Welcome to Global Aid Direct

Global Aid Direct – Helping People Reach Their Highest Potential

Statement of Values and Code of Ethics

As a matter of fundamental principle, Global Aid Direct adheres to the highest ethical standards because it is the right thing to do. As a matter of pragmatic self-interest, the organization does so because public trust in our performance is the bedrock of our legitimacy. Donors and volunteers support Global Aid Direct because they trust us to carry out their missions, to be good stewards of their resources, and to uphold rigorous standards of conduct. To earn this trust, the organization demonstrates its ongoing commitment to the core values of integrity, honesty, fairness, openness, respect, and responsibility.

Global Aid Direct comprises a diverse array of volunteers, those that make grants and those that raise funds from the public, those that operate at the community and national level and those that work outside the United States. That diversity is one of the abiding strengths of the organization. Undergirding this diversity, however, is a common set of ethical standards. Global Aid Direct has a formally adopted code of ethics with which all of its volunteers are familiar and to which they adhere.

Adherence to the law is the minimum standard of expected behavior. Global Aid Direct does more than simply obey the law. We embrace the spirit of the law, often going beyond legal requirements and making sure that what we do is matched by what the public understands about what we do. Transparency, openness and responsiveness to public concerns is the integral to our behavior.

Statement of Values

The values of Global Aid Direct include:

Commitment to the public good;

Accountability to the public;

Commitment beyond the law;

Respect for the worth and dignity of individuals;

Inclusiveness and social justice;

Respect for pluralism and diversity

Transparency, integrity and honesty;

Responsible stewardship of resources; and,

Commitment to excellence and to maintaining the public trust.

These values inform and guide the actions that Global Aid Direct takes in developing its policies and informing its practices.

Personal and Professional Integrity

All staff, board members and volunteers of Global Aid Direct act with honesty, integrity and openness in all their dealings as representatives of the organization. The Global Aid Direct promotes a working environment that values respect, fairness and integrity.

Mission

Global Aid Direct has a clearly stated mission and purpose, approved by the board of directors, in pursuit of the public good. All of its programs support that mission and all who work for or on behalf of the organization understand and are loyal to that mission and purpose. The mission is responsive to the constituency and communities served by the organization and of value to the society at large.

Governance

Global Aid Direct has an active governing body that is responsible for setting the mission and strategic direction of the organization and oversight of the finances, operations, and policies of the organization. The governing body:

Ensures that its board members have the requisite skills and experience to carry out their duties and that all members understand and fulfill their governance duties acting for the benefit of the organization and its public purpose;

Has a conflict of interest policy that ensures that any conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof are avoided or appropriately managed through disclosure, recusal or other means; and Is responsible for the hiring, firing, and regular review of the performance of the chief executive officer, and ensures that the compensation of the chief executive officer is reasonable and appropriate;

Ensures that the CEO and appropriate staff provide the governing body with timely and comprehensive information so that the governing body can effectively carry out its duties;

Ensures that the organization conducts all transactions and dealings with integrity and honesty;

Ensures that the organization promotes working relationships with board members, staff, volunteers, and program beneficiaries that are based on mutual respect, fairness and openness;

Ensures that the organization is fair and inclusive in its hiring and promotion policies and practices for all board, staff and volunteer positions;

Ensures that policies of the organization are in writing, clearly articulated and officially adopted;

Ensures that the resources of the organization are responsibly and prudently managed; and,

Ensures that the organization has the capacity to carry out its programs effectively.

Legal Compliance

Global Aid Direct is knowledgeable of and complies with all laws, regulations and applicable international conventions.

Responsible Stewardship

Global Aid Direct and its subsidiaries manage their funds responsibly and prudently. This includes the following:

It spends a reasonable percentage of its annual budget on programs in pursuance of its mission;

It spends an adequate amount on administrative expenses to ensure effective accounting systems, internal controls, competent staff, and other expenditures critical to professional management;

It compensates staff, and any others who may receive compensation, reasonably and appropriately;

Recognizing the variety of factors that affect fundraising costs, it has reasonable fundraising costs;

It does not accumulate operating funds excessively;

It prudently draw from endowment funds consistent with donor intent and to support the public purpose of the organization;

It ensure that all spending practices and policies are fair, reasonable and appropriate to fulfill the mission of the organization; and,

All financial reports are factually accurate and complete in all material respects.

Openness and Disclosure

Openness and Disclosure

Global Aid Direct provides comprehensive and timely information to the public, the media, and all stakeholders and is responsive in a timely manner to reasonable requests for information. All information about the organization fully and honestly reflect the policies and practices of the organization. Basic informational data about the organization, such as the Form 990, reviews and compilations, and audited financial statements will be posted on the organization’s website or otherwise available to the public. All solicitation materials accurately represent the organization’s policies and practices and will reflect the dignity of program beneficiaries. All financial, organizational, and program reports will be complete and accurate in all material respects.

Program Evaluation

Global Aid Direct regularly reviews program effectiveness and has mechanisms to incorporate lessons learned into future programs. The organization is committed to improving program and organizational effectiveness and develops mechanisms to promote learning from its activities and the field. The organization is responsive to changes in its field of activity and is responsive to the needs of its constituencies.

Inclusiveness and Diversity

Global Aid Direct has a policy of promoting inclusiveness and its staff, board and volunteers reflect diversity in order to enrich its programmatic effectiveness. The organization takes meaningful steps to promote inclusiveness in its hiring, retention, promotion, board recruitment and constituencies served.

Fundraising

Global Aid Direct is truthful in its solicitation materials. The organization respects the privacy concerns of individual donors and expends funds consistent with donor intent. The organization discloses important and relevant information to potential donors. In raising funds from the public, the organization respects the rights of donors, as follows:

To be informed of the mission of the organization, the way the resources will be used and their capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes;

To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities;

To have access to the organization’s most recent financial reports;

To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given;

To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition;

To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by the law;

To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature;

To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organizations or hired solicitors;

To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share; and,

To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers

Structure and Composition

Global Aid Direct has three principal structures or organs, that help direct, manage and implement its programs and activities:

The Board of Directors

The Board is the highest decision making body of the organization. It appraises and gives final approval of all major decisions reached by the Resources Mobilization Office or an Aid Coordination Office including funding a program in respect to their operations in accordance with the policy of Global Aid Direct, provided such decisions are in agreement with the realization of Global Aid Direct principles and objectives as contain in its organizing document and project document as well as donor specifications.

The Resources Mobilization Office

As the administrative arm of the organization, the Resources Mobilization Office plan strategies and undertake appropriate programs to adequately mobilize needed financial, material and human resources of maximum benefit to execute Global Aid Direct objectives and purposes, establish and maintain Aid Coordination Offices in Global Aid Direct mission areas. Principal staff of the Resources Mobilization Office includes

The Aid Coordination Office

The Aid Coordination Office is the program implementation arm of Global Aid Direct. It is responsible for the organization local operations, including the accomplishment of projects activities and services in a Global Aid Direct program country. This is conducted in pursuance to the policies and objectives as contain in the by-laws and articles of incorporation. The Aid Coordination Office evaluates the humanitarian needs in Global Aid Direct program areas of operation per request and/or needs of at-risk population and transforms findings into a written project and/or program document for submission to headquarters or the Resources Mobilization Office for funding solicitation. The Aid Coordination Office consists of the following key personnel; Country Director, Project Officer, Finance Officer, Administrative Officer and Logistics Officer. Other key personnel are hired per donor or project requirement.

Planning, Coordination, and Management Structures

At the national level a Project Steering Committee (PSC) chaired by head of the Aid Coordination Office and comprises of representatives from Civil Society constitutes the highest decision-making body for Project planning, identification, implementation, coordination and monitoring. At the District level a project field coordination and management unit refer to as the District Level Coordination and Management Unit (DLCMU), houses a Project Support Team (PST) to provide supervision, advice and technical support. Also at the national level, a Project Coordination and Management Unit (PCMU) host the Project Management Team (PMT). The PMT works with community members to identify, plan and implement identified, approved and funded projects.

We operate as a direct service provider - only in extreme emergencies and in cases where services cannot be satisfactorily provided through existing organizations or where local NGOs do not exist in the program execution area.

Manner of Implementation

Our work is conducted and monitor by Aid Coordination Offices set-up in our areas of operation. Programs are implemented through these Aid Coordination Offices either directly or in partnership with local people, NGOs and/or other aid agencies on the ground.

The following are the protocol by which Global Aid Direct processed proposals or requests and/or implement its projects and programs originated from local people, NGOs or Aid Coordination Offices/duty stations in its geographic focused areas:

The protocol distinguishes three classes of projects:

NORMAL - projects that are funded annually on a competitive basis.

TIME-CRITICAL - projects that should not wait for the annual review and funding

DEVELOPMENT - projects that are beyond the scope of our normal budget and require special resource development efforts.

Organizational Capacity

To accomplish its Mission, Global Aid Direct utilizes five components of organizational capacities to conduct its operations and improve on its performance.

Governance and Leadership

Global Aid Direct's Board of Directors is engaged and representative, with defined governance practices. The board effectively oversees the policies, programs, and organizational operations including review of achievement of strategic goals, financial status, and chief executive officer performance. Global Aid Direct is accomplished at recruiting, developing, and retaining capable staff and technical resources. Global Aid Direct's leadership is alert to changing community needs and realities.

Internal Operations and Management

Global Aid Direct has efficient and effective operations, and strong management support systems. Financial operations are responsibly managed and reflect sound accounting principles. Global Aid Direct utilizes information effectively for organizational and project management purposes. Assets, risk, and technology management are strong and appropriate to Global Aid Direct's purposes.

Program Delivery and Impact

Global Aid Direct operates programs that demonstrate tangible outcomes commensurate with the resources invested. Programs are high quality and well regarded. Global Aid Direct utilizes program evaluation results to inform its strategic goals. Global Aid Direct is working on setting mechanisms for assessing internal and external factors that affect achievement of goals.

Strategic Relationships

Global Aid Direct is respected and active participant and leader in the community, and maintains strong connections with its mission areas. Global Aid Direct participates in strategic alliances and partnerships that significantly advance their goals and expand their influence.

Resource Development

Global Aid Direct fight to secure support from a variety of sources to ensure that Global Aid Direct's revenues are diversified, stable, and sufficient for its mission and goals. The resource development plan is aligned with the mission, long-term goals, and strategic direction. Global Aid Direct has high visibility with key board members and staffs, and links clear, strategic messages to its resource development efforts.

Culture and Climate

Global Aid Direct Management models the behavior changes implicit in cultural transformation and “walks its talk” by providing numerous training and development opportunities. A mentoring program matches executives and employees, encouraging mutual trust and shared experience. Everyone who wants one has a career path.