Whistleblower Policy

Status: Adopted. This policy was adopted by the Ras Tafari Inc. board on October 17, 2026.

This policy follows standard nonprofit practice. It is modeled on the description of a whistleblower policy in the IRS instructions for Form 990, Part VI, line 13.

Child safety comes first. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, you do not need to use this policy, tell us first, or ask anyone's permission. Call the DCFS Hotline at 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873), or 911 if a child is in immediate danger. Every adult working in the Lab is a mandated reporter under Illinois law and must report directly.

Proposed policy text

1. Purpose

Ras Tafari Inc. (the "Corporation") expects its officers, directors, staff and volunteers to follow the law and the Corporation's adopted policies. This policy encourages anyone to come forward with credible information about illegal practices or violations of adopted policies, and protects them from retaliation for doing so.

2. Who this policy covers

Anyone may make a report under this policy, including directors, officers, staff, coaches, mentors, volunteers, contractors, parents and guardians, park staff, and members of the public.

3. What to report

Report anything you believe in good faith is:

• a violation of any law or regulation;
• a violation of a Corporation policy, including the Lab's safety, youth-protection, privacy, conflict of interest and data-sharing policies;
• financial wrongdoing, such as misuse of grant or sponsor funds, false records or undisclosed conflicts;
• a risk to the health or safety of a child or any other person;
• destruction or hiding of records;
• retaliation against someone who made a report.

4. How to report

You may report to any of these people. Choose whoever you are comfortable with. You never have to report to the person you are reporting about.

Mailing address: Ras Tafari Inc., 1401 E. 71st St., Chicago, IL 60619.

Direct contact details for the Vice President and the Corporate Secretary will be posted here before the first class, so that no report about the President has to pass through the President.

You may also report directly to outside authorities at any time, without telling us first:

• Child abuse or neglect: DCFS Hotline, 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873), or 911.
• Crimes: the Chicago Police Department (911 in an emergency).
• Misuse of charitable assets: the Illinois Attorney General's Charitable Trust Bureau.
• Federal tax-exempt status concerns: the IRS, using Form 13909 (Tax-Exempt Organization Complaint (Referral) Form), available at irs.gov.
• Concerns about any adult at the Lab, and park safety concerns: the Chicago Park District, Rainbow Beach Park office, (312) 745-1479, or any Park District staff member. The Park District receives complaints about adults; Ras Tafari Inc. passes along anything it receives and does not investigate in place of the Park District.
• Conflict-of-interest breaches: a director with no stake in the Lab, as named in the conflict of interest policy once appointed, or the Chicago Park District.

See also Report a concern and the grievance procedure.

5. Good faith

You must have reasonable grounds to believe the information is true. You do not need proof. A report made in good faith that turns out to be mistaken is still protected. Knowingly false reports are not protected.

6. Confidentiality

Reports are kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to investigate and with any legal duty to report to authorities. You may report anonymously by mail. Anonymous reports are taken seriously, though they can be harder to investigate.

7. No retaliation

No one who makes a good-faith report, or who helps in an investigation, will be harassed, threatened, demoted, removed from a volunteer role, or otherwise retaliated against. A family that makes a report will not have their child's place in the Lab affected. Anyone who retaliates will face discipline, up to removal from office or from the program.

8. Handling reports

1. The person who receives the report acknowledges it within 2 business days, if the reporter can be contacted.
2. Any report that suggests a child may be at risk is reported to DCFS or 911 immediately, before any internal investigation.
3. A report about an officer is handled by the other two officers, and the officer involved takes no part in the investigation.
4. The investigation is documented. The reporter is told when it is closed and, as far as privacy allows, what was done.
5. Reports and outcomes are summarized, without names, in the community accountability report.

9. Records

Records of reports are kept securely. Records are never destroyed while an investigation, legal proceeding or government inquiry is pending.

10. Distribution

Every director, officer, staff member and volunteer receives this policy before starting work with the Lab and signs that they have read it.

Sources

• IRS, Instructions for Form 990, Part VI, lines 13 and 14: a whistleblower policy "encourages staff and volunteers to come forward with credible information on illegal practices or violations of adopted policies of the organization, specifies that the organization will protect the individual from retaliation, and identifies those staff or board members or outside parties to whom such information can be reported." The same instructions note that federal law (18 U.S.C. 1513(e) and 1519) imposes criminal liability on tax-exempt organizations for retaliating against whistleblowers who report federal offenses, and for destroying records to obstruct a federal investigation.
• Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, 325 ILCS 5/4 (mandated reporters), via ilga.gov.
• IRS Form 13909, Tax-Exempt Organization Complaint (Referral) Form, at irs.gov.