Compensation, Stipend, Honorarium, and Reimbursement Policy

Heritage & Opportunity Alliance, Inc.

Effective date: Upon Board Adoption
Approved by: Board of Directors
Applies to: Directors, officers, committees, advisory members, volunteers, employees, contractors, partners, and program participants as applicable

Purpose

This Policy governs compensation, stipends, honorariums, contractor fees, consultant fees, wages, program payments, and reimbursements paid by Heritage & Opportunity Alliance, Inc..

Scope

This Policy applies to directors, officers, founders, employees, contractors, consultants, artists, instructors, speakers, mentors, coaches, volunteers, committee members, advisory members, program participants, youth participants, interns, apprentices, and related parties.

General Rule

The corporation may pay reasonable compensation, stipends, honorariums, contractor fees, consultant fees, wages, program payments, or reimbursements only when approved, documented, mission-aligned, and made in furtherance of exempt purposes. No person shall receive compensation merely because of title, position, influence, relationship, affiliation, committee service, advisory status, or access to the corporation.

Calculation of Compensation

Compensation shall be calculated using one or more reasonable and documented methods, including comparable nonprofit roles, consultant rates, instructor rates, artist fees, youth-worker rates, event-staffing rates, contractor rates, local or regional market data, scope of work, time required, skill level, responsibility, risk, preparation, deliverables, program value, approved budget, grant restrictions, sponsorship terms, and available funds. The Board may adopt written compensation schedules, stipend schedules, reimbursement rates, honorarium ranges, or program budgets.

Documentation

Payments must be supported by written agreements, invoices, timesheets, stipend forms, participant forms, contractor agreements, grant budgets, deliverables, receipts, or other records showing the work performed, service delivered, or expense incurred.

Board Service

Board service itself is generally voluntary. A director may be paid for separate professional, instructional, consulting, artistic, programmatic, administrative, or contractor services only if the services are real, necessary, reasonable, documented, approved by disinterested directors, and beyond ordinary board duties.

Participant and Youth Stipends

Program participants, youth participants, interns, apprentices, artists, speakers, facilitators, instructors, coaches, mentors, or community contributors may receive stipends, honorariums, gift cards, scholarships, supplies, transportation support, meals, or other program benefits when allowed by law, permitted by funder restrictions, approved through procedures, and designed to advance exempt purposes.

Records

The Secretary, Treasurer, or other Board-authorized records officer shall maintain records created under this Policy according to the Records Retention and Document Control Policy. Records may include approvals, disclosures, invoices, receipts, reports, correspondence, minutes, incident reports, releases, agreements, restricted-fund logs, or other supporting documents.

Violations

Violations of this Policy may result in corrective action, reassignment, removal from a committee or volunteer role, termination of a contract, repayment, report to the Board, or other action permitted by law and organizational policy. Retaliation against a person who raises a good-faith concern is prohibited.

Review and Amendment

This Policy may be reviewed at least annually and may be amended by the Board of Directors. The Board may adopt more detailed procedures, forms, checklists, and approval schedules consistent with this Policy.

Board Adoption

This Policy is adopted by the Board of Directors and remains in effect until amended, replaced, or rescinded by the Board.

Policy 013

The webpage above presents the complete policy text for accessible reading. The official PDF is retained for printing and formal records.