SparkWell Expense Policy

1. About this Policy

1.1. This policy covers reimbursement of business expenses including travel, accommodation, meals, supplies, and other costs incurred while conducting Anti Entropy business.

1.2. This policy applies to employees and contractors who incur expenses on behalf of Anti Entropy.

1.3. We will reimburse reasonable, authorized business expenses submitted in accordance with this policy.

1.4. This policy does not form part of any employment contract and may be amended at any time.

2. Reimbursement Requirements

2.1. Eligible Expenses

Expenses must be:

2.1.1. Business-related: Directly related to Anti Entropy work

2.1.2. Reasonable: Appropriate cost for the purpose (not excessive or luxury)

2.1.3. Authorized: Approved in advance when required (see approval thresholds below)

2.1.4. Documented: Supported by receipts or other documentation

2.1.5. Timely: Submitted within 30 days of being incurred

2.2. Submission Process

To request reimbursement:

2.2.1. Submit expense request to Board President via email

2.2.2. Include documentation: Attach receipts, invoices, or other proof of payment

2.2.3. Provide description: Explain what the expense was for and why it was necessary

2.2.4. Note project/purpose: Specify which program or activity the expense supports

2.2.5. For meals: Include names of attendees and business purpose

2.3. Payment Timeline

Approved expenses will be reimbursed via direct deposit or check within 30 days of approval.

2.4. Questions

Contact the Board President with questions about expense eligibility, reimbursement status, or policy interpretation.

3. Approval Requirements

3.1. Pre-Approval Thresholds

3.1.1. Under $50:

• No pre-approval required for routine business expenses (office supplies, software subscriptions, etc.)
• Submit for reimbursement with documentation

3.1.2. $50-$250:

• Pre-approval recommended but not required
• May be approved retroactively if clearly business-related
• When in doubt, ask first

3.1.3. $250-$1,000:

• Must obtain written approval from our supervisor before incurring the expense

3.1.4. Over $1,000:

• Must obtain written approval from Board President before incurring the expense

3.2. Pre-Approval Not Required For

3.2.1. Regular travel to meetings or events already approved

3.2.2. Recurring subscriptions or services already authorized

3.2.3. Emergency expenses necessary to prevent harm or significant loss (report immediately after incurring)

3.2.4. Expenses explicitly authorized in your employment or contractor agreement

3.3. How to Request Pre-Approval

Email your supervisor with:

3.3.1. Estimated cost

3.3.2. Purpose and business justification

3.3.3. When expense will be incurred

3.3.4. Any relevant quotes or pricing options you've considered

You'll receive written approval (email is fine) before proceeding.

4. Types of Eligible Expenses

4.1. Travel Expenses

4.1.1. Transportation:

• Airfare (economy class)
• Train, bus, or other public transportation
• Rental cars when necessary (economy or mid-size vehicles)
• Rideshare (Uber, Lyft) or taxi when public transit is unavailable or impractical
• Personal vehicle mileage at current IRS standard rate
• Parking fees and tolls

4.1.2. Accommodation:

• Hotel or other lodging (reasonable rate for the area and purpose)
• Generally should not exceed $200/night without pre-approval
• Extended stay options for longer trips may be more economical

4.1.3. Meals while traveling:

• Reasonable meal costs (typically up to $50/day total)
• Keep receipts for meals over $25
• Alcohol is generally not reimbursable unless explicitly approved for donor/partner meals

4.2. Business Meals and Entertainment

4.2.1. Client, donor, or partner meals:

• Pre-approved meals with donors, partners, stakeholders, or prospects
• Keep all receipts regardless of amount
• Note attendees, their organizations, and business purpose
• Alcohol may be reimbursed with pre-approval when appropriate for the meeting

4.2.2. Team meals:

• Occasional team meals during extended work sessions or meetings
• Require pre-approval from Board President
• Should be modest and appropriate for the occasion

4.3. Office Supplies and Equipment

4.3.1. Supplies:

• Office supplies needed for your work (pens, paper, folders, etc.)
• Computer accessories (mouse, keyboard, cables, etc.)
• Software and online subscriptions necessary for work
• Books, publications, or professional materials relevant to your role

4.3.2. Equipment:

• Computer equipment and accessories (pre-approval required for items over $500)
• Items needed for remote work setup (see Remote Work Expenses section)
• Other equipment directly necessary for your work

4.4. Professional Development

4.4.1. Training and conferences:

• Registration fees for pre-approved conferences, workshops, or training
• Required course materials, books, or certifications
• Travel and accommodation for approved professional development events

4.4.2. Professional memberships:

• Relevant professional association memberships (pre-approved annually)
• Subscriptions to professional journals or publications relevant to your role

4.5. Other Business Expenses

4.5.1. Printing and copying services

4.5.2. Postage, shipping, and courier services

4.5.3. Background checks or screening for hiring

4.5.4. Professional services (legal, accounting, consulting) when authorized

4.5.5. Coworking space day passes when traveling or for occasional use (with pre-approval)

4.5.6. Other expenses directly related to Anti Entropy business with appropriate approval

5. Non-Reimbursable Expenses

The following are NOT eligible for reimbursement:

5.1. Commuting and Regular Workplace

5.1.1. Travel between home and your regular workplace

5.1.2. Parking at your regular workplace (unless temporary or special circumstances)

5.2. Personal Expenses

5.2.1. Personal meals, entertainment, or shopping

5.2.2. Gym memberships, fitness classes, or personal wellness services

5.2.3. Personal insurance (health, life, auto, home)

5.2.4. Fines, traffic tickets, or parking violations

5.2.5. Personal phone bills (unless remote work reimbursement is specified in your agreement)

5.2.6. Personal subscriptions or memberships

5.3. Excessive or Luxury Expenses

5.3.1. First-class or business-class travel (unless pre-approved for international flights over 6 hours)

5.3.2. Luxury accommodations significantly above reasonable rates for the area

5.3.3. Excessive meals or entertainment (use good judgment)

5.3.4. Mini-bar charges or in-room movies

5.3.5. Spa services, room service, or other luxury amenities

5.4. Other Non-Reimbursable Items

5.4.1. Spouse, partner, or family travel expenses (unless explicitly pre-approved by Board)

5.4.2. Lost or stolen personal items

5.4.3. Expenses for activities not related to Anti Entropy business

5.4.4. Late fees or interest charges on personal credit cards

5.4.5. Tips or gratuities exceeding 20%

6. Travel Guidance

6.1. General Principles

When traveling for Anti Entropy business:

6.1.1. Book in advance when possible to secure better rates

6.1.2. Use economy options for flights, hotels, and car rentals

6.1.3. Public transportation is preferred when practical and safe

6.1.4. Combine trips when possible to reduce overall travel costs

6.1.5. Consider alternatives like video conferencing when appropriate

6.2. Personal Vehicle Use

If using your personal vehicle for business travel:

6.2.1. Reimbursement:

• Mileage reimbursed at current IRS standard mileage rate
• Check current year IRS rate (typically updated annually)
• Tolls and parking fees also reimbursable (keep receipts)

6.2.2. Documentation required:

• Date of travel
• Starting location and destination
• Purpose of trip
• Total miles driven (round trip)

6.2.3. Not reimbursable:

• Regular commute to your usual workplace
• Travel primarily for personal purposes
• Mileage for which you're receiving a separate vehicle allowance or stipend
• Travel that is similar to your normal commute even if nominally for business

6.3. Combining Business and Personal Travel

If extending a business trip for personal reasons:

6.3.1. Only business-related days are reimbursable

6.3.2. Compare costs: reimburse only what a business-only trip would have cost

6.3.3. Document clearly which days were business vs personal

6.3.4. Get pre-approval if the arrangement affects costs (e.g., different flights needed)

Example: Business meeting on Monday-Tuesday, staying through Sunday for personal reasons. Reimbursable: Monday-Tuesday hotel, but not Wednesday-Sunday.

6.4. Rental Cars

6.4.1. Rent economy or mid-size vehicles unless larger vehicle needed for business purpose

6.4.2. Decline rental insurance if your personal auto insurance or credit card provides coverage

6.4.3. Fill gas tank before returning to avoid premium charges

6.4.4. Keep all receipts for tolls and parking

7. Remote Work Expenses

7.1. Work-From-Home Support

Anti Entropy may provide remote work support as specified in individual employment or contractor agreements.

Potential remote work benefits may include:

• One-time home office setup stipend
• Recurring internet or phone reimbursement
• Equipment provided by Anti Entropy

Check your employment or contractor agreement for your specific remote work benefits.

8. Documentation Requirements

8.1. Required Information for All Expenses

Every expense submission must include:

8.1.1. Original itemized receipt or invoice

8.1.2. Date expense was incurred

8.1.3. Amount paid

8.1.4. Description of what was purchased or service provided

8.1.5. Clear business purpose

8.1.6. Your name

8.2. Additional Requirements by Expense Type

8.2.1. For meals:

• Itemized receipt showing what was ordered
• Names and organizations of all attendees (if business meal)
• Specific business purpose of the meeting

8.2.2. For mileage:

• Date of travel
• Starting location (address)
• Ending location (address)
• Specific business purpose of the trip
• Total miles driven (calculate using mapping tool if needed)

8.2.3. For lodging:

• Itemized hotel bill (folio)
• Dates of stay
• Purpose of trip
• Note if personal days were included (not reimbursable)

8.2.4. For conference/training:

• Registration confirmation or receipt
• Event name and dates
• Agenda or description of program content

8.3. Missing Receipts

If a receipt is lost or unavailable:

8.3.1. Provide written explanation of why receipt is unavailable

8.3.2. Include all details you remember:

• Date and approximate time
• Merchant or vendor name
• Amount paid
• What was purchased
• Business purpose

8.3.3. May be approved at Board President's discretion

8.3.4. Repeated missing receipts may result in denial of future claims

8.4. Digital Receipts

Digital receipts are acceptable if they include all required information:

8.4.1. Email confirmations from vendors

8.4.2. Screenshots of online purchases

8.4.3. Digital invoices

8.4.4. Photos of paper receipts (ensure they're legible)

9. SparkWell Projects

9.1. SparkWell Projects manage their own expense policies and reimbursement processes for their team members.

9.2. Project Leads:

9.2.1. Establish expense and reimbursement policies for your Project team

9.2.2. Follow Anti Entropy's expense policy for any Anti Entropy-related expenses you personally incur (e.g., meetings with Anti Entropy staff, SparkWell program activities)

9.2.3. Include appropriate expense management and controls in your Project budgets

9.2.4. Maintain documentation per your Project's record-keeping requirements

9.3. Anti Entropy staff:

9.3.1. Expenses related to SparkWell Project support and oversight follow this Anti Entropy policy

9.3.2. Code expenses appropriately to distinguish between general Anti Entropy operations and Project-specific work when submitting for reimbursement

10. Policy Violations

10.1. What Constitutes a Violation

10.1.1. Submitting fraudulent, inflated, or false expenses

10.1.2. Claiming personal expenses as business expenses

10.1.3. Failing to return excess advances or incorrect reimbursements when notified

10.1.4. Not obtaining required pre-approvals for large expenses

10.1.5. Repeatedly submitting expenses without proper documentation

10.1.6. Misrepresenting the business purpose of an expense

10.2. Consequences

Violations will result in disciplinary action per the Misconduct & Discipline policy, which may include:

10.2.1. Minor violations (first offense, small amount, no apparent intent to defraud):

• Denial of reimbursement for that expense
• Coaching on proper expense submission
• Requirement for additional documentation on future submissions

10.2.2. Moderate violations (repeated minor violations or larger amounts):

• Written warning
• Requirement to repay incorrectly reimbursed amounts
• Temporary loss of expense privileges
• Enhanced review of future expenses

10.2.3. Serious violations (fraud, significant amounts, clear intent to deceive):

• Immediate requirement to repay all fraudulent reimbursements
• Suspension or termination of employment/contract
• Potential legal action to recover funds
• Referral to law enforcement if appropriate

10.2.4. Fraudulent expense claims are considered gross misconduct and may result in immediate termination.

10.2.5. If you realize you submitted an expense in error, notify the Board President immediately. Self-reporting of honest mistakes is viewed favorably.