IX. Conduct and Ethics
Acceptance of Gifts by the National Forest Foundation
The National Forest Foundation (NFF) was created in 1990 as a non-profit corporation under the National Forest Foundation Act. The NFF was established to assist the Forest Service in all of the agency’s program and mission areas. The purposes of the NFF include encouraging accepting and administering private gifts of money and or real and personal property for the benefit of, or in connection with, the activities and services of the Forest Service.
Restrictions in the USDA regulations described above do not apply to the NFF when it accepts gifts for the benefit of the Forest Service. This unique gift acceptance authority includes authority for the NFF to solicit funds on behalf of the Forest Service.
Gift A donation of something of value in which less than market value is paid or given to the donor in return. It can be cash, securities, land, facilities, personal property, and services.
Conditional Gift A gift made for a specific purpose or with conditions on its use.
Unconditional Gift A gifts made with no conditions on its use. It can be used for any authorized purpose by the Forest Service.Gifts to the National Forest Foundation
What a Forest Service Employee Needs to Know
- The National Forest Foundation can accept and solicit gifts on behalf of the Forest Service that may be controversial or prohibited if given directly to the agency.
- Gifts that are inconsistent with the purpose and mission of the Forest Service, or that are not in the best interest of the agency, may not be accepted.
- Gifts can include real property and interests in real property. It can be restricted or provide benefit to private interests as long as there is benefit for the NFF.
- Gifts that contain conditions on their use by the Forest Service may be improper or unlawful for the agency to accept. A gift of property with conditions on its management cannot be accepted if those conditions conflict with land management planning policies including the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Forest Management Act.
More information on gifts can be found at the USDA Office of Ethics website. The website includes “Rules at a Glance,” “Gifts from Outside Sources,” and the text of rules governing ethics and conduct issues regarding gifts and donations.