Statement of Ethical Fundraising Principles

Adopted by the Board of Trustees, May 17, 2008
Adapted from documented principles of The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)

The staff and trustees of Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (hereafter referred to as The Science Center) embrace certain values that they strive to uphold in performing their responsibilities for generating philanthropic support.

We aspire to:

practice our profession with integrity, honesty, truthfulness and adherence to the absolute obligation to safeguard the public trust;
act according to the highest standards and visions of our organization, profession and conscience;
put philanthropic mission above personal gain;
inspire others through our own sense of dedication and high purpose;
improve our professional knowledge and skills, so that our performance will better serve others;
demonstrate concern for the interests and well-being of individuals affected by our actions;
value the privacy, freedom of choice and interests of all those affected by our actions;
foster cultural diversity and pluralistic values, and treat all people with dignity and respect;
affirm, through personal giving, a commitment to philanthropy and its role in society;
adhere to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations;
advocate within our organizations, adherence to all applicable laws and regulations;
avoid even the appearance of any criminal offense or professional misconduct;
bring credit to the fundraising profession by our public demeanor;
encourage colleagues to embrace and practice these ethical principles and standards of professional practice; and
be aware of the codes of ethics promulgated by other professional organizations that serve philanthropy.

Standards of Professional Fundraising Practice

Furthermore, while striving to act according to the above values, we agree to abide by the AFP Standards of Professional Practice, which are adopted and incorporated into the AFP Code of Ethical Principles.

Professional Obligations

Science Center staff and trustees shall:

1 not engage in activities that harm The Science Center, its clients, or profession.
2 not engage in activities that conflict with our fiduciary, ethical, and legal obligations to The Science Center and its clients.
3 effectively disclose all potential and actual conflicts of interest; such disclosure does not preclude or imply ethical impropriety.
4 not exploit any relationship with a donor, prospect, volunteer, or employee to the benefit of The Science Center.
5 comply with all applicable local, state, provincial, and federal civil and criminal laws.
6 recognize their individual boundaries of competence and are forthcoming and truthful about their professional experience and qualifications.

Solicitation and Use of Philanthropic Funds

Science Center staff and trustees shall:

1 take care to ensure that all solicitation materials are accurate and correctly reflect The Science Center’s mission and use of solicited funds.
2 take care to ensure that donors receive informed, accurate, and ethical advice about the value and tax implications of potential contributions.
3 take care to ensure that contributions are used in accordance with donors’ intentions.
4 take care to ensure proper stewardship of philanthropic contributions, including timely reports on the use and management of such funds.
5 obtain explicit consent by donors before altering the conditions of contributions.

Presentation of Information

Science Center staff and trustees shall:

1 not disclose privileged or confidential information to unauthorized parties.
2 adhere to the principle that all donor and prospect information created by, or on behalf of, The Science Center is the property of The Science Center and shall not be transferred or utilized except on behalf of The Science Center.
3 not sell, rent or exchange donor lists with other organizations.
4 use accurate and consistent accounting methods -- when stating fundraising results -- that conform to the appropriate guidelines adopted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)

Compensation

Science Center staff and trustees shall:

1 not accept compensation that is based on a percentage of contributions; nor shall we accept finder’s fees.
2 may accept performance-based compensation, such as bonuses, provided such bonuses are in accord with prevailing practices of The Science Center personnel policy, and are not based on a percentage of contributions.
3 not pay finder’s fees, or commissions or percentage compensation based on contributions.

Howard Nash, 10/08/18
Very well presented exhibit on the wildlife of New Hampshire. Coming from the UK, we had some concerns about the moral question of keeping wild animals in cages. This was set against the very obvious great condition of the animals on display and the effort taken to educate on the natural world - a video or even holograph would not have the same impact. The reason we give it only 4 stars is that not enough effort is made to explain why the animals, particularly the large animals, are kept in relatively small enclosures. Looking at the negative reviews that focus on the moral question, your responses are very encouraging. Perhaps you should cut out the middleman and make more effort at the Centre to explain why the animals are maintained in captivity from a conservation perspective.
Bryan Doyon, 10/11/21
Fun experience with wild animals and interactive exhibits. The animals are local wild species and fun to see up close and the information on them is presented in an engaging way for children. The walk around the loop can take a few hours depending on how long you spend at each stop but it's an enjoyable time and a great place for families.
Duane Metz, 07/13/23
I can not say enough about this place! Having received an undergraduate degree in Recreation and Parks, I have a good understanding of what it takes to be successful. This park checks all of the boxes! Most of the animals there (if not all) are rescues, and it is very obvious how much the staff love them! They are in their natural habitats, which allows visitors to better understand how they live. There are a lot of hands-on exhibits, both physical and auditory, so that everyone can learn in the style best suited for them. The signage is well done and informative, and they also had 3 different animal encounters throughout the day. Furthermore, there are 3 trails you can hike, as well as a garden, and everything has signage that makes sure everyone can learn as much about something as they would like. With the fact that they have a nice picnic area just outside the exhibit area, plus a playground further into the park, you can easily find yourself spending anywhere from 2 hours to a full day there. My family and I are visiting from out-of-state, but if we lived nearby, we would definitely buy a membership!
Byron Styles, 09/03/19
A had a great time as did my 4 year old son. The dinosaur exhibit was awesome and I really emitted the walkthrough set up in a somewhat very natural setting. I'm normally not a big fan of caged wild animals but the broad variety of local wildlife they do have on exhibit were all injured in some way, shape, or form and wouldn't have survived had they not been rescued and prob wouldn't have survived had they been released back into the wild... So that was actual a small sigh of relief.
Karen Kuller, 09/21/21
My 7 year old was engaged and excited the entire time we spent walking through the exhibits, which were truly so beautifully and respectfully done. It was clear how much care, thought and love had gone into preparing an engaging educational experience for young kids that was entirely unique. It was exciting to watch my daughter soak it all in and thoroughly enjoy learning so much about science and nature. So grateful we happened upon this place.