Section 1 - Establishment, Authority, Purpose, and Operations
Section 2 - The Board of Directors
Section 3 - Finance
Section 4 - Meetings
Section 5 - Grants to Female Graduate Students
Section 6 - Approving and Discontinuing Programs and Projects Funded by the Foundation

Section 1 Establishment, Authority, Purpose, and Operations
1.1	The Procedures which follow have been approved by the Board of Directors on the dates indicated on the pages. The Procedures are intended to provide to the Board of Directors standard procedures for carrying out the operations of the Soroptimist Foundation of Canada. These procedures do not in any way replace, augment, or amend the Bylaws of the Foundation.
1.2	In addition to the Procedures, reference should be made to the Bylaws of the Soroptimist Foundation of Canada, the Letters Patent of SFC, and the laws of Canada governing charitable foundations.
1.3	These Procedures may be amended at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or by a mail ballot of the Board members.
1.4	When the initials “SFC” or the word “Foundation” appear in this document they shall mean “the Soroptimist Foundation of Canada”.
1.5	Purpose of the Soroptimist Foundation of Canada The Soroptimist Foundation of Canada was chartered as a Corporation by Letters Patent on June 28, 1963,
1.5.1	to provide bursaries, scholarships and fellowships to Canadian students and Canadian schools, colleges and universities for the advancement of education and in particular to further the appreciation of social needs, the study of community, national and international problems, the study of education and education methods;
1.5.2	to provide Canadians grants for research or recognition of achievement in the advancement of education;
1.5.3	to provide financial assistance for the advancement of education projects or charitable organizations in Canada.
1.6	Annual Expenditure The SFC is required to spend at least eighty percent of its income in each fiscal year for the above purposes.
1.7	Operations of SFC The day-to-day management of the business affairs of SFC is the responsibility of the Board of Directors, in keeping with the Bylaws of SFC, the laws of Canada (particularly the rules and regulations of Industry Canada and any other ministries which apply to not-for-profit organizations and foundations), and the direction given by the general membership of SFC and recorded in minutes of Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings.
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Section 2 The Board of Directors
2.1	Nomination and Election The Secretary (or, in her absence, another Director as directed by the Chair) shall mail requests for nominations for any elected positions of Director which are vacant or will become vacant on July 1st. The requests are mailed to Canadian clubs which are in good standing with the Soroptimist International of the Americas. A copy of the request is also sent to Directors, for information only. The request shall be accompanied by a Nomination Form, which shall provide space for the consent of the candidate, the name of her club, affirmation by the club which is nominating the person that she is an active member in good standing. The Nomination Form shall require that a typewritten statement not to exceed one page must be attached, completed by the nominee, providing her classification, business and professional experience, length of membership in Soroptimist, Soroptimist positions held, and any additional professional and personal data she deems relevant. The statement is to be signed by the candidate.The request shall d remind clubs that no Soroptimist may hold more than one elected position at any level in the Soroptimist International organization at the same time. The request for nominations is to be mailed to clubs at least (six) eight months prior to the date the Director will take office (if this is a replacement for a Director who is completing a term). If this is to fill a vacancy on the Board which has or will occur for any other reason, the request shall go out as quickly as possible in the circumstances. The request for nomination shall indicate the deadline for receipt of nominations, and such date shall be at least six weeks after the date of mailing the request. After the deadline for receipt of nominations, the Secretary (or other Director who is conducting the nomination and election procedures) shall prepare a Ballot for each vacancy. The Ballot shall list, in alphabetical order, the candidates who have been nominated, provided they are eligible. For each candidate, the following information shall be provided: name, club, classification, and the statement not to exceed one page describing business or professional experience, and Soroptimist background. The Secretary (or other Director who is conducting the nomination and election procedures) shall mail each Ballot to every Member of the Soroptimist Foundation of Canada (both clubs and individuals as stipulated in the Bylaws). The deadline for receipt of the completed Ballot (not less than six weeks after the date it is mailed) shall be stipulated in writing. If more than one Ballot has been distributed, Members may complete and return none, or some, or all of them.) Ballots may be returned by mail, FAX, in person, or any other method the Member chooses. If FAX is used, the original document will be delivered by mail as soon as possible. Only ballots received by the deadline will be considered. The Secretary (or other Director who is conducting the election procedure) shall count the votes together with two other Soroptimists from her club or a nearby club, who shall be appointed by the Chair. A tally shall be prepared, showing votes cast for each candidate and spoiled ballots. This information shall be mailed or FAXed to the Chair (or the Treasurer, in the absence of a Chair) who will inform the successful candidates of their election. The Chair shall also inform the Board of Directors, Members of SFC, SIA, and unsuccessful candidates of the names of the newly-elected Board Members. If there is a tie, and a re-balloting is required, new ballots will be prepared and sent out by the Secretary (or the Director who conducted the first balloting) in accordance with the regular procedures, indicated above. If, on the Ballot which resulted in the tie, there were more than two candidates, then only the top candidates (who received the tie vote) will be listed on the new Ballot.
2.2	Orientation of New Members When the Chair (or, in her absence, the Treasurer) contacts a newly-elected Director, she will inform her of the date and location of the first meeting (or telephone conference) of the Board of Directors which will take place after she takes office. She will ensure she is provided with copies of the Letters Patent, the Bylaws, the Procedures Manual, the History, the Minutes of Board of Directors’ meetings, Annual General Meetings, and Special General Meetings for the previous four years, the latest audited Financial Statement, the roster of Directors, and any other information about SFC and its operation pertinent to her responsibilities.
2.3	Bonding It is desirable that Directors be bonded to protect against losses incurred in lawsuits relating to due diligence. The Board shall attempt to find appropriate coverage at reasonable cost.
2.4	Election of Officers and Assignment of Special Tasks At least once per calendar year, (prior to June 30, to take effect on July 1 of the same year), as a first point of business at a meeting of the Board of Directors, elections for the positions of Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be held. The Chair will inquire of those present who is interested in standing for each office, in the order listed above. (If a Director is unable to attend the meeting she shall be contacted by the Chair by telephone before the election is held, to ascertain her interest in any of the positions.) For each office, in the above order, all Directors present will be asked to vote by voice or show of hands. (If a Director requests it, the election shall be conducted by ballot.) Note: It is the usual practice for a Director from the eastern part of Canada to look after the Grants for Women from that part of the country and, similarly, for a Director from the western part of Canada to look after the Grants there. These tasks may be kept in mind when deciding on officers, although there is no formal requirement in this respect. Officers take office on July 1 following election or, if a vacancy exists at the time of the election, immediately.
2.5	Responsibilities of Directors
2.5.1	Arrange for Annual General Meetings, as required.
2.5.2	Arrange for Special General Meetings, as required.
2.5.3	Manage the day-to-day business affairs of SFC
2.5.4	Communicate with Canadian Soroptimist clubs and Soroptimists, and with Regional Governors and Boards, on a regular basis, explaining and promoting SFC, apprising them of its goals, and encouraging knowledge, interest, and active participation in its affairs.
2.5.5	Promote fund-raising for the Foundation, including all types of personal donations (and the Maple Leaf Club), club donations, outside donations.
2.5.6	Arrange for appropriate planning sessions of the Members and all Canadian Soroptimists, to discuss appropriate future directions for SFC.
2.5.7	Maintain awareness of the goals and objectives of Soroptimist International and Soroptimist International of the Americas.
2.5.8	Maintain an up-to-date Procedures Manual, which shall include duties of board members, and timelines.
2.5.9	Regularly review the Bylaws to ensure that they are current.
2.5.10	Maintain an up-to-date history of SFC.
2.5.11	Maintain appropriate records and secure archives.
2.5.12	Conduct regular information and training sessions for new Board members, ensuring that all understand their duties, responsibilities, and potential liabilities.
2.5.13	Review on a regular basis the programs supported by the SFC, assessing their congruence with the aims and objects of SFC and Soroptimist generally , their impact on society, particularly on women and girls, their cost-benefit ratio, and recommend amendments or discontinuance of programs as appropriate.
2.5.14	Arrange for research of possible future projects which fit the purposes of SFC, the goals and objectives of Soroptimist International and Soroptimist International of the Americas, and the needs of Canadian society.
2.6	Duties of Officers
2.6.1	The Chair is the responsible for ensuring that meetings of the Board of Directors, Annual General Meetings, and Special General Meetings are convened as required by the Bylaws and and shall chair all such meetings. The Chair will represent SFC in relationships with Soroptimist International of the Americas, and provide appropriate reports to the Board of Directors. The Chair is responsible for the effective operation of the Board of Directors, and shall ensure that the management of the affairs of SFC is conducted in an effective manner. Other duties and responsibilities are in keeping with the Bylaws and with parliamentary procedure, and as assigned by the Board and by direction of Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings.
2.6.2	The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of SFC, and maintain liaison with Canada Trust and with the Auditor. She shall ensure that all fiscal regulations are met in a timely manner. She shall ensure that donations are acknowledged with receipts, and that gift cards are sent as appropriate. She shall prepare the budget for consideration by the Board, and recommend revisions as appropriate, and she shall ensure that the Board is kept apprised of the fiscal state of SFC at all times. She shall substitute for the Chair, when the Chair is incapacitated or the office is vacant. Other duties and responsibilities are in keeping with the Bylaws and with parliamentary procedure, and as assigned by the Board.
2.6.3	The Secretary shall ensure that accurate minutes are taken at meetings of the Board of Directors (including telephone conference meetings), Annual General Meetings, and Special General Meetings, and that minutes are prepared and distributed in a timely manner. She shall suggest agenda items for meetings to the Chair, particularly those which are business arising from previous meetings. She shall distribute notices of all meetings to the appropriate persons in a timely manner. She shall ensure that up-to-date copies of the Bylaws are distributed to the Members. She shall maintain the Procedures Manual, as amended, and distribute copies to the Board of Directors. She shall ensure that formal records of SFC are directed to the designated Archives. Other duties and responsibilities are in keeping with the Bylaws and with parliamentary procedure, and as assigned by the Board.
2.7	Ad Hoc Committees From time to time, the Chair, on behalf of the Board of Directors, may appoint Ad Hoc Committees, to carry out special functions on behalf of the Board. She shall indicate in writing to all committee members the name of the chair of the committee, and outline the duties of the committee, the timelines, and the reporting lines. Normally, such committees report to the Board of Directors, but may be requested by the Board to give oral or written reports at Annual General Meetings or Special General Meetings. Such Committees may be renewed every biennium, indefinitely, by the Chair in writing on behalf of the Board. The Chair, on behalf of the Board, may terminate an ad hoc committee, or any members of such committee, at any time, in writing. Committee members may be reimbursed for expenses only when prior approval has been given, by resolution, at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, or when provision has been made for such expenses in an approved budget of the Foundation. Claims for reimbursement shall be made in the same manner as for Board members.
2.8	Timelines for Written Notice When notices and information are sent to Board members, clubs, or other individuals in accordance with the Bylaws or the Procedures, whether sent by post, expedited post, courier, fax, e-mail, electronic means, or other methods, the normal time required for delivery, as indicated by the Post Office, courier, or other carrier, shall be duly taken into account.
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Section 3 Finance
3.1	Budget
3.1.1	The budget covers a two-year period commencing July 1.
3.1.2	A draft budget for the succeeding biennium will be prepared by the Treasurer and submitted to the Board of Directors for consideration at the last meeting of the Board prior to June 30th of the first year of the current biennium. (That is, a budget for Years 3 and 4 will be prepared by the Board in Year 1, and presented for approval at the Annual General Meeting in Year 2.)
3.1.3	The biennial budget will be prepared on the basis of two annual budgets.
3.1.4	The budget must be approved by the Board prior to being recommended to the Annual General Meeting for approval.
3.1.5	The Board of Directors has the authority to adjust figures from line to line in the budget, without increasing the total budget, up to ten per cent of the line item concerned. Larger internal adjustments, and upward adjustments of the total, must be submitted to the Members for approval, either at a meeting or by mail ballot.
3.1.6	Expenditures to budget comparisons will be presented by the Treasurer to the Board of Directors on a regular basis, with potential problems noted, together with any recommendations for necessary adjustments.
3.1.7	The Board of Directors, through the Treasurer, will submit a report on expenditures to budget comparisons to the interim Annual General Meeting, with any recommendations for amendments to the budget deemed necessary.
3.1.8	The Board of Directors, through the Treasurer, will submit a complete audited financial report to the Annual General Meeting following the close of the biennium.
3.2	Audit
3.2.1	At the Annual General Meeting, an Auditor shall be appointed, who is a Certified Public Accountant, who will examine the statement of assets and the fund balances and the related statements of changes in the fund balances, and prepare a formal report which will be presented at the Annual General Meeting following the close of the fiscal year, for approval.
3.2.2	The principal of the Audit firm shall not be a Soroptimist, but any Soroptimists employed by the principal may participate in the audit process.
3.3	Investment and Money Management
3.3.1	The funds of SFC, both endowment and operating, shall be invested with the firm of TDCanada Trust at the Head Office in Winnipeg.
3.3.2	At least annually, the Board of Directors will review the written investment policy for the Endowment Fund, and recommend the policy, or amended policy, to the next Annual General Meeting. The investment policy shall include factors of prudent investment with limited risk and appropriate annual income.
3.3.3	The Treasurer will be the principal liaison with TDCanada Trust, ensuring that the system of deposits, payments, and reporting to the Board of Directors by TDCanada Trust are carried out to her satisfaction and that of the Board of Directors.
3.3.4	The Treasurer shall ensure that Soroptimists generally, and desirably at least one member in each Soroptimist club, are familiar with the process for remitting donated funds to the treasurer. A donor to the Endowment Fund must include her address, as tax receipts must be issued.
3.3.5	The Treasurer shall ensure that receipts and gift cards are sent out as appropriate.
3.4	The Maple Leaf Recognition Program
3.4.1	Every Soroptimist who has made personal donations or has had donations made on her behalf (by clubs, members, non-members, or personally) to the Endowment Fund and/or the General Fund which combine for a total at least at one of the levels indicated below is entitled to receive one Maple Leaf pin which will be in the appropriate colour as indicated: Gold Maple Leaf pin $2,500 or more Silver Maple Leaf pin $1,000 or more Red Maple Leaf pin $500 or more
3.4.2	Donations to qualify for the Maple Leaf pins will be awarded each year. The amount is based on accumulative donations, retroactive to July 1, 2000.
3.4.3	A Soroptimist who has been awarded a Maple Leaf pin may be awarded a Maple Leaf pin of a higher order, but she will not be awarded additional pins at the same or a lower rank.
3.4.4	The Board of Directors will arrange for suitable public presentation of the pins, preferably at an Annual General Meeting.
3.5	Donations Donations to the Soroptimist Foundation of Canada in the form of cash, financial instruments, stocks, bonds, real estate, property, insurance proceeds, and similar forms are encouraged, to be made either during the life of the donor or as a bequest. However, the Board of Directors has the absolute right to accept or reject any donation in any form whatsoever. Charitable donation receipts will be issued by the Treasurer, in accordance with the laws of Canada, in a timely manner. All cash donations will be deposited to the Endowment Fund, unless instructed otherwise by the donor, in which case, they will be deposited to the General Fund. The Board of Directors shall determine whether and when a donation in a form other than cash may be converted prudently by the Treasurer to a negotiable instrument to be deposited in the Endowment Fund.
3.6	Expenses of Directors
3.6.1	Directors will be reimbursed for reasonable transportation, accommodation and meal costs associated with attending meetings of the Board of Directors, Annual General Meetings, and Special General Meetings. Directors will take advantage of the most advantageous fares possible.
3.6.2	Directors are expected to share accommodation, if the set-up of the hotel rooms is appropriate. If a Director elects to have private accommodation, usually she will be expected to cover the additional cost herself.
3.6.3	Directors will be reimbursed for reasonable expenses for postage, FAX, telephone, photocopying, etc., upon presentation of receipts and an expense claim form, which is subject to review and approval by the Treasurer and the Chair. Extraordinary expenses must be submitted to the Board for approval, and funds must be available in the budget for payment to be made.
3.6.4	Additional expenses for travel, attending other meetings, undertaking other responsibilities on behalf of SFC, or extraordinary activities or purchases should be discussed at a Board meeting in advance, if possible, and funds must be available in the budget.
3.6.5	Expense claims are made on the form provided by the Treasurer, and signed and submitted on a timely basis to the Treasurer. The Board may establish a reasonable time limit for submission of expense claims. The Chair and the Treasurer are responsible for authorizing payment of claims.
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Section 4 Meetings
4.1	Board of Directors
4.1.1	Meetings shall be held on a regular basis, with at least one meeting per year, with costs not to exceed the budget provided for this purpose for the biennium.
4.1.2	Meetings normally are arranged by the Chair.
4.1.3	The locality, venue, dates and days of the week shall be selected to result in the most cost-effective basis. It is normal practice to hold a meeting at the time and place of the Annual General Meeting.
4.1.4	The date of a meeting will be announced by the Chair in time for Directors to take advantage of the most cost-effective travel.
4.1.5	The Chair will circulate a draft agenda in time for Directors to suggest amendments to it, and a further draft will be circulated as necessary. The final proposed agenda should reach Directors in time for them to prepare for the business to be undertaken.
4.1.6	The Chair normally will chair the meeting.
4.1.7	Expenses -- see Section 3: Finance
4.2	Annual General Meetings
4.2.1	The Annual General Meeting will be held on the fourth Saturday of October in Winnipeg. If this date and/or location are impractical then the Chair shall arrange for another time and/or location for the meeting, taking into account the need for adequate notice, cost-effectiveness and other appropriate factors.
4.2.2	The Chair shall remind clubs and Soroptimists of the date and location of the Annual General Meeting well in advance to facilitate planning for attendance, and cost-effective travel arrangements.
4.2.3	The venue for the meeting shall be chosen by the Chair, after consultation with the Board, with economy, comfort, and convenience in mind.
4.2.4	The Secretary, after consulting with the Chair and other members of the Board, will prepare and circulate a draft agenda for the Annual General Meeting.
4.2.5	Meals and other SFC-related or social events may be planned around the time of the Annual General Meeting, and information will be circulated to clubs well in advance.
4.2.6	Costs for meeting rooms, meals, etc., should be kept to a minimum. A registration fee may be calculated per person in attendance, to cover any such costs associated with the meeting.
4.2.7	The SFC does not arrange fare pooling for the meeting. However, each Region can be encouraged to arrange this if it is desired by the members.
4.2.8	The Secretary will act as Registrar at the Annual General Meeting, with assistance from other Board members and others as required.
4.2.9	The Chair normally will conduct the Annual General Meeting.
4.3	Special General Meetings
4.3.1	Special General Meetings may be held at the date and location of the Annual General Meeting, if this meets the requirements of the Bylaws. Otherwise, when called for by a majority of members in writing, a Special General Meeting will be convened as soon as possible upon thirty days’ written notice to the members at a location and date selected by the Chair with cost-effectiveness and convenience to members in mind.
4.3.2	The Chair, after consultation with the Board, will determine the date and location of such a meeting, and ensure that notice of the meeting and agenda is circulated to all Members as soon as possible.
4.3.3	Any meeting room or meal costs associated with a Special General Meeting will be handled in the same manner as for an Annual General Meeting.
4.4	General
4.4.1	Notices Notices of meetings of the Board of Directors, Annual General Meetings, and Special General Meetings, will be distributed by the Secretary in a timely manner to the appropriate persons. The notice shall include information about dates and times, location, hotel reservations, meeting registration costs (if any), registration procedures, and any other pertinent information, and may include the draft agenda.
4.4.2	Minutes The Secretary shall take and transcribe accurate minutes of all Meetings of the Board of Directors, Annual General Meetings, and Special General Meetings, and ensure that copies of such Minutes are distributed in a timely manner to all appropriate persons. Official minutes, after ratification by the appropriate body, shall be signed by the Chair and the Secretary, with one set for the official file, and another set given to the Treasurer for transmittal to the Auditor. Official minutes are retained indefinitely, in safekeeping in the Archives.
4.4.3	Meetings to Be Held in Canada No formal meetings of the Board of Directors, or Annual General Meetings, or Special General Meetings shall be convened outside of Canada without a formal resolution of the Membership.
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Section 5 Grants to Female Graduate Students
5.1	At the Annual General Meeting held in Los Angeles, California, on July 25, 1982, the following motion was passed: “That grants of $5,000 each be established for the 1982-84 biennium for the purpose of furthering the training or education of women who are preparing for a profession or occupation which deals directly with helping other women. The Board of Directors to establish procedures.” This program has become a continuing one, with grants of $7,500 being awarded to women who are Canadian citizens or landed immigrants and who are pursuing graduate studies which will lead to a career which will help other women.
5.2	Administration of the Grants Program
5.2.1	One member of the Board of Directors will be appointed by the Board to manage the overall Grants program on behalf of the Board for the ensuing year. The Grants Manager will also manage the details of the program in her own part of Canada, i.e. east or west of the Manitoba-Ontario border. Another member of the Board, who lives in the other part of Canada, will manage the details of the program in her area.
5.2.2	Application Form The Grants Manager will revise the application forms as necessary, soliciting recommendations from other Directors, and ensuring that Human Rights requirements are followed, and that the final form is clear and professional.
5.2.3	Printing and Distributing the Application Form The Regional Managers (eastern and western) will mail a letter and a flyer, no later than September 15, to every member institution of the Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada (AUCC). The letter will explain that the application form is available on the SFC web-site www.soroptimistfoundation.ca for all applicants. The flyer publicizes the Grants to Canadian Graduate Women Students. The universities and colleges are requested to post the flyer on their appropriate notice boards.
5.2.4	Inquiries Each Regional Manager will respond to all inquiries about the Grants program, from her part of Canada.
5.2.5	Number of Grants, and East-West Distribution The Board of Directors will determine the number of grants to be awarded each year, in keeping with the financial situation of SFC, and as provided for in the budget. Grants are distributed equally between eastern Canada and western Canada, with the dividing line being the Manitoba-Ontario boundary. The home address of the applicant will determine whether she is a candidate in Eastern or Western Canada. A grant may be awarded on a Canada-wide basis, if an odd number are to be awarded.
5.2.6	Official Languages An applicant may apply in either English or French. Translation of applications for the judges will be provided as necessary.
5.2.7	Cut-Off for Receipt of Applications The Grants Managers in eastern and western Canada must receive all applications and all required additional material through the mail postmarked no later than January 31. If an application, or any required additional document, is not received by this date, the application will not be considered.
5.2.8	Eligibility To be eligible, an applicant must be: female Canadian or landed immigrant registered in a graduate or graduate-level professional program in an accredited Canadian university pursuing a course of studies which will lead mainly to a career of service to women intending to spend a minimum of two years in such a career in Canada intending to use the award in the academic year following receipt of it needing financial assistance. Application forms from those who are ineligible will not be considered.
5.2.9	Judging The criteria for judging will be discussed by the Directors. The criteria are stated on the application form. The Board will decide the maximum percentage of points awarded for each criterion. When this is established, score sheets will be created for the judges by the Managers. At least three Soroptimists will be named by each Regional Manager to judge all eligible applications from her part of Canada, and select ten finalists. The Soroptimist judges named should be from different disciplines, but all should be knowledgeable about the field of education, particularly graduate studies. The Regional Manager is not eligible to be a judge, nor is any other SFC Director. The process used in the judging will be decided by the judges themselves, but the Regional Manager may have suggestions for them. The Regional Manager will facilitate the process by calling the judges together to discuss the Grants program and the judging process and alerting them to possible problems. The Regional Manager will distribute two sets of score sheets to each judge (one for making notes and one for final scores). Judges also will be provided with a tally sheet in the form of a matrix, where all candidates and their scores can be noted. The Regional Manager will assemble all data for each candidate in a separate, labelled, file, put them in file boxes, which may be circulated to the judges. The Regional Manager may use a checklist for documents from each applicant as she prepared the files, ensuring that all required documents have been submitted. The Regional Manager will establish a reasonable date for the completion of this portion of the judging, approximately one month being sufficient. To complete the process, the judges will need a final meeting arranged by the Regional Manager, which may take several hours, to compare their final scores, and discuss and negotiate in order to come to agreement on the top ten applications. Final judging of the top twenty applications normally rotates between east and west, with the appropriate Grants Manager in charge of the process. The final ten from the other area are photocopied, and then the originals forwarded as soon as possible to the Grants Manager for the final judging. The Grants Manager, who handles the final judging, will select three non-Soroptimist judges with the same qualifications as noted for the Soroptimist judges. The Manager will convene a meeting of the judges, discuss the process, set a reasonable time limit, and provide the judges with score sheets and tally sheets. The eastern applications (without any indication of their relative standing in the area judging) will be in one file box to be circulated, and the western applications handled in the same manner. The Manager will convene another meeting at the end of the process, which may take several hours, to discuss, negotiate, and decide the required winners for each area, and for an “all Canada” winner as well, if such is to be awarded. The list of winners in order for each area should be twice as long as the grants to be awarded, i.e. if there are two grants for an area, four applications should be ranked. This is to provide for substitutes in case the top one or two cannot be awarded a Grant. The Managers should ensure that all judges receive written thanks for their involvement.
5.2.10	Notification of Winners Once the final selections are made, the Grants Manager will contact the institutions that the chosen top candidates intend to attend to ensure that they are registered and are in good standing and will be eligible to take up or continue their program during the next academic year.This inquiry may have to be directed to the Graduate Studies faculty, or to the Registrar’s Office, or to the Faculty where the program will be undertaken, depending upon the institution. It is the responsibility of a Grant winner to register. At the time of application, to be eligible, the applicant must be registered in a graduate or professional program of studies at a similar level (e.g. law, medicine, etc.) in an accredited Canadian university. The student must provide documentation to support her registration. The Grants Manager will write to each woman who is proposed to receive a grant and is duly registered and in good standing, and inform her of the Grant to be awarded, and also indicate that in order to receive the Grant, she must (1) agree to accept the award (2) provide her social insurance number and (3) sign and return a Consent Form and three black and white photos for publication in the Soroptimist magazine and elsewhere as appropriate. The runners-up, as indicated by the judges and in the appropriate order, will be substituted appropriately for any proposed winners who are not registered, not in good standing, or who for other cause have become ineligible for or declined the award. Once the final winners have been determined, the Manager will inform other Directors, and the Treasurer will inform the Auditors. The Treasurer will arrange to forward the cheques to the Grants Manager, who will forward them to the winners, with appropriate letters, during the month of August.
5.2.11	Publicity The Grants Manager will forward a photo and a brief write-up about each winner to The Soroptimist (the magazine of Soroptimist International of the Americas). Additionally, news releases may be sent to other women’s publications, and other appropriate media. She will also inform the Governors of the Canadian Regions of the winners. She may work in co-operation with local Soroptimist clubs to have winners publicized in their own communities. If possible, it is very desirable to have the Grant winner presented with her award at a public function attended by Soroptimists, with appropriate publicity. Publicity releases should be copied to the winners, for use in university media, and in other ways that the winner may choose, and the winner should be asked to provide a copy of every item of print publicity to the Grants Manager. All winners will be required to sign a consent form permitting the Soroptimist Foundation of Canada to publicize information about the winners.
5.2.12	Retention of Files All files except those of the twenty finalists may be discarded (ensuring that confidential material is shredded or otherwise destroyed) as soon as the final judging has been completed. The files of the twenty finalists (including Grant winners) should be retained to June 30th of the succeeding year, and then discarded (destroying confidential information, as above). Keep only the name, address and e-mail of the winners along with their profile reports prepared by the Grants Manager for publication. Their ultimate destination is the Archives.
5.2.13	Orientation of New Managers of the Grants Activity When a new Director is appointed by the Board as a Regional Manager of the Grants activity for her area of the country, it is desirable for the outgoing Manager to forward all useful documents and information to her, and to act as a resource as the process continues. In the same way, the Director who is appointed Grants Manager to manage the overall process including final judging should be in contact with her predecessor for forms, information, and advice.
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Section 6 Approving and Discontinuing Programs and Projects Funded by the Foundation
1.	Authority From time to time it may be appropriate to establish new programs or projects or to discontinue certain programs or projects being funded by the Foundation. Approval of any such action is the sole prerogative of the members at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting after due notice of the question has been given.
2.	Appropriate Programs and Projects Any potential new project must be in accord with the Letters Patent. It is desirable that it be simple to administer and that administrative costs be relatively low. It is desirable that the project be identified directly with the Soroptimist Foundation of Canada. It is desirable that the beneficiaries of the project should be primarily women and/or girls, in keeping with the purposes of the Soroptimist organization. However, this does not preclude consideration of other projects.
3.	Co-operating with Other Agencies Programs or projects may be undertaken in co-operation with other agencies; however, The Soroptimist Foundation of Canada must be identified as a program sponsor and included in the public identification of the project. In addition, the Soroptimist Foundation of Canada must be in a position of authority and responsibility respecting the administration of the program which is at least equal to that of any other sponsor.
4.	Recommending a New Program or Project Searching for new projects can be done by the Board, by a committee established by the Board for this purpose, and in addition any member club or group of clubs may put forward a proposal for consideration.
5.	Approval Process A potential project or program in its embryonic stage may be submitted to an Annual General Meeting in order to ‘test the waters’ and get some feel for the interest of the members. This may result in some re-designing by the proposer or in the withdrawal of the proposal. However, this early response by an AGM is not binding, and the proposer may continue to research the design the program. Before a potential program or project may be submitted for formal approval, it must be fleshed out with complete written information about what it is, who it will benefit, how it will operate, what it will cost, what the potential positive outcomes are, what the potential pitfalls are (if any), and all additional pertinent information, and this material must be submitted to every member club at least six months prior to the meeting (Annual General or Special General) at which it is to be considered. Upon request, the Secretary will provide the proposer with a complete mailing list of members. The Board will review the proposed program or project, and submit its recommendation to the members in writing as soon as possible, but not later than two months prior to the meeting at which it is to be considered. (If the Board itself is putting forth the recommendation of a program or project, this step is not required.) At the meeting at which the new program or project is being considered, appropriate time shall be provided for full discussion by those present. When the question is put, the body may approve, disapprove, or direct that additional study be undertaken or amendments be made, and that the program or project be brought back to a future meeting for further consideration.
6.	Probationary Period Every new project or program will be undertaken for a specified period of four years or less, after which it must be submitted to a full-scale review and ratification similar to the process undertaken when initiating the project or program.
7.	Suspending a Program After notice has been given with the official Call to an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, the body may vote to suspend a program or project for a specific period of time. After the elapse of time, the program or project may be brought back in its original form for reconsideration, or an amended format may be presented for consideration. Another option is that the suspension be extended for a specific period, or the program be discontinued permanently. (See No. 8).
8.	Discontinuance of a Program It is desirable that in normal circumstances a program or project not be discontinued outright, but rather suspended for a specific time. This allows time for a thorough review of the situation, and remedial action to be taken to correct the problems, if it is possible. After a program or project has been suspended for a specified period of time by the voting body at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting it may be discontinued at a future Annual General Meeting or Special General meeting, after notice of motion has been given in the Call, by a vote of the body. However, in extraordinary circumstances, after due notice (with full and appropriate information and reasons provided in the Call) and with appropriate time provided for questions and discussion at a Special General or Annual General Meeting, a program or project may be permanently discontinued by a decision of the body.