Guiding Principles

• We will, in all circumstances, act with honesty, integrity and openness.

• We will recognize the worth and dignity of all people by relating to others with respect and affirmation.

• We will do all in our power to perform on every commitment we make.

• We will strive for the highest level of excellence attainable in all our projects.

• We will limit our projects to those that empower people to do for themselves thereby avoiding dependence.

• We will always seek for the strategic leverage points that will multiply the value of our investment of people, time and money.

• We will partner with others who share our values and passions.

• We will conduct partnership projects in ways that fully recognize and honor the role of our partners.

• We will solicit donations with the utmost adherence to highest of legal and moral standards.

• We will use all designated gifts only for the project for which they were designated unless explicitly authorized by the donor to redirect those funds.

• We will make all operational decisions with a bias for minimizing cost thereby reserving a maximum amount of resources for direct investment in our projects.

• We will make all personnel decisions with a bias for volunteers.

• We will hire staff when excellence, efficiency or the need for specific expertise dictates and will treat them fairly in all respects.

• We will recruit the strongest Board possible and will abide by the collective wisdom and insight of the Board.