Purpose & Criteria:

To uphold the integrity of our mission to be the voice and active force for a healthy scenic Rappahannock River, we carefully evaluate all corporate contributions to ensure alignment with our environmental values.  

All corporate engagements must meet the Criteria of Corporate Engagement.

Criteria of Corporate Engagement:  

• Mission Alignment: All corporate gifts must align with FOR’s mission to act as the voice and active force for a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River. Their investment must have a defined, tangible benefit to the conservation of the Rappahannock River Watershed within a measurable timeframe.
• Endorsement: Friends of the Rappahannock’s relationship with a corporation is in no way an implied or real endorsement of a corporation or industry. 
• Transparency: Friends of the Rappahannock will maintain public transparency regarding corporate investments and any potential restrictions or influences on projects and programs resulting from corporate engagement.
  • Legal Compliance: All corporate donations must be transparently disclosed and reported per relevant laws and regulations. 
  • Cooperative Communications: A communications strategy will accompany any accepted corporate gift of significant size or public interest, ensuring proactive transparency with stakeholders and the public.
• Independence: Acceptance of corporate gifts must not compromise the sovereignty or integrity of FOR’s programs, activities, or decision-making processes.
• Ethical Conduct & Considerations: All corporate donations must be obtained and managed ethically, without the expectation of preferential treatment or influence over FOR’s activities. FOR reserves the right to decline corporate gifts that conflict with its values, principles, or interests.
• Public Trust: Acceptance of corporate gifts must not damage FOR’s reputation or public trust.
• Due Diligence: FOR will conduct due diligence on potential corporate donors and their gift(s), to assess their reputation, financial stability, and alignment with FOR’s mission and values.

Types of Corporate Gifts:

• Cash Contributions: Monetary donations from corporations.
• In-Kind Donations: Non-monetary contributions, such as goods, services, or expertise.
• Sponsorships: Corporate support for specific events, programs, or projects, typically in exchange for recognition or benefits.
• Cause Marketing: Collaborative initiatives between FOR and corporations to promote social or environmental causes.
• Employee Matching Gifts: Programs offered by corporations to match their employees’ charitable contributions to eligible nonprofit organizations. Corporate matching gifts effectively double the impact of employee donations and encourage greater philanthropic engagement. Generally not subject to this policy. 

Conditional Gift Acceptance:

In certain cases, Friends of the Rappahannock may accept corporate gifts that carry reputational or ethical complexities, provided that acceptance of the gift includes clearly defined conditions that uphold FOR’s mission, independence, and public trust.

Conditional acceptance may include, but is not limited to:

• Requiring public transparency or acknowledgment of the gift’s source and terms;
• Establishing clear boundaries to prevent donor influence on FOR’s programs or policies;
• Jointly developing and approving public messaging or press releases;
• Using the gift exclusively for initiatives that align with FOR’s mission and advocacy priorities;
• Committing to public engagement or stakeholder input before and after acceptance.

These conditions will be documented in a written agreement and communications strategy with the corporate donor and approved by the Executive Director and/or Board of Directors as part of the final decision process.

Conflicts of Interest:

Friends of the Rappahannock employees, volunteers, or board members must disclose any conflicts of interest related to corporate donations and refrain from voting where a conflict exists.

Review and Amendment:

This policy will be periodically reviewed and updated to reflect changes in laws, regulations, or organizational needs by the Executive Directors and the Board of Directors.

Last Updated November 2025

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