Governing Structure
The Ikoku Charitable Trusts and The Ikoku Foundations are governed respectively by a Board of Trustees and a set of Advisory Boards of Directors. The basic architecture of the three-board system is defined by the Declaration of Trust of the Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Charitable Trusts and by the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of The Ikoku Charitable Trusts and The Ikoku Foundations.
Below are a number of details pertaining to the boards’ relations:
Complementary Boards
Through a set of complementary roles, the three boards carry out the essential fiduciary duties normally associated with a board of trustees, while also ensuring that adequate attention is paid to the quality and progress of planning, policy, and operations, and to core contributions toward the Trusts’ and Foundations’ complementary missions and charitable purposes.
Role of the Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is primarily charged with receiving, holding, and managing donated assets and other property for The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Foundation and The Alvan Azinna Chibuzo Ikoku Foundation. The Board of Trustees is also tasked with developing and evaluating long-range strategy, planning, and policy, and with approving major budgets and capital projects, overseeing plans for endowment spending and growth, and engaging other non-financial matters of significant and enduring importance. As ex-officio trustees, the President and Treasurer coordinate such affairs of the Board of Trustees with those of the Advisory Boards of Directors of The Ikoku Foundations.
Role of the Advisory Boards of Directors
Each of The Ikoku Foundations are guided by an Advisory Board of Directors, larger in membership than the Board of Trustees, tasked in part with providing counsel to leadership and trustees on medium-to-long-range strategic directions, priorities, planning and policy. Still, the primary fiduciary duties of each Advisory Board are to the ongoing operations of their respective Ikoku Foundations, and to the fulfillment of the Trusts’ specifying charitable purposes through each Foundation. The Advisory Boards carry out these responsibilities largely through the operation of several committees, chaired by and reporting to Advisory Board members.
Shared Objectives
Together, the three Boards work to ensure the health, vision, and perpetuity of The Ikoku Charitable Trusts and The Ikoku Foundations — led by the President and Chair, Alvan Azinna Chibuzo Ikoku, and Treasurer, Ijeoma Chinwe Ikoku, who serve as ex-officio members on the three boards.
Leadership and Board Members
Below are the current leadership for The Ikoku Charitable Trusts and The Ikoku Foundations.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Alvan Azinna Chibuzo Ikoku
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
Ijeoma Chinwe Ikoku
Secretary and Chief Governance Officer
Chinyere Ukeagumo Ikoku Jr
Members of the Board of Trustees
Members of the Advisory Boards of Directors
Founding and Governing Documents
The Ikoku Charitable Trusts and The Ikoku Foundations were incorporated by their President, Alvan Azinna Ikoku, in the United States. Below are their documents of establishment, incorporation, tax-exempt status, and core corporate governance:
Declaration of Trust of the Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Charitable Trusts
Declaration of Trust of The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Charitable Trusts (HTML)
Articles of Incorporation
Articles of Incorporation of The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Charitable Trusts (HTML)
2017 Articles of Incorporation of The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Foundation (HTML)
2017 Articles of Incorporation of The Alvan Azinna Chibuzo Ikoku Foundation (HTML)
2018 Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Foundation (HTML)
2018 Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of The Alvan Azinna Chibuzo Ikoku Foundation (HTML)
Letters of Tax-Exempt Status
IRS Tax-Exempt Status Letter for The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Charitable Trusts
IRS Tax-Exempt Status Letter for The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Foundation
IRS Tax-Exempt Status Letter for The Alvan Azinna Chibuzo Ikoku Foundation
Business Licenses
Business License for The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Charitable Trusts (PDF)
Business License for The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Foundation (PDF)
Business License for The Alvan Azinna Chibuzo Ikoku Foundation (PDF)
The By-Laws
Committee Charters
Committee Charters for The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Charitable Trusts
Committee Charters for The Chinyere and Chinelo Ikoku Foundation
Committee Charters for The Alvan Azinna Chibuzo Ikoku Foundation
Governing Ethics and Associated Policies
Provided here are the founding codes of ethics for The Ikoku Charitable Trusts and The Ikoku Foundations, as well as the governing policies that derive from them. The Founding and Governing Code of Ethics is thus the basis for policies that collectively make up the Corporate Code of Conduct, the Terms and Conditions of Service, and the User Agreement, which govern all employees’, agents’, volunteers’, visitors’ and online users’ work in and for, access to and use of, affiliation with and reference to The Ikoku Charitable Trusts and The Ikoku Foundations.
The Code of Ethics and associated policies are each made available in html and pdf format.
Founding and Governing Code of Ethics
Founding and Governing Code of Ethics (HTML)
Corporate Code of Conduct
Corporate Code of Conduct (HTML)
Terms and Conditions of Service
Terms of Use and Service (HTML)
The User Agreement
The User Agreement (HTML)
Associated Policies
Associated policies below:
Privacy and Confidentiality
Privacy and Confidentiality (HTML)
Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property (HTML)
Acceptable Use Policy
Acceptable Use Policy (HTML)
Accessibility and Disability
Accessibility & Disability (HTML)
Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of Interest (PDF)
Conflicts of Interest (HTML)
Corporate Responsibility
Corporate Responsibility (PDF)
Corporate Responsibility (HTML)
Discrimination and Harassment
Discrimination & Harassment (PDF)
Discrimination & Harassment (HTML)
Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity & Inclusion (PDF)
Diversity & Inclusion (HTML)
Forced Labor, Trafficking, Slavery
Forced Labor, Trafficking, Slavery (PDF)
Forced Labor, Trafficking, Slavery (HTML)
Sustainability
Sustainability (PDF)
Sustainability (HTML)
Transparency
Transparency (PDF)
Transparency (HTML)
Governace Suited to Local and Global Philanthropy
We have designed the governing structure of the Ikoku Foundations and Foundations in order to be attentive to needs and operations at the local and global level, as well as across the complex states and societies where our communities reside, living shared, interdependent lives.
With Respect Being Central to Our Ethics
At the core of our founding and governing Code of Ethics is a commitment to the most robust conceptions of respect and humanity, including and beyond what the law has protected and provided for, as we fulfill our twin mottos: to serve the public interest in Africa and its global diasporas; and to account for the past while ensuring a shared and just future.
To Ensure a Just and Shared Future for Many
We are inspired by peoples who have contributed to the foundations and development of their societies, despite a history of systemic difficulties. Who maintain an unyielding belief that the betterment of their human condition will foster the betterment of those living around them, and will enhance the futures of the regularly underserved, marginalized, disenfranchised. We draw from their example a vision of the public good and common community that is our hope and objective.
More About Us
The Ikoku Trusts
About Us • Founding & Overview • Governance • Policies • Press & Media • Careers at The Trusts and Foundations