Financials and Ethics

All members of the HOME Storytellers team are committed tell the stories of people who have been touched by effective solutions to the refugee crisis with accuracy and respect.

Ethics

Editorial Independence

We subscribe to standards of editorial independence adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News:
 

Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.

We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.

Our organization may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content. We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.

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Code of Ethics

HOME Storytellers’ creative team is accountable for upholding the following standards in their work:
 

1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.

2. Are not manipulated by staged photo opportunities.

3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one’s own biases in the work.

4. Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy.

5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.

6. Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images’ content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.

7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.

8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.

9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.

10. We have zero tolerance for sexual behavior with minors or harassment of colleagues, subordinates or subjects. We maintain the highest standards of behavior in all professional interactions.

Donor Transparency 

We are committed to transparency in every aspect of funding our organization. Accepting financial support does not mean we endorse donors or their products, services or opinions.

We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals, organizations and foundations to help with our general operations, coverage of specific topics, and special projects. Our news judgments are made independently – not based on or influenced by donors. We do not give supporters the rights to assign, review or edit content.

We will make public all donors who give $5,000 or more per year. As a nonprofit, we will not accept donations from anonymous sources, government entities, political parties, elected officials or candidates actively seeking public office. We will not accept donations from sources who, deemed by our board of directors, present a conflict of interest with our work or compromise our independence.

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Financials

HOME Storytellers is a program of Empowerment Works, Inc. A non-profit, tax-exempt organization based in Santa Barbara, California. Empowerment WORKS annual financial reports (990s) are available to the public at www.empowermentworks.org/financial-sustainability.html or at Guidestar.org

Conflict of Interest Policy 

For purposes of this provision, the term "interest" shall include personal interest, interest as director, officer, member, stockholder, shareholder, partner, manager, trustee or beneficiary of any concern and having an immediate family member who holds such an interest in any concern. The term "concern" shall mean any corporation, association, trust, partnership, limited liability entity, firm, person or other entity other than the organization.

No director or officer of the organization shall be disqualified from holding any office in the organization by reason of any interest in any concern. A director or officer of the organization shall not be disqualified from dealing, either as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, or contracting or entering into any other transaction with the organization or with any entity of which the organization is an affiliate. No transaction of the organization shall be voidable by reason of the fact that any director or officer of the organization has an interest in the concern with which such transaction is entered into, provided: 

The interest of such officer or director is fully disclosed to the board of directors. Such transaction is duly approved by the board of directors not so interested or connected as being in the best interests of the organization. Payments to the interested officer or director are reasonable and do not exceed fair market value. No interested officer or director may vote or lobby on the matter or be counted in determining the existence of a quorum at the meeting at which such transaction may be authorized.The minutes of meetings at which such votes are taken shall record such disclosure, abstention, and rationale for approval.

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