Charity: NATIONAL SADAQA FOUNDATION (Charity No. 1206401)

Organisation type: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)

Version: v1.0

Status: Draft for Board approval

Date: 06 February 2026

Purpose

To ensure decisions are made only in NSF’s best interests, protecting the charity, its beneficiaries, and its trustees from real or perceived conflicts.

1. Policy statement

• Trustees must act in the best interests of NSF at all times.
• Conflicts of interest must be identified, declared, recorded, and managed properly.
• Failure to manage conflicts can damage public trust and may breach trustee duties.

2. What is a conflict of interest?

• A conflict arises when a trustee’s personal, professional, financial, family, or organisational interests could influence (or be perceived to influence) their decision-making for NSF.

3. Examples

• A trustee is involved in an organisation applying for an NSF grant.
• A trustee stands to benefit financially from an NSF contract.
• A trustee has a close family member connected to an application or supplier.

4. Declarations and register

• All trustees complete an annual Declaration of Interests.
• Declarations are maintained in a Register of Interests, reviewed at least annually and updated as changes occur.

5. Managing conflicts in meetings

• Conflicts are declared at the start of meetings and when agenda items arise.
• The conflicted person withdraws from discussion and decision-making.
• Minutes record the conflict and how it was managed.

6. High-risk areas: grant-making and procurement

• Grant decisions and procurement must follow documented criteria and approvals.
• Where conflicts exist, NSF may require independent review or additional trustee scrutiny.

7. Non-compliance

• Repeated failure to declare interests may result in removal from specific duties or trustee role, subject to governing document and legal advice.

8. Review

• Reviewed annually.