The Alliance for Healthier Communities is Ontario’s voice for community-governed primary health care. We share a strong commitment to advance health equity and recognize that access to the highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental human right. The Alliance, as well as our members, believe good health is much more than something you get in a medical clinic. We believe that better health begins in our homes, in our schools, in our workplaces, and in the communities where we live. Our goal is therefore to work towards a complete state of wellbeing for individuals, families and entire communities.
Our Vision
The best possible health and wellbeing for everyone in Ontario.
Our Mission
We champion transformative change to improve the health and wellbeing of people and communities facing barriers to health.
Our Values
Equity: We champion an equitable, inclusive and respectful primary health care system.
Leadership: We challenge the status quo with integrity and transparency and are catalysts for system innovation.
Collaboration: We embrace community-driven cooperation and partner to influence change.
Knowledge: We act and learn from a community-informed and evidence-based approach.
Our Strategic Directions:
- Champion health equity and population needs based planning and challenge systemic inequities to achieve improved health outcomes.
- Advance people-centred, high quality primary health care as the foundation of the universal and publicly funded health system to increase access to appropriate services, especially for populations facing barriers.
- Demonstrate the value and impact of the Model of Health and Wellbeing on the improved health outcomes and experience of people and communities.
- Advocate for appropriate policies, processes and resources to ensure members are equipped to operate healthy organizations and realize their potential as effective catalysts in system transformation.
Purpose of the Sponsorship and Fund Development Policy
The Alliance counts on the much-needed support of sponsors to fulfill its mission. This policy aims to help protect the integrity of the Alliance and its members by outlining standards in relation to funds or other valuable contributions solicited or received through sponsorship or fund development.
Principles
Soliciting Potential Sponsors and Donors:
- Fund development activities carried out by the Alliance will comply with all relevant laws.
- Any communications to the public or potential sponsors/donors made in the course of carrying out a fund development activity shall be truthful and non-deceptive.
- The Alliance will not engage in any fund development activities that involve discriminatory practices against any individual or group based on gender, sexual orientation, religious or political affiliation, citizenship, age, race or ethnicity, record of offences, disability, income or family status.
- As a charity, the Alliance does not, directly or indirectly, pay finder’s fees, commissions or percentage compensation based on contributions. The Alliance does not issue tax receipts for sponsorships. The Alliance does not sell its donor/sponsor list.
Selecting Potential Sponsors and Donors:
- Sponsorship and fund development activities and opportunities must not be inconsistent with the Alliance’s vision, mission, values and strategic directions.
- Donations/sponsorships will not be accepted if they are deemed to have originated from unlawful activities.
- The Alliance reserves the right to accept/decline any sponsors/donors/funders at its sole discretion.
Managing Confirmed Sponsors and Donors:
- The Alliance does not endorse, through acceptance of a sponsorship or fund development opportunity, the product, service or philosophy of the sponsor or donor.
- A sponsor or donor may not determine or influence the content of any program or service which the Alliance delivers.
- For pharmaceutical companies, educational materials are welcome. No free samples are allowed.
- The Alliance’s website does not host any form of advertisement. The Alliance has a dedicated page used to acknowledge sponsors using their logos, with no specific products named.
- The Alliance must approve all sponsors/donors, placement of sponsors, and reserves the right to reject, cancel or remove at any time any sponsorship for any reason. In such a case, prompt notice and a prorated refund will be provided.
Procedures:
The policy applies to all board members, staff, volunteers, and consultants who may solicit and receive sponsorship and fund development activities/opportunities on behalf of the Alliance.
Approval of Sponsorship and Fund Development Activities
Through Executive Limitations, the Chief Executive Officer has the authority to negotiate sponsorship and fund development opportunities on behalf of the Alliance. The Chief Executive Officer may designate members of staff to judge that acceptance of a specific sponsorship and/or fund development opportunity is within the intent of this policy and the policy principles/guidelines.
Rules of Conduct
Volunteers, board members, staff and consultants who solicit and receive sponsorship and fund development activities/opportunities on behalf of the Alliance must:
- have no vested interest that could result in personal gain;
- disclose immediately to the Alliance any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest;
- act with fairness, integrity, openness, and in accordance with all applicable legislation;
- discourage the reality or perception of conflict of interest between the Alliance and sources of any sponsorship or fund development resources, to the greatest extent possible; and
- avoid potential situations which might create undue or biased influence of any sponsor or donor over the programs, policy positions or resources of the Alliance.
Accepting Benefits from Sponsors or Donors
From time to time the Alliance Board or staff members will be invited to attend events where the cost is paid by a donor or sponsor. In such cases, transparency is crucial and approval will be sought.
- In the case of a staff member, from the CEO,
- In the case of a Board member, from the Chair of the Board,
- If broader approval is deemed necessary, the decision will be referred to the Board as a whole.
For more information, please contact Sandra Wong at sandra.wong@allianceON.org.