NSCAF BOD Minutes - July 11, 2013

NSCAF Board of Directors members present: Joan Eckerson, Brian Schilling, Todd Miller, and Tammy Evetovich

Others: Abbie Smith-Ryan, Colin Wilborn, Matt Stock, Lee Madden, Scott Douglas, and Kim Ginter

I. Call to Order – the meeting was called to order by Joan Eckerson at 2:30 pm

II. Election of Officers

• Motion: Brian Schilling nominated Joan Eckerson to serve another term as NSCAF President. Second: Todd Miller. Motion carried.
• Motion: Joan Eckerson nominated Brian Schilling to serve as Vice President. Second: Tammy Evetovich. Motion carried.
• Motion: Joan Eckerson nominated Tammy Evetovich to serve as Secretary/Treasurer. Second: Brian Schilling. Motion carried.

III. NSCAF Performance 2012 – 2013 and Report to NSCA BOD

Joan reported that the end value of our portfolio for the 4Q 2013 was $4,273,936 compared to $3,771,476 at 4Q in 2012 and that the total return on investment for the year was 14.07%.

This year $164,629 was available for grants and $94,629 was available for scholarships for a total of $259,258, which represented a 16.7% increase from 2012 ($215,885). 

Grant Review Committee Action – 37 grants were reviewed and 12 were funded for a total of $126,039: 2 GNC Nutrition Research Grants, 3 Masters Student Grants, 4 Doctoral Student Grants, 2 Young Investigator Grants, and 1 International Collaborator Grant. No Senior Investigator Grants were submitted.

Scholarship Review Committee Action – 115 scholarships were reviewed and 63 were funded at $1,500 per award: 29 Challenge, 11 Minority, 18 Women, and 5 High School.

Total awarded in grants and scholarships in 2013: $220,539.

IV. Auditors Report

Our financials were clean but a few issues were brought forward by Jill Goodwin of Waugh and Goodwin who serve as outside auditors of the Foundation and prepare our tax statement. Last year, no IC Grant was awarded and that $50K has remained in our account as a ‘restricted asset.’ After discussion, it was decided to award two IC Grants in 2014. 

Conflict of Interest Policy and Whistle Blower Policy – it was highly recommended that we develop these policies for our 990 tax statement to the IRS. 

Currently, we do have a conflict of interest statement in Section 3.14 of our bylaws that states, in part, "conflicting interest transactions" means a contract, transaction, or other financial relationship between the Corporation and a director of the Corporation.” However, we may need a more specific statement and it was suggested that Mr. Tom James be consulted before we move forward with the development of an additional policy.

The NSCAF does not currently have a Whistleblower Policy. Lee Madden indicated that the NSCA has one and offered to share that with the NSCAF. Therefore, the development and approval of a Whistle Blower Policy will be conducted at a future meeting.

Public Donation Percentage – to qualify as a charitable organization, the NSCAF must receive 33.3% of its income from public donors; in 2012 it was 34.35%. The $50,000 received annually from the NSCA for the IC Grant helps us in this regard, but the NSCAF needs to think about strategies for increasing outside donations (via marketing campaign to membership, fund raisers, etc.), since this may become problematic as our assets from our investment accounts continue to increase.

Scott Douglas, Marketing Director for the NSCA, suggested that we do a better job of marketing what the Foundation does on the website so that members will be encouraged to donate. It was also recommended that an option for donation to the Foundation be included on the membership renewal form.

Subcommittee was formed and Tammy Evetovich and Joan Eckerson will brainstorm some ideas and work with Scott and report back to NSCAF by October 15, 2013.

V. Grant Review Committee Report/Action

As a point of clarification, Joan reported that, according to NSCAF bylaws, once the Grant Review Committee has scored the grants and determined the recipients, a report with the results should be sent to the NSCAF appointee who, in turn, submits the report to the NSCAF for their approval. Once approved by the NSCAF BOD, the President will contact the NSCA with the names/funding amounts. This year, protocol was not followed and the awardees were submitted directly to the NSCA without prior approval by the NSCAF BOD.

• One person submitted the same grant to two separate awards; this may be due to some confusion on the web page describing grant eligibility.

Motion: Joan made a motion that it be included in the General Grant Eligibility Requirements that only one grant application per principle investigator be submitted on an annual basis. Second: Todd Miller. After discussion, motion was withdrawn.

• One advisor and two of their students submitted 3 separate grants with different titles, but almost identical methods.

Motion: Joan made a motion that it be included in the General Grant Eligibility Requirements that two or more applications with similar titles and methodology submitted by investigators affiliated with the same research laboratory will be disqualified. Second: Todd Miller. After discussion, motion carried 4-0.

• Two NSCA BOD Members Submitted Grants

This year, an NSCA BOD Member was included as the collaborator on the IC Grant that received the highest score. Mr. Tom James, legal counsel for the NSCA, was consulted and his assessment was that NSCA BOD Members who applied for grants did not violate the current NSCA BOD bylaws. Therefore, the grant was awarded. Joan reminded the NSCAF BOD that it is a violation of NSCAF bylaws for an NSCAF BOD Member to apply for grants; therefore, it appears that the only NSCA BOD Member who is currently ineligible to apply for grants is the member appointed by the NSCA to the Foundation. 

Motion: Joan made a motion for it to be included in the General Grant Eligibility Requirements that members of the NSCA Foundation Board of Directors, members of the Grant Review Committee, and members of the NSCA Board of Directors are ineligible to apply for grants during their term of service. Second: Todd Miller. After discussion, motion carried 4-0.

• Grant Reporting Form

At the last meeting, Brian Schilling made a motion that the Research Committee develops 1) a grant reporting form, and 2) a method to use it so that we are assured that the form was completed and can be accessed should they apply for a future grant.

A grant reporting form developed by Colin Wilborn with preliminary edits was discussed and further changes were suggested. Abbie and Colin will reedit the form and send it back to the NSCAF BOD for final approval.

• Policy Statement RE: Appropriate Use of Grant Monies

At the last BOD meeting, Tammy Evetovich made a motion that the Research Committee develop a policy statement for grants to be included in the application process with regard to the expectation that grant monies be used properly and projects be completed in a timely manner. 

Abbie and Colin will reedit the application and include wording with regard to this issue and send it back to the NSCAF BOD for final approval. It was also suggested that the Grant Reporting Form would help alleviate this concern.

• Policy Statement/Report Form for No-cost Extension of Grants 

In the past, we’ve had a few requests for no-cost extensions of grants which have primarily been handled by the NSCAF President by approving an initial request and asking for a progress report if a second extension was requested. The exception is a case voted on earlier this year by the NSCAF BOD in which the individual who asked for a second extension had made no progress and was asked to return the funds. 

Motion: Joan made a motion that the Grant Review Committee develops a policy statement and reporting form for no-cost extensions of grants to be submitted to the NSCAF for approval by October 15, 2013. Second: Brian Schilling. After discussion, motion carried.

• Grant/Scholarship Deadline

Moving the deadline for grant and scholarships up to March 1 vs. March 15 would give the reviewers and the NSCAF more time to approve grants/scholarships prior to the annual meeting and allow for earlier posting of the winners on the website.

Motion: Joan made a motion that the deadline for grants and scholarships be changed from March 15 to March 1 beginning in 2014. Second: Todd Miller. During the discussion, Colin and Abbie indicated that it took up to 6 weeks for their committee to receive the grant applications. Lee Madden said she would check into the reason for the delay. Therefore, the motion was withdrawn.

• Change in Grant Awards

Motion: Joan made a motion that maximal funding for Masters Grants be increased from $5,000 to $7,500, Doctoral Grants increased from $10,000 to $15,000, Young Investigator Grants from $15,000 to $20,000, and Senior Investigator Grants from $25,000 to $30,000. Second: Brian Schilling. Motion carried 4-0.

A discussion about whether indirect costs should be included followed. 

Motion: Joan made a motion that indirect costs be allowed for the Young Investigator and Senior Investigator Grants at a rate of 20% (up to $4K for YI and $6K for SI). Second: Brian Schilling. Motion carried 4-0.

• Travel Grant

GNC originally donated $1,500 for a Student Travel Grant, but because of lack of time to develop an application, it was used toward YI Grants in 2013. Should the NSCAF consider using money normally allocated to scholarships toward travel grants to Masters and Doctoral students who will be presenting at the NSCA?

Joan suggested that the NSCA Foundation provide travel grants up to $1,500 for two Masters level students and two Doctoral level students (4 per year) who have been selected to present their research at the annual meeting. Awardees would be selected by the NSCAF BOD based upon their abstract submissions scores. 

After some discussion, it was suggested that we ask GNC if they would be willing to provide $1,500 awards to the Graduate students who receive the award for the best poster and oral presentation. GNC will be contacted and the BOD will revisit at a future meeting.

• Other

Other – Brian Schilling asked if it would be possible to provide incentives (gift cards, monetary awards, etc.) for reviewers. This issue was tabled for a future meeting.

Joan asked the Grant Review Committee if there should be a financial conflict of interest form signed and submitted by grant applicants at the time they apply. Abbie and Colin will take it into consideration and report back at a future meeting.

VI. Scholarship Review Committee

Damian Stanziano, Chair of the Scholarship Review Committee, rotated off this year; therefore, the committee needs to elect one member for a 3-year term. According to the Scholarship Review Committee Guidelines, the Chair of the committee submits their recommendation to the NSCAF BOD for approval. Joan asked that a new Chair be elected at the Scholarship Review Committee meeting on Friday and a call will go out for a new member within the next few weeks. Helen Binkley’s term ends in 2014. Therefore, in early spring, a call will go out for Helen’s vacant position so it is filled prior to the annual meeting.

Joan indicated that the NSCAF BOD Member appointed to the Scholarship Committee cannot serve as Chair, and asked that they be cc’d on all communication and kept in the loop. Once individuals have been selected to receive scholarships, the list should be forwarded to the NSCAF representative who will submit it to the NSCAF BOD for approval. 

Discussion as to whether the quality of the applicants warranted the awarding of that many scholarships. No action or decision was made during this discussion.

Meeting adjourned 4:25 pm

Respectfully submitted,
Tammy Evetovich, Secretary/Treasurer

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