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A: Resource Exchange International (REI) is a nonsectarian, charitable, and educational 501(c)(3) organization. Our mission is to engage, encourage, equip, and empower people in emerging nations to strengthen the strategic sectors of their countries. We believe in “building people to build nations,” as our motto states, and that by “building people” of influence, entire communities and nations can be changed for the better. We are financially supported by monetary and material donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other non-profit organizations. We have been in the “people-building” business since our incorporation as a U.S. not-for-profit organization in 1990 and are headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Our mailing address is: REI, Inc. 5446 N. Academy Blvd., Suite 202, Colorado Springs, CO 80918.
A: Donations can be made directly to REI by check or money order, or by electronic check or credit card through PayPal, First Giving, or Network for Good by visiting our donate page. Checks and money orders can be mailed to: REI, Inc. 5446 N. Academy Blvd., Suite 202, Colorado Springs, CO 80918. Donations can be made in your own name, in memory of a loved one, or in honor of someone you know. REI accepts bequest gifts and donations can also be made through employer gift-matching programs. For further information, see our donate page.
A: Donations to specific programs, projects, or people can be specified on our donate page.
The use of the funds remains at the discretion of REI.
A: REI is a nonprofit organization and contributions are tax-deductible under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
A: REI offers international service opportunities for volunteer professionals and uncompensated internships at the REI Global Headquarters in Colorado Springs. REI specializes in international humanitarian development, including English language training & curriculum development, executive leadership & management training, medical & business training, agricultural, economic, and sustainable development. Serving with REI is a life-changing opportunity for both you and the nationals we serve. Visit our get involved page for more information.
A: REI’s field staff members are “self-funded.” They are required to raise their own financial backing through sponsorships by individuals, foundations, churches, or other not-for-profit associations.
A: REI, Inc. is a US tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our Board of Directors, who serve on a voluntary basis, guide the mission and purpose of the organization, provide financial oversight, and ensure that REI, Inc. is managed effectively and in compliance with legal and ethical standards. Day-to-day management is the responsibility of the President & Chief Executive Officer, who reports to the Board of Directors.
A: REI’s annual financial information is freely available for public review below.
Fiscal Year Annual Reports
Fiscal Year Federal Forms 990
Fiscal Year Audited Financials
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Resource Exchange International, Inc. maintains the highest level of respect and gratitude for its donors. Accordingly, we are committed to honoring our donors’ rights and privacy, as stated in our Donor Privacy Policy below. Please read this policy to become familiar with the ways we actively seek to protect our donors’ personal and financial information.
Our Commitment to Your Security
Personal information our donors provide to us, such as the amount they have donated, their address, their telephone number, their donor comments, and their email address, will never be shared with a third party. Our donors’ personal information is secure and confidential. Only authorized employees who have agreed to this policy have access to this information. We will never publish, sell, trade, rent or share this information with parties outside of REI, except in the rare case of suspected fraud or unless released by you for publication. In that case, we will provide pertinent information to government agencies and/or companies contracted to assist us in fraud prevention and investigation, as permitted by law. Such information will not be provided to these companies for marketing purposes, but only for the protection of our donors and our organization.
REI staff assumes donations are never to be publicly announced unless a donor specifically requests this or unless a donor approves that their name be released for an REI publication, such as in our annual report.
REI’s Use of Personal Information
REI will use donor contact information (email, telephone number, and address) for these purposes only:
–To distribute receipts for donations
–To thank donors for their donation
–To inform donors about upcoming fundraising events and other REI activities
–For internal analysis and record-keeping
–To report accurately and fully to relevant federal and state agencies (these reports are not for public inspection)
–To contact donors about changes to this policy
Additionally, if a donor has made a donation to REI, whether to the REI general fund, to a specific REI staff member, or to an REI program, we will add that donor to our mailing list. Our monthly mailings share stories of REI’s work around the world with our donors and friends. A donor may opt out of this mailing at any time.
Any other information our donors provide will only be used by REI to fulfill our donors’ specific requests.
Financial Information and Decision-Making
All access to donor financial information is strictly limited to those REI staff members who personally process this data. There are multiple levels of accountability in place for processing donations and donors’ personal information. None of our donors’ personal or financial information is given to any person, organization, or group who does not need it for specific REI use.
REI uses online payment processing services with strong reputations for security. REI does not store, or have access to, donor credit card information, bank account numbers, or other account data that our donors send to these processing centers.
Donations made to REI are deposited into the correct accounts within three weeks of receipt. If at any time an REI project ends, prior to the receipt of a gift designated to that project, REI will return new project-specific donations to the donor. If there is money remaining in the project account from previously-received donations, REI reserves the right to transfer the money to the account of a similar project or to use it any way that REI deems acceptable and appropriate.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about our privacy policy, or if you’d like to be removed from our contact list, please contact us at office@reiinc.org or call 1-800-481-2201. You may also write to us at: Resource Exchange International, Inc., 5446 N. Academy Blvd., Suite 202, Colorado Springs, CO 80918 USA
We reserve the right to make changes to this policy. We will alert our donors to any changes to this policy.
Donor Bill of Rights
Resource Exchange International, Inc. subscribes to the Donor Bill of Rights below. The text of this statement in its entirety was developed by the American Association of Fundraising Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and National Society of Fundraising Executives (NSFRE).
“Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have the full confidence in the not-for-profit organizations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:
1. To be informed of the organization’s mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes;
2. 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;
3. To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements;
4. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given;
5. To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition;
6. To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law;
7. To expect that all relationships within individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature;
8. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors;
9. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share;
10. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.”
Purpose
As an organization committed to the benefit of others above self, Resource Exchange International, Inc. (REI, Inc.) requires individuals responsible for the governance, management, and leadership of the organization to advance the interests of REI, Inc. over any interests that are adverse to REI, Inc.
Scope
This Policy shall apply to each REI, Inc. Board of Director or Corporate Officer. Collectively, these individuals shall be referred to herein as “Covered Individual.”
Summary
This Policy is designed to protect the interests of the organization and assist each Covered Individual (1) in fulfilling his/her fiduciary duties to REI, Inc., (2) in maintaining a standard of integrity expected by the general public of a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, and (3) in satisfying the legal requirements imposed by federal, state, and local governments, including state corporation law and the Internal Revenue Code.
Conflict of Interest/Corporate Opportunity
A Conflict of Interest exists when a Covered Individual has the potential to benefit personally at the expense of REI, Inc. or has a Fiduciary Duty to a Related Party that may prevent him/her from acting in the best interests of REI, Inc. Without limitation, a Conflict of Interest occurs when a Covered Individual has a Direct or Indirect Interest in a Related Party. The terms “Fiduciary Duty,” “Direct Interest,” “Indirect Interest,” and “Related Party” are all defined terms (see Definitions later in this document).
A corporate Opportunity is an opportunity that is related to REI, Inc. present or prospective activities.
Policy
REI, Inc. shall not enter into any transaction or agreement in which a Covered Individual has a Conflict of Interest unless, and until, the transaction or agreement has been approved by the Disinterested Members of the Board of Directors, after full transaction or agreement is fair to, and in the best interest of REI, Inc.
Furthermore, no Covered Individual shall appropriate a Corporate Opportunity of REI, Inc. without first obtaining the permission of the Disinterested Members of the Board of Directors.
Duty to Disclose
Each Covered Individual has the duty to identify and disclose any Conflict of Interest, whether actual or reasonably likely, that he/she may have.
To comply with this disclosure duty, each Covered Individual shall scrutinize his/her interests with any Related Party to identify any Conflict of Interest. Each Covered Individual shall annually make a written disclosure of any Conflict of Interest by completing the Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form that is provided at the end of this Policy. The Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form shall be submitted to the Board of Directors annually no later than thirty (30) days following the annual meeting of the Board of Directors.
Members of the Board of Directors shall amend their Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form if at any time during the year a Conflict of Interest arises that has not been previously disclosed. The Covered Individual shall provide such updates as soon as possible, but in no event later than thirty (30) days after the date that the Covered Individual becomes aware of the Conflict of Interest.
The information disclosed on the Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form shall be treated as confidential by REI, Inc. and shall not be disclosed except to the extent disclosure is required to consider a Conflict of Interest or for any other legitimate business purpose as determined in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors.
Further Duties
If any Board member reasonably believes that REI, Inc. is about to enter into a transaction or agreement in which a Conflict of Interest exists or may exist, and which has not been previously disclosed to the Board of Directors, then the Covered Individual shall immediately disclose to the Board of Directors all material facts regarding such transaction or agreement.
If any Covered Individual becomes aware that another Covered Individual has appropriated, or may appropriate, a Corporate Opportunity that has not been previously disclosed to the Board of Directors, then the Covered Individual shall immediately disclose to the Board of Directors all material facts related to the Corporate Opportunity.
In the event that any Conflict of Interest or appropriation of Corporate Opportunity is disclosed to the Board of Directors as provided in paragraphs (a) or (b) or this section, then all members of the Board of Directors shall be appropriately informed. The Covered Individual with the Conflict of Interest, or involved with the appropriation of Corporate Opportunity, shall be given the opportunity to disclose and otherwise explain the Conflict of Interest or appropriation of Corporate Opportunity, including any reasons why he/she may believe that this Policy is not applicable. The Board of Directors shall then review and approve or reject the Conflict of Interest or Corporate Opportunity in accordance with this Policy and take any corrective measures as necessary.
Any Covered Individual who has a Conflict of Interest, or wishes to appropriate a Corporate Opportunity, must make himself/herself available to the Disinterested Members to answer any questions and disclose any additionally relevant information regarding such transaction, agreement, or Corporate Opportunity.
Compliance Mechanism
The Board of Directors will ultimately determine whether a conflict of interest exists and take the appropriate steps to remove the Covered Individual’s involvement with the transaction(s) in question.
Disclaimer
This Policy supersedes all previous oral or written communication, representations, understanding, undertakings and agreements by or with any entity within REI, Inc.
Definitions:
Covered Individual - A REI, Inc. Board of Director or Corporate Officer
Direct Interests – Each Covered Individual having a personal, equitable, legal, or fiduciary interest in a Related Party will be considered as having a direct interest in the Related Party.
–Owning stock or holding debt or other proprietary interests in the Related Party
–Holding office in, serving on the board of directors of,, participating in the management of, being otherwise employed by, or otherwise serving as an agent or representative of the Related Party
–Receiving remuneration for services with respect to individual transactions between the Related Party and REI, Inc.
–Receiving personal gifts or loans from the Related Party
Disinterested Member – A person or group of persons that do not maintain direct or indirect interests in the related party(ies), can make decisions that protect the best interest of REI, Inc. regarding any transactions with such parties.
Fiduciary Duty – Each Covered Individual will be considered to have an indirect interest in a Related Party or transaction if any of the following apply:
–A family member of a Covered Individual (family member is defined for these purposes as all persons related by blood or marriage
–An estate or trust of which a Covered Individual or member of his/her family is a beneficiary, personal representative, or trustee
–A company of which a family member of a Covered Individual is an officer, vice president, director, fund manager, or employee, or in which he/she has ownership or other proprietary interest
Related Party – Any individual, firm, organization, or corporation with whom REI, Inc. purchases goods or services; leases property or equipment; deals with, or plans to deal with, in connection with contributions such as, but not limited to, the gift, purchase, or sale of real estate, securities, or other property; contributions to or from other non-profit organizations, donors, others supporting the organization, or agencies, organizations, or associations that affect the operations of the organization.
A whistleblower, as defined by this policy, is a staff member(1) of Resource Exchange International, Inc. (REI) who suspects or observes activity that he/she considers to be illegal or dishonest with regard to the business activities or interests of REI and reports the matter (‘blows the whistle’) to an appropriate authority within or without REI. The whistleblower is not responsible for investigating the activity or for determining fault or corrective measures; appropriate management officials are charged with these responsibilities.
Examples (but not an exhaustive list) of illegal or dishonest activities are violations of federal, state or local laws; billing for services not performed or for goods not delivered; and other fraudulent financial reporting.
If a staff member has knowledge of or a concern about illegal or dishonest, fraudulent activity, the staff member is to contact his/her immediate supervisor or the Director of Operations. The staff member must exercise sound judgment to avoid baseless allegations. A staff member who intentionally submits a false report of wrongdoing will be subject to discipline up to and including termination.
Whistleblower protections are provided in two important areas: To preserve confidentiality and avoid retaliation by REI against the staff member. Insofar as possible, the confidentiality of the whistleblower will be maintained. However, identity may have to be disclosed to conduct a thorough investigation, to comply with the law, or to provide accused individuals of their legal rights of defense. REI will not retaliate against a whistleblower. This includes, but is not limited to, protection from retaliation in the form of an adverse employment action such as termination, compensation decreases, poor work assignments, or threats of physical harm. Any whistleblower who believes he/she is being retaliated against must contact the Director of Operations immediately. The right of a whistleblower for protection against retaliation does not include immunity for any personal wrongdoing that is alleged and investigated.
A staff member with any question regarding this policy should contact the Director of Operations. All reports of illegal or dishonest activities will be promptly submitted to the Director of Operations who is responsible for investigating and coordinating corrective action.
(1) A staff member is defined as an employee, an employee of another organization under contract to REI, an associate, or a volunteer.
Philosophy and Objectives
Resource Exchange International’s (REI) primary objective in establishing this policy is to provide a reasonable and competitive chief executive total compensation package consistent with local market-based compensation comparisons for individuals possessing the experience and skills needed to improve the overall performance of the organization.
The organization’s chief executive compensation package is designed to:
–Encourage the attraction and retention of a high-caliber Chief Executive Officer.
–Provide a competitive total compensation package, including benefits.
–Ensure that total compensation is perceived to be fair and equitable.
–Be flexible to reward individual accomplishment as well as organizational success.
–Ensure that the program is easy to explain, understand, and administer.
–Balance the need to be competitive within the limits of available financial resources.
–Ensure that the program complies with state and federal legislation.
Program Market Position
While REI shall focus primarily on comparable local nonprofit organizations to benchmark compensation, it is also understood that the market for executive talent may be broader than the local group. Market information from regional market segments, private foundations, and published not-for-profit compensation surveys may be used to supplement locally gathered information. Together with data from the comparable local organizations, data from these market segments will be used to form a “market composite” to assess the competitiveness of compensation.
In general, REI will position the total chief executive compensation package, including benefits, at the median of the surveyed market. The program shall be flexible enough so that compensation can be above or below the median based on experience, performance, and need to attract and retain specific talent.
Governance and Procedures
REI’s chief executive compensation package shall be administered by a finance committee of the board of directors appointed for this task. This committee shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining a competitive compensation program for the Chief Executive. The committee shall meet as necessary to review the compensation package and make change recommendations to the board of directors, as appropriate.
The finance committee shall bi-annually review REI’s chief executive compensation package against the competitive market, timed to coincide with the bi-annual reappointment of the Chief Executive to his/ her position. This evaluation shall be conducted prior to the annual meeting of the board of directors at which the Chief Executive is next scheduled to be re-appointed and is intended to ensure that the compensation package falls within a reasonable range of competitive market practices for comparable positions among similarly situated organizations.
The finance committee shall require an annual review of the Chief Executive by the executive committee (minus the Chief Executive Officer), and shall determine fair and equitable annual performance bonuses and/or bi-annual raises based on the recommendation of the executive committee.
The finance committee shall review the above information as required and recommend an approved compensation package for the Chief Executive to the board of directors.
Contract Employee as Chief Executive
In the event that the Chief Executive of REI is a contract employee, salaried by another agency, the seconding agency shall establish the total chief executive compensation package, fulfill the responsibilities normally assigned to the above-mentioned finance committee, and pay all salary and benefits. The seconding agency’s recommendations shall be considered by the board of directors to be those of the finance committee, and shall be voted upon as if they were forwarded from the finance committee.
If deemed appropriate, the finance committee of the board of directors may recommend to the board an annual bonus payment based on performance, if supported by the executive committee’s annual progress review. A bonus will be paid as miscellaneous 1099 income.
Non-compensated (volunteer) Chief Executive
In the event that the Chief Executive of REI is a retiree, or a volunteer executive contributing his/her time to REI, the finance committee of the board of directors has no responsibility to determine an executive compensation package.
If deemed appropriate, the finance committee may recommend to the board an annual bonus payment based on performance, if supported by the executive committee’s annual progress review. A bonus will be paid as miscellaneous 1099 income.
A: You can contact REI by calling (719) 598-0559 with any questions or comments. The office is open from 8am to 5pm MST Monday-Friday. Or you can email us at office@reiinc.org.
Records Retention Policy
This Policy represents Resource Exchange International, Inc.’s (REI, Inc.) policy regarding the retention and disposal of records and electronic documents.
Administration
Attached as Appendix A is a Record Retention Schedule that is approved as the initial maintenance, retention, and disposal schedule for physical records of REI, Inc. and electronic documents. The Director of Operations (the “Administrator”) is the officer in charge of the administration of this Policy and the implementation of processes and procedures to ensure that the Record Retention Schedule is followed. The Administrator is also authorized to: make modifications to the Record Retention Schedule from time to time to ensure that it is in compliance with local, state, and federal laws and includes the appropriate document and record categories for REI, Inc.; monitor local, state, and federal laws affecting record retention; annually review the record retention and disposal program; and monitor compliance with this Policy.
Suspension of Record Disposal in Event of Litigation or Claims
In the event REI, Inc. is served with any subpoena or request for documents or any employee becomes aware of a governmental investigation or audit concerning REI, Inc. or the commencement of any litigation against or concerning REI, Inc., such employee shall inform the Administrator and any further disposal of documents shall be suspended until such time as the Administrator, with the advice of counsel, determines otherwise. The Administrator shall take such steps as is necessary to promptly inform all staff of any suspension in the further disposal of documents.
Applicability
This Policy applies to all physical and electronic records generated in the course of REI, Inc.’s operation, including both original documents and reproductions.
This Policy was reviewed by the Executive Committee of REI, Inc. and forwarded with recommendation of approval to the Board of Directors of REI, Inc. on 20 July 2010.