Overview

At Silem Foundation, we know that trust is earned.
Every dollar, every partnership, and every story we share carries a responsibility.

This page explains how we govern Silem, manage funds, choose suppliers, protect donors, and stay accountable to the communities we serve in Haiti and to the people who support us around the world.

1. Our Governance

Silem Foundation is a non-profit organization governed by an independent Board of Directors.
The Board provides oversight, approves strategy and budgets, and ensures that Silem stays aligned with its mission.

Key governance principles:

• Independent oversight – The Board supervises the Executive Director and reviews major decisions.

• Clear role separation – The Board governs; staff and local partners manage operations.

• Documented policies – Financial, procurement, safeguarding, and privacy policies guide our day-to-day work.

• Local leadership – Programs in Haiti are implemented with local school and community leadership.

We are committed to strengthening our governance in line with Canadian charity standards and international NGO best practices.

2. Financial Stewardship

We treat every contribution as a trust.

How we manage funds

• Board-approved annual budget

• Spending limits and approval thresholds (no one person decides everything)

• Two-signature rule for major payments and transfers

• Separate tracking of:

  • Program costs

  • Administrative costs

  • Restricted vs. unrestricted donor funds

Reporting

• Internal monthly tracking of income and expenses

• Quarterly financial reviews with the Board

• Annual financial summary available to donors and partners upon request

We work to be audit-ready, even when we are not legally required to have a full external audit yet.

3. Procurement Standards 

Whether we are buying school supplies, food, or equipment, we follow clear procurement rules to ensure fairness, value, and integrity.

Our procurement principles

• Transparency – Clear records of what we buy and from whom

• Value for money – Comparing options to use funds wisely

• Competition – Multiple quotes for larger purchases

• Local impact – Prioritizing responsible local suppliers where possible

• No conflicts of interest – People involved in decisions cannot benefit personally

Procurement thresholds 

• Small purchases: low-value, everyday items with receipts

• Medium purchases: multiple quotes and documented approval

• Large purchases: formal review and Board-level approval

In emergencies (for example, security or access issues in Haiti), we may use emergency procurement, but we always document the decision and inform the Board.

4. Donor Privacy & Rights

We are committed to protecting your personal information and respecting your choices.

Your privacy

• We do not sell, trade, or share donor personal information with other organizations without consent.

• Information you provide is used only for:

  • Processing donations and issuing receipts

  • Communicating with you about impact and opportunities to support

  • Meeting legal and regulatory requirements

Your rights as a donor

You have the right to:

• Know how your gift is being used

• Receive honest and timely information about our work

• Request that your gift remain anonymous

• Opt out of some or all communications

• Access and correct your personal information

• Express concerns and receive a response

If you would like to update your preferences or ask questions about your information, please contact us at info@silemfoundation.org

5. Safeguarding & Ethics

Because we work with children, families, and vulnerable communities, safeguarding is non-negotiable.

We are committed to:

• Maintaining a child protection and safeguarding policy

• Ensuring staff, volunteers, and partners treat every child with dignity and respect

• Refusing to use images or stories that exploit or disrespect the people we serve

• Taking any concern or allegation seriously and acting promptly

Community trust is at the center of everything we do.

6. How We Use Your Gift

Our goal is to ensure that each contribution creates real, measurable impact.

Examples of what your support can enable:

• Supporting teachers and school operations

• Providing learning materials and basic school infrastructure

• Improving nutrition and health-related support so children can learn

• Building community resilience around the school

When you give to a specific program, we respect that intent and allocate funds accordingly.
When you give to “where most needed”, we use your gift strategically to respond to the most pressing priorities while keeping programs running effectively.

7. Documents & Policies

As Silem grows, we are committed to making key documents publicly available, such as:

• Annual financial summary

• Governance and financial policies

• Safeguarding and child protection commitment

• Donor privacy and rights policy

If you would like to review a specific policy or document, please contact us at info@silemfoundation.org, and we will be happy to share what is available.

8. Questions, Concerns, or Feedback

Transparency is not a page on a website; it is a relationship.

If you:

• Have questions about how funds are used

• Want more detail on a program or project

• Notice something that doesn’t feel right

• Have suggestions to improve our accountability

Please contact us at:

info@silemfoundation.org