CONNECTIONS POLICIES AND PROCEDURESAs of May 25, 2023

Contents
1

MEMBERSHIP POLICIES ......................................................................................... 3
1.1 DUES .............................................................................................................. 3
1.2 NO REFUND OF MEMBERSHIP FEES ...................................................... 3
1.3 CONNECTIONS “MEMBERS ONLY” ELIGIBILITY................................ 32

CHILD CARE ............................................................................................................. 4
2.1 ELIGIBILITY FOR 25% DISCOUNT FOR CHILDCARE .......................... 4
2.2 FREE CHILDCARE VOUCHERS ................................................................ 4
2.3 CHILDCARE CREDIT PROCEDURES ....................................................... 4

3

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS .................................................................................... 5
3.1 ENRICHMENT PROGRAM GENERAL POLICY ...................................... 5
3.2 CLASSROOM USE........................................................................................ 5
3.3 ENRICHMENT DESCRIPTIONS ................................................................. 5
3.4 ENRICHMENT PROGRAM COMMITTEE CHAIR (CO-CHAIRS) .......... 6
3.5 CONTRACTS ................................................................................................. 6
3.6 SIGN-UPS....................................................................................................... 6
3.7 WAIT LIST ..................................................................................................... 7
3.8 CANCELLATION POLICY .......................................................................... 7
3.9 INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY ............................................................. 7
3.10 TIMELINES FOR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS ...................................... 7

4

TOURS ........................................................................................................................ 9
4.1 TOURS GENERAL POLICY ........................................................................ 9
4.2 TOURS COMMITTEE CHAIR (CO-CHAIRS) ............................................ 9
4.3 CREATING TOURS ...................................................................................... 9
4.4 TOUR REGISTRATION.............................................................................. 10
4.5 AGE REQUIREMENTS .............................................................................. 10
4.6 WAIT LIST ................................................................................................... 11
4.7 CANCELLATION POLICY ........................................................................ 11
4.8 INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY ........................................................... 11
4.9 BILLING....................................................................................................... 111
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5

SOCIAL AND CONNECTIONS PROGRAMS POLICIES .................................... 12
5.1 REGISTRATION AND CANCELLATION ................................................ 12
5.2 EVENT TIMING .......................................................................................... 12
5.3 CHARGES & BILLING ............................................................................... 12
5.4 CONNECTIONS PROGRAMS ................................................................... 12

6.

FINANCIAL POLICIES ........................................................................................... 13
6.1 ANNUAL BUDGET .................................................................................... 13
6.2 REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES ......................................................... 13
6.3 APPROVAL POLICY ON UNBUDGETED EXPENDITURES ................ 14
6.4 APPROVAL POLICY ON ADVANCES .................................................... 14
6.5 APPROVAL POLICY FOR FINANCIAL DISBURSEMENTS ................. 14
6.6 PAYMENTS TO OUTSIDE VENDORS..................................................... 15
6.7 UNBUDGETED GIFTS ............................................................................... 15
6.8 PROCEEDS FROM CHARITY EVENTS ................................................... 15
6.9 STRATEGIC FINANCIAL PLAN............................................................... 15
6.10 VOLUNTEER REIMBURSEMENT ......................................................... 15

7.

SALES EVENT POLICIES ...................................................................................... 15
7.1 “CLUB MEMBERS ONLY” ELIGIBILITY ............................................... 16
7.2 USED ITEMS SALE SELLERS .................................................................. 16
7.3 TENTATIVE TIMELINE FOR ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOPPINGSPECTACULAR .................................................................................................. 16
7.4 TENTATIVE TIMELINE FOR THE HOME FURNISHING SALE .......... 17
7.5 CHILDREN AT SALES EVENTS .............................................................. 18
7.6 VOLUNTEERS ............................................................................................ 18

8

COMMUNICATION POLICIES .............................................................................. 18
8.1 COMMUNICATION AVENUES ................................................................ 18

9

CHARITY POLICIES ............................................................................................... 20
9.1 ANNUAL CHARITABLE DONATIONS PROGRAM .............................. 20
9.2 DISASTER RELIEF DONATION ............................................................... 21
9.3 DETERMINATION OF CHARITIES AND DONATION AMOUNTS ..... 21
9.4 CHARITY EVENTS AND TIMELINE ....................................................... 21

10 COMMITTEE MEMBERS ....................................................................................... 222
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CONNECTIONS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
1

MEMBERSHIP POLICIES

1.1

DUES

Membership in Connections ("Connections") is hereinafter referred to a "Membership"
and Connections members as "Members". The Membership year is from September 1
through August 31 (the "Membership Year"). The Member on record at the Tokyo
American Club (the "Club") is automatically billed for Fees fhrough such Member's Club
account.
Connections dues are 7,000 yen annually (the "Fees"). If a Member's spouse or partner
on the same Club account also joins, Fees will be waived for the second concurrent
membership. If a new Member joins between September 1 and May 30, the Member
will not be charged Fees until the following September 1. If a new Member joins
between June 1 and August 31, Membership will be deferred until September 1 and no
Fees will be charged until September 1 of the following year.
Prior members who rejoin after an absence of 3 or more years are eligible for the firstyear free upon rejoining.

1.2

NO REFUND OF MEMBERSHIP FEES

Connections does not refund Membership Fees. The Connections office (the“Connections Office”) will remind Members, on the website, in newsletters and/or in an
email, that Members electing to resign from Connections are to submit their respective
resignations to the Connections Office by regular mail, email or in person at theConnections Office so that such resignation is received by the Connections Office prior to
September 1. If a Member resigns from the Club or changes its membership type to“Life”, such Member will automatically be resigned from Connections. Any otherresignation of Connections Membership, if desired, must be done by regular mail, email
or in person at the Connections Office. When resigning from Connections, all Connectionsclasses/tours or other events must be cancelled separately. Connections classes/tours orother events are not automatically cancelled by a Membership resignation.

1.3

CONNECTIONS “MEMBERS ONLY” ELIGIBILITY“Members Only” sales (or specific times of sales) and events will be advertised as such.

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2

CHILD CARE

2.1

ELIGIBILITY FOR 25% DISCOUNT FOR CHILDCARE

Up to a cap determined by the Board, Members are eligible to receive a 25% discountfrom Connections for childcare at the Club childcare center for the period of time they
are attending as a participant or volunteering for the following Connections activities:• Enrichment Programs• The open house or welcome event• Seminar for tips on living in Japan (currently named “Tokyo: Here & Now”)(participants only)• Coffee Connections (participants only)• Culture Connections (participants only)• Other Connections programs as posted

2.2

FREE CHILDCARE VOUCHERS

Free childcare is available for the following Connections activities:• Sales events (for volunteers only)• Committee meetings or working on committee projects• Connections Board meetings• Seminar for tips on living in Japan (for volunteers only)

2.3

CHILDCARE CREDIT PROCEDURES

To obtain discounted or free childcare, a Member must request and complete a
Connections-provided discount voucher (provided via email or in person at theConnections Office) with the date and time of the event. Once completed, a Connections
Office staff member will verify Membership and once verified, will electronically send thevoucher to the Club childcare center.
A discount voucher must be completed and signed prior to the Member arriving at theClub childcare center. The Club childcare booking, however, must be made directly to
the Club childcare center by the Member.

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3

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

3.1

ENRICHMENT PROGRAM GENERAL POLICYMembers and Club members over 18 years of age are able to take Connections
enrichment programs (“Enrichment Programs”). Members do not pay any registration
fee for Enrichment Programs. Member guests, Club members and Club members’ guests(if such guests are allowed pursuant to applicable Club or Connections policies andprocedures) are required to pay applicable registration fees for Enrichment Programs.
Individuals under the age of 18 are not permitted in Enrichment Program classes unless it
is a family workshop or similar workshop with ages specified. Enrichment Programs areoffered during three (3) sessions each year, in the fall, spring and summer (though limitedin the summer). Enrichment Program classes may meet at the Club in designatedclassrooms or at off-site locations as specified by instructors.

3.2

CLASSROOM USE

The Connections classrooms are to be for the exclusive use of classes organized byConnections for its Members. Any exception regarding the use of the classrooms
unrelated to or not conflicting with Connections activities will be at the discretion of theClub management, in coordination with the Connections Office. A list of such additionalclassroom use by the Club management will be submitted to the Connections Office inadvance of such use. A schedule of classes organized by the applicable Enrichment
Program committee (“Enrichment Program Committee”) for Club members will be
provided to the Club management at the beginning of each new session. For activities
not sponsored by the Club, a room fee will apply. The classrooms must be kept clean andorderly by the users of the room. Failure to return the room in a clean and orderly
condition and any destruction to or vandalism of items in the room or the room itself will
result in the cancellation of any remaining room reservation, if applicable, and denial of
future reservations for that user or sponsoring department. In addition, compensation
for any damage to the room or property therein will be billed to the user or sponsoring
department.

3.3

ENRICHMENT DESCRIPTIONS

Information on Enrichment Program classes available each session, including fees,
instructors, class dates, locations and costs for extra materials, is available online in the
Enrichment Program Descriptions on the Connections website. The Enrichment Program
Committee and the Connections Office will update and revise the schedule and classdescriptions before each session begins.
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3.4

ENRICHMENT PROGRAM COMMITTEE CHAIR (CO-CHAIRS)

The Enrichment Committee Chair/Co-Chairs (collectively, “Co-Chairs”) are in charge ofoversight of the Enrichment Programs, including excursions.
The Co-Chairs will:• interview potential new class instructors• make the final determination in selection of classes and instructors• oversee the classes and, to maintain quality of programs, will have the opportunity
to attend any class with prior permission from the individual instructors. The signup for such attendance will not go through ordinary means and the instructor will
not be paid for the Co-Chairs as students. In this event, the Co-Chairs will pay any
applicable materials fees.

3.5

CONTRACTS

The contracts establishing time, place, duration and fees for the classes will be written by
the Enrichment Program Committee and must comply with Club guidance. All contracts
must be signed by the Club’s General Manager. The Connections Office will retain areturned, signed copy of all contracts for the files.

3.6

SIGN-UPS

Enrichment Program sign-up is available in the following ways:• on-line at announced dates and times (the date and time of the commencementof sign-up will be announced, generally, at least two (2) weeks prior to the openingof sign-up)• at the Connections Office during office hours with the assistance of theConnections Office staff• at the Member Services Desk (the “MSDesk”)
Enrichment Program sign-ups will be closed once the stated class maximum registration
has been reached or the cancellation deadline prior to the start date of class, whichevercomes first; provided, however, that sign-ups may be permitted after the cancellation
deadline if the maximum registration has not been reached.

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3.7

WAIT LIST

A wait list will be created for any sign-ups above the stated class maximum. If a vacancy
has been opened before the cancellation deadline, the first person (and so on) on thewait list is automatically registered. Once registration is closed and a vacancy has been
opened, Connections Office staff will notify the first person on the wait list. This person
will have the first priority to join the class over other potential students. If the first person
cannot be reached, a message will be left stating that the person will need to reply to theConnections Office by the following day if the person wants to join the class. If thecontacted person does not call back in time, the next person on the wait list will be
notified.

3.8

CANCELLATION POLICY

The cancellation deadline date shall be determined prior to the class start date. Members
should notify the Connections Office that they are canceling attendance by phone oremail. NO voicemail cancellations will be accepted. Cancellations past the cancellation
deadline date will incur the full class fee. If a cancellation is requested after thecancellation deadline date due to an emergency, the Director of Enrichment Programs
will determine the resolution on a case-by-case basis.

3.9

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

In case of inclement weather, cancellation and rescheduling of the class will be as follows:•••

All classes will be cancelled in the event that the Club is closed
If the Club is open, class cancellation will be determined by each individual
instructor and each instructor will notify students only if the class is cancelled due
to weather
Cancellation of classes held in the instructor’s home or off-site will be left to thediscretion of the individual instructors. The instructor will notify students in theevent of a cancellation only.

3.10 TIMELINES FOR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
The tentative timelines for Enrichment Programs are noted below:
April/May• Interview new program instructors• Prepare and send information to program instructors for the fall session
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•Initiate annual open house or welcome event preparations

June/July• Order any marketing tools (posters, signs, etc.)• Send all class information to the Club’s Communications Department(“Communications”) including class descriptions
August• Send program instructors information regarding their classes
September• Annual open house or welcome event• Monitor registration• Interview program instructors for the spring session
October• Prepare lineup of classes and class descriptions for the spring session• Send program instructor contracts• Send evaluations
November• Ensure signed contracts have been returned• Send class information to Communications• Send program instructors class information
December• Monitor on-going class registration• Prepare publicity for Class Registration
January• Registration for spring programs stakes place
March• Prepare calendar for the fall session• Allocate and confirm classroom space
April
•
•

Send proposal forms out to program instructors
Train new classes Co-Chair(s) if necessary8
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4

TOURS

4.1

TOURS GENERAL POLICYMembers, Club members, and their respective guests are eligible to participate inConnections Tours. Tours are offered year-round.

4.2

TOURS COMMITTEE CHAIR (CO-CHAIRS)The Tours Committee Chair/Co-Chairs (known as “Co-Chairs”) oversee all Tours in orderto maintain quality and consistency.

4.3

CREATING TOURS
4.3.1

Destinations

In the spring, to allow for planning and advertising, the Tours Committee decides where
tours will be run from the up-coming fall to the summer of the following year. Tours areusually offered from September through June. The Committee offers a mixture of halfday and full-day walking tours, day tours by bus, overnight tours within Japan, and/orinternational tours. New tours are run each year. Popular tours are sometimes repeated,with adjustments to the itinerary, when necessary. If a tour is planned to a location thathas not been visited before, whenever possible the tour leaders should plan to visit thedestination in advance in order to become familiar with the route.
4.3.2 Tour Leaders
Once the tour schedule is set, members of the Committee will volunteer to lead each tour.
Two committee members will be assigned to each tour as Tour Leaders. Both Tour
Leaders share the burden of preparation for the tour and both are expected to attend
and lead the tour. Tour Leaders will create a Connections -provided event action plan(“EAP”) and submit it to the Connections Office staff at least 8 weeks (12 weeks forinternational tours) in advance of the tour date.
4.3.3 Trip Costs/Fees
The Connections Tours Committee offers a non-profit service for the members of theClub. To calculate the participant fee per tour, the Tour Leaders make a list of all costs
involved and divide the total by the minimum number of participants allowed on the tour.
Non-Members and guests will be charged an additional 10% per person, per tour.
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The costs, inclusive of tax, may include, but are not limited to:• Transportation fees (including lunch allowance for bus drivers)• Entrance fees
• Food/Drinks• Tour Leader fees
• Research (as defined below and if approved in advance by the Co-Chairs) andResearch Trips (as defined below and if approved in advance by the Director of
Finance)
As Tour Leaders are volunteers who plan and then work during the tour, their fees areincluded in the cost which is divided among the participants.
The fee per participant is based on a minimum number of participants. If the minimum
number of participants is not reached, it is up to the Tour Leaders to decide whether or
not to cancel the tour. If the minimum number of participants is not reached, and the tour
is not canceled, the Tour Leaders are obliged to pay any amount of their own fee that is
not covered by the total amount collected.

4.4TOUR REGISTRATION

Members and Club members can register and cancel their registration (before thecancellation deadline) via the Club website. Registration begins on the date and time
listed in the online tour description. For Members and their respective immediatefamilies, the registration date is typically 4 weeks before the tour date for a day tour and8-12 weeks before the tour date for an overnight or international tour. Club members
who are not Connections members, and guests, can typically register for a tour one week
after the initial registration date.
Tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours are advertised in INTOUCH,
Connections website, Connections Connect, printed e-Cards, social media, Club LCD
screens and/or other platforms, resources and mediums.

4.5

AGE REQUIREMENTS

Most Connections Tours are created for adults, run on weekdays and limited toparticipants age 18 and older. However, there are occasional exceptions. Agerequirements are always clearly stated in advance in the online tour description.

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4.6

WAIT LIST

A wait list will be created for any sign-ups above the stated tour maximum. If a vacancy
has been opened before the cancellation deadline, the first person (and so on) on thewait list is automatically registered. Once registration is closed and a vacancy has been
opened, Connections Office staff will notify the first person on the wait list. This person
will have the first priority to join the tour over other potential registrants. If the first
person cannot be reached, a message will be left stating that the person will need to reply
to the Connections Office by the following day if the person wants to join the tour. If thecontacted person does not call back in time, the next person on the wait list will be
notified.

4.7

CANCELLATION POLICY

The cancellation date for each tour is listed in the online tour description. The cancellation
deadline is typically at least 7 days prior to the tour date, but is dependent on the logistics
of each tour. Participants will be charged the full tour fee for cancellations after thecancellation deadline. Substitutions by the participant are not allowed. However, if a waitlisted person takes their place, a participant who cancels after the deadline will only berequired to pay 50% of the tour fee.

4.8

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

Cancellation of a tour is determined on a case-by-case basis. Cancellation of a tour due toinclement weather will be determined by the Tour Leaders and/or the tour company, if
applicable. Some tours run rain or shine. The possibility of tour cancellation due toweather will be stated in the online tour description.

4.9

BILLING

After the tour, Tour Leaders will submit the tour participant list to the Connections Office
to initiate billing. The Club’s Finance Department administers billing. Tour fees are billed
to a member's Club account after each tour has finished. There are no refunds once a tour
has begun and no refunds are given for no-shows.

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5

SOCIAL AND CONNECTIONS PROGRAMS POLICIES“Social Programs” are coordinated by the Director of Social Programs who organizes theevent and has oversight over finalizing the applicable EAP. “Connections Programs” arecoordinated by the designated Board Members per the Connections bylaws (currently
comprised of “Coffee Connections,” “Culture Connections” and “Cocktail Connections”).

5.1

REGISTRATION AND CANCELLATION

Social Programs are open to Members and their respective guests. Signups are completed
by registering in person at the Connections Office or through the Club website.
Cancellations may also be completed in person or on the Club website. Signups andcancellations on the Club website are only valid upon receipt of a confirmation.

5.2

EVENT TIMING

Unless otherwise noted in event advertising, doors open and registration begins at 11:00
a.m. Lunch is served according to the individual EAP. Members’ accounts will be
automatically billed and there are no refunds for cancellations after the cancellation
deadline or no-shows.

5.3

CHARGES & BILLINGAll Social Programs attendees, with the exception of the Director of Social Programs, must
pay the full fee for the lunch and the program. Non-Member prices will be as advertisedfor each event.

5.4

CONNECTIONS PROGRAMSConnections Programs are scheduled monthly and do not require advance registrationor sign up. Registration may be requested for certain events to gauge attendance but is
not required. No children of any age are permitted. At the discretion of the then-current
Board, non-members may attend Coffee Connections/ and/or Culture Connections for acertain fee so long as such non-members are registered with the office in advance (bythe Friday before the event). Non-members may attend Cocktail Connections byinvitation or by joining the conversation as it is held in an open venue which also serves
non-Connections members.

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6.

FINANCIAL POLICIES

6.1

ANNUAL BUDGETThe Connections annual budget will be determined in compliance with the Club’s
budgeting procedures.

6.2

REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES“Research” conducted by any Connections committee member means such member’s
research, study and/or collection of information about a particular subject related to suchmember’s duties and responsibilities.
Expenses incurred by Connections committee members will be reimbursed only if: (a)written prior approval of the Committee Chair is obtained; and (b) written receipts and/or
other written proof of purchase is submitted to the Director of Finance; provided,
however, that expenses related to any advance visit to any location related to any tour,
class, program, event or any other activity planned by any Connections committee for thebusiness purpose of Research related to such tour, class, program, event or activity (a“Research Trip”), shall be pre-approved in writing by the Director of Finance.
Connections committee members, including Tour Leaders, have the option to submit for
reimbursement the cost of Research and/or Research Trips; provided, however, that: (i)for Research and/or Research Trips involving overnight tours: (x) such total cost shall not
exceed 10,000 yen per committee member or Tour Leader (the “Overnight Tour Cap”);
and (y) no more than a total of two committee members or Tour Leaders may so seek
such reimbursement; (ii) for Research and/or Research Trips involving day tours, suchtotal cost shall not exceed 10,000 yen per tour (the “Day Trip Cap”); (iii) written preapproval of Research costs is required in advance from the Chair/Co-Chairs; and (iv)written pre-approval of Research Trip costs is required in advance from the Director of
Finance.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Overnight Tour Cap and/or Day Trip Cap
may be exceeded only upon the written pre-approval of the Director of Finance (i.e.,
approved in writing prior to any expenditure of costs for which reimbursement is sought).
In the case of Board Members, approval of unbudgeted expenses must be given by the
President. Connections expenses incurred at the Club should identify the function on thereceipt, be charged to the Connections Account, and signed by the Board Member
responsible.
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Connections committee members who plan Research Trips shall, in advance of such trip,
provide the Connections Office with written details of the trip, including trip dates, times
and all attendees. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the President, only
Connections committee members may attend Research Trips.

6.3

APPROVAL POLICY ON UNBUDGETED EXPENDITURES

Unusual expenditures not included in the budget require prior approval by theConnections Board.
In the event that approval is needed prior to the next upcoming Board meeting,extraordinary expenditures may be approved by a majority of the Members of the Board
who are in Tokyo, either present at an emergency meeting of the Board or through an“email poll” of the Board.
A written minute of the vote at such an emergency meeting or “email poll” should beplaced in the record of the Connections Board.

6.4

APPROVAL POLICY ON ADVANCES

An advance for expenses to be incurred on behalf of the Connections should be requested
two weeks in advance and requires written approval by the Connections Director of
Finance.
In the event that written approval cannot be obtained, verbal approval by the Treasurer
or Director of Finance is sufficient, but subsequent written documentation (including awritten email) must be obtained.

6.5

APPROVAL POLICY FOR FINANCIAL DISBURSEMENTS

All checks or payments in an amount up to 100,000 yen require the signature of the
Director of Finance. Checks or payments in the amount of 100,000 yen or more must be
countersigned by the Director of Finance and the President. In the absence of the
President, the Vice President has authority to countersign. In the absence of the Directorof Finance, the Director of Administration has the authority to sign.

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6.6

PAYMENTS TO OUTSIDE VENDORSAll payments to outside vendors will be processed by the Club’s Finance Department andare subject to the Club’s payment policy. There should be no cash payments by committee
Members to outside vendors or speakers.

6.7

UNBUDGETED GIFTS

Gifts not included in the Budget should only be made with prior approval from the
President, the Director of Finance and the Vice President(s).

6.8

PROCEEDS FROM CHARITY EVENTS

100% of the proceeds from all events designated as charity fundraisers will be disbursed
to Connections charities in accordance with Club policies and directives.

6.9

STRATEGIC FINANCIAL PLAN

It is required by the Club that the Connections Board create and follow an annual budget
which will specify spending from all remaining proceeds from Connections fundraising
activities. Such annual budget will be reviewed annually and approved by theConnections Board.
Connections will consult with the Club’s Finance Committee on the overall managementof Connections assets as needed.

6.10 VOLUNTEER REIMBURSEMENT
The cost of Connections volunteers to attend Connections -sponsored functions will not
be reimbursed except with the prior written approval of the Connections Board as voted
on at a Connections Board meeting at the time of budget approval with the exception of
the Director of Monthly Programs attending those events. At the end of each term (oneyear of office) the extended Connections Board members, Vice Presidents and Presidents
may receive a gift as approved in the previous year’s budget.

7.

SALES EVENT POLICIES

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7.1“CLUB MEMBERS ONLY” ELIGIBILITY

Admission to “Club Members Only” sales hours includes:• Current Club Membership cardholders• Temporary Membership cardholders• Reciprocal Club cardholders
Each individual must present her or his Club card, Temporary card or Reciprocal card as
proof of Membership for admission during the “Club Members Only” sales hours.

7.2

USED ITEMS SALE SELLERS

Eligibility of sellers to participate in Connections’ sale of used items (currently named“Nearly New Sale”) will be limited to current Club members.

7.3

TENTATIVE TIMELINE FOR ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOPPING SPECTACULAR

The tentative timeline for the Connections annual shopping spectacular of holiday gift ideas,
keepsakes and home enhancements (currently named the “International Bazaar”) is noted
below:
April•

Form the committee•

Hold meetings monthly before the summer break and bi-weekly from September•

Issue the EAP•

Send information and application forms to new vendors•

Send invitations and information forms to the selected vendors from previous years

May
•
•
June
•
•

Follow up on responses from vendors and potential vendors
Develop marketing materials with Communications

Hold interviews with new vendors
Send contracts and information to all participating vendors

July/August• Prepare for articles in InTouch• Follow up on participating vendors• Discuss logo and wording for promotional materials with Communications in August

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September• Vendor follow up, ensure contracts and all required information are received•

Promotion Plan to be decided early September•

Discuss preliminary floor plan and general event requirements with the Banquet
Department•

Liaise with the Club’s Food and Beverage Department regarding the café

October• Recruit volunteers•

Give finance team all relevant information•

Finalize floor plan, equipment, etc. for the event•

Set up displays

November• Hold final committee meeting to ensure all is in place

7.4

TENTATIVE TIMELINE FOR THE HOME FURNISHING SALE

The tentative timeline for the Connections home furnishings sale (currently named “Décor!”)is noted below:
November• Form the committee•

Issue the EAP•

Send information and application forms to new vendors•

Send invitations and information forms to the selected vendors from previous years

December• Send information and application forms to new vendors
January• Follow up on responses from vendors and potential vendors•

Send contracts and information to all participating vendors•

Prepare Promotion Plan including an article in InTouch Magazine

February• Vendor follow-up, ensure contracts and all required information are received

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2-1-2 Azabudai Minato-ku Tokyo 106-8649 Phone: (03) 4588-0691 Fax: (03) 4588-0241

••Discuss preliminary floor plan and general event requirements with the Banquet
Department
Liaise with Food and Beverage regarding the café

March
• Recruit volunteers•

Give finance team all relevant information•

Finalize floor plan, equipment, etc. for the event•

Set up displays

April
•

Hold final committee meeting to ensure all is in place

7.5

CHILDREN AT SALES EVENTSAll sales will be advertised as “No children allowed” unless otherwise noted. Children
under 12 years of age will not be permitted. Babies secured in a sling or baby carrier are
permitted to attend but must remain secured in the carrier. Strollers and the like are notpermitted in any shopping area.

7.6

VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers will be allowed to attend the “Pre-Sale” or “Volunteer Sale” for the
relevant event.
Volunteer workers at all Connections events must be members of Connections.
Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis with approval of the relevant event
committee and the Board.

8

COMMUNICATION POLICIESThe Director of Communications will be responsible for Communications coming from theConnections Office in order to ensure a consistent, streamlined approach tocommunicating with Connections Members.

8.1

COMMUNICATION AVENUES

The following are avenues for communication to Connections Members:
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2-1-2 Azabudai Minato-ku Tokyo 106-8649 Phone: (03) 4588-0691 Fax: (03) 4588-0241

E-Mail Communications:•

Connections will send out communication to it members via email for events
related specifically to Connections functions and Membership requirements.

•

The email message will typically be sent out on a Wednesday with prior approval
from the Director of Communications.

•

Requests for advertisement of events other than Connections functions will not
be accepted. Any exceptions to this will be made on a case-by-case basis andapproved by the Director of Communications and Connections President.

Facebook Communications:•

Connections Facebook page will be used as an outlet to provide photographs ofprevious events such as Enrichment Programs, Trips and Tours, and Monthly
Programs.

•

Connections Facebook page will advertise upcoming Connections events andcommunity events as requested. Advertisement of community events will be at
the approval of the Director of Communications and Connections President.

Website Communications:•

The Connections website will be used to provide overall information on
Connections Membership and details of the Club’s purpose and generalactivities. Webpages for Enrichment Programs and Tours will be maintained ona regularly scheduled basis in cooperation with the relevant Directors. The
Connections website may also be used as an outlet to provide current
photographs and/or videos of events such as Enrichment Programs, Tours andMonthly Programs.

•

The Connections website will be maintained by the Director of Communications.
The full Connections website shall be revisited and updated annually to ensurethat the text and photographs represent the then-current voice and direction ofConnections. Text within the Connections website shall be coordinated with theinformation presented by the Club and Connection representatives in new
Membership orientations, presentations and messages.

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2-1-2 Azabudai Minato-ku Tokyo 106-8649 Phone: (03) 4588-0691 Fax: (03) 4588-0241

9

CHARITY POLICIESThe Director of Charities will be responsible for Connections charitable operations
including recruiting and managing a committee that assists in:
•
•
•
•

9.1

Identifying and maintaining relationships with charitable organizations
Determining amounts and recipients of the annual disbursement of funds tocharitable organizations and reporting to the Connections Board, the FinanceCommittee and the Board of Governors
Processing payments and notifying the recipients of donations
Increasing the awareness of Connections charitable activities amongst Club
members, Connections volunteers, vendors, buyers and the general public who
support Connections fundraising events and activities in part because of thecharitable purpose
Leading Connections charity events (e.g., Sanyukai Drive, Salvation Army Drive,
Angel Tree Program)

ANNUAL CHARITABLE DONATIONS PROGRAM

The annual Connections charitable donations program aims to strike a balance between
three focus areas:• Women & Children,• Homeless & Hungry, and Education.
Connections looks to donate to charitable organizations that are registered in Japan anddeemed to have limited funding sources and funding needs for ongoing or new activities,
expansion and improvement, and one-off projects. Preference is given to organizations
supporting our local community (Kanto area) and with which Connections has a history.
Connections donations should not be relied on by the recipients as a continuingcommitment by Connections and should therefore not be used to fund ongoingadministrative or operating costs (e.g., salaries, rent).
The program is committed to donating to charitable organizations at least 100% of thefunds generated through that fiscal year's fundraising events and other charitable
activities.
Where appropriate, Connections should look to spending down Connections reserves as
the source of some of these funds were generated through fundraising events held in thepast. Therefore it is possible to donate more in one year than what is generated throughthat year’s fundraising events.

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No organization should receive more than 2 million yen per year to support their core
activities.
Typically, the organizations are notified, and donations disbursed in the spring to summer
period.

9.2

DISASTER RELIEF DONATION

On occasion, Connections also supports charitable organizations for domestic orinternational disaster relief efforts. Donation amounts and organizations for disaster
relief efforts should be considered on a case-by-case basis, but the organization should
be registered in Japan.

9.3

DETERMINATION OF CHARITIES AND DONATION AMOUNTS

The final determination of recipient charities and donation amounts will be approved by
the Connections Board, the Finance Committee and the Board of Governors. Approval
can be obtained prior to determining the amount raised in the financial year based onbudgeted amounts. However, in that case, the amount donated in the same financial year
should be reviewed once the amount of funds raised is finalized in order to ensure thatat least 100% was donated.
The approval process should be started no later than right after the last main fundraising
event of the year (typically Connections carpet auction or Connections home furnishingsale).

9.4

CHARITY EVENTS AND TIMELINE
•
•

9.5

The Sanyukai Drive is typically held in November. The date is set based on
discussions with Sanyukai and volunteer availability.
The Salvation Army Drive is held in conjunction with Connections’ sale of used
items. For either drive, the date should be confirmed with the charity at least 1-2
months in advance to ensure the charity is available for collection on the day.

AWARENESS

Connections donations and the efforts of charitable organizations can and should be
publicized through a variety of means. Examples include posts on social media, mailinglists, articles in the InTouch magazine, press releases on the Club website, and speeches
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by invitees from the charities at Connections and Club events. Recipients of Connections’donations are listed on Connections’ page on the Club website. Annual donation amounts
are available by request to the Connections Office.

10

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Committee members are those who work for a committee on an on-going basis.
Committee Chairs determine who is a committee member. A list of the committee
members’ names will be submitted to the Connections Office after the committee’s firstmeeting each year. Committee Chairs may schedule a celebratory event to thankcommittee members following the successful completion of the committee’s
undertaking. The cost will be approved by the Director of Finance and Connections
President along with an explanation for reimbursement. This expense is included in eachcommittees’ budget.

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2-1-2 Azabudai Minato-ku Tokyo 106-8649 Phone: (03) 4588-0691 Fax: (03) 4588-0241