has no affiliates or marketing experts with whom we share personal information.

Unauthorized disclosure of confidential or privileged information is a serious violation of this policy and will subject the person(s) who made the unauthorized disclosure to appropriate discipline, including removal/dismissal.

Conflict of Interest

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers conflict of interest policy ensures that any conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof are avoided or appropriately managed through disclosure, recusal or other means;

Purpose

The purpose of the conflict of interest policy is to protect BHA’s interest when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interests of an officer, director or employee of BHA or might result in a possible excess benefit transaction.  This policy is intended to supplement, but not replace any state and federal laws governing conflict of interest issues arising within nonprofit and charitable organizations.

Definitions

Interested Person: Any chapter leader who has a direct or indirect financial interest, as defined below, is an interested person.

Financial Interest: A person has a financial interest if the person has, directly or indirectly, through business, investment, or family:

• An ownership or investment interest in any entity with which BHA has a transaction or arrangement,
• A compensation arrangement with BHA or with any entity or individual with which BHA has a transaction or arrangement, or
• A potential ownership or investment interest in, or compensation arrangement with, any entity or individual with which BHA is negotiating a transaction or arrangement.

Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are substantial.

A financial interest is not necessarily a conflict of interest.  A person who has a financial interest may have a conflict of interest only if the chapter leadership, staff or appropriate committee determines that a conflict of interest exists.

Procedures

Duty to Disclose: A person with an actual or possible conflict of interest must disclose the financial interest involved and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the chapter leadership to consider the proposed transaction or arrangement.

Recusal of Self: Any chapter leader may recuse himself or herself at any time from involvement in any decision or discussion in which the chapter leader believes he or she has or may have a conflict of interest, without going through the process for determining whether a conflict of interest exists.  If a chapter leader believes there may be a conflict of interest, he/she should err on the side of caution and recuse themselves from any formal decision-making process.  

Determining Whether a Conflict of Interest Exists

After disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, and after any discussion with the interested person, he/she shall leave the chapter leadership or committee meeting while the determination of a conflict of interest is discussed and voted upon.  The members shall determine if a conflict of interest exists.

Procedures for Addressing the Conflict of Interest

• An interested person may make a presentation at the chapter leaders, but after the presentation, he/she shall leave the meeting during the discussion of, and the vote on, the transaction or arrangement involving the possible conflict of interest.
• The chairperson or committee shall, if appropriate, appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement.
• After exercising due diligence, the chapter leaders shall determine whether BHA can, with reasonable effort, obtain a more advantageous transaction or arrangement that would not give rise to a conflict of interest.
• If it is not reasonably possible to obtain a transaction or arrangement that avoids a conflict of interest, the board or committee shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested members whether the transaction or arrangement is in the best interest of BHA, and whether it is fair and reasonable. In conformity with the above determination, the board or committee shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement.

Violations of the Conflicts of Interest Policy

• If the chapter leadership has reason to believe a person has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall inform the person of the basis for such conclusion and afford the person an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose.
• If, after hearing the person’s response and after making further investigation as warranted by the circumstances, the board or committee determines the person has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action.

Records of Proceedings

The minutes of the meeting shall contain:

• The names of persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have a financial interest in connection with an actual or possible conflict of interest, the nature of the financial interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest existed, and the chapter's decision regarding the existence of a conflict of interest.
• The names of the persons who were present for discussions and votes relating to the transaction or arrangement, the content of the discussion, including any alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement, and a record of any votes taken in connection with the proceedings.

Compensation

A voting member of the chapter leadership who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from BHA for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member's compensation.

A voting member of any committee whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from BHA for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member's compensation.

No voting member of the chapter leadership whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from BHA, either individually or collectively, is prohibited from providing information to any committee regarding compensation.

Annual Statements

Each chapter leader shall annually sign this statement to affirm a copy of the conflict of interest policy has been seen, read and is understood - and will be complied with. By signing, the chapter leader understands that BHA is a charitable organization and in order to maintain its federal tax exemption and fiduciary responsibility it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes.