Make Santa Fe is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment. This policy establishes a clear, transparent, and trauma-informed process for reporting, investigating, and resolving grievances and conflicts in alignment with best practices from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Nonprofit Risk Management Center (NRMC), and DEI frameworks grounded in equity, accessibility, and intersectionality.
This policy applies to all individuals who interact with Make Santa Fe in any capacity: members, staff, instructors, volunteers, vendors, guests, and board members whether incidents occur on-site, at Make-sponsored events, or in Make-affiliated online spaces.
Living Document
This policy will be reviewed regularly and updated to reflect changes in law, community needs, and organizational learning. It supplements but does not replace applicable New Mexico law, the Make Santa Fe Member Agreement, our waiver and release of liability, or board bylaws.
Guiding Principles
All grievance and conflict resolution processes at Make Santa Fe are guided by:
Dignity & Respect
Every person involved will be treated with care, regardless of the nature of the complaint.Equity & Inclusion
Processes will account for power differentials, language access, and intersectional identities.Confidentiality
Information will be protected to the maximum extent possible, disclosed only on a need-to-know basis.Non-Retaliation
Good-faith reporters, participants, and witnesses are fully protected from adverse consequences.Timeliness
Prompt acknowledgment and resolution at every stage of the process.Restorative Intent
Where appropriate, the goal is restoration of relationships and community, not punishment.Trauma-Informed
Investigators approach all parties with awareness of how trauma affects memory, disclosure, and participation.Protected Categories & Covered Behaviors
Protected Categories
Make Santa Fe prohibits discrimination, harassment, or differential treatment on the basis of any characteristic protected under federal or New Mexico law, including but not limited to:
- Race, color, ethnicity, or national origin
- Sex, gender identity, or gender expression
- Sexual orientation
- Age (18+ for membership; all minors receive youth protections)
- Disability (physical, cognitive, or mental health)
- Religion or belief system (or lack thereof)
- Pregnancy or parental status
- Veteran or military status
- Socioeconomic status or housing situation
- Immigration status
- Neurodivergence
Reportable Behaviors
- Abusive language or behavior
- Discrimination on the basis of any protected category
- Harassment, including sexual harassment
- Unwanted physical contact or threats of physical contact
- Violence or credible threats of violence
- Stalking, intimidation, or targeted hostile behavior
- Retaliation against a reporter or witness
- Misuse of this process (bad-faith reports)
This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Behavior that creates a hostile, unsafe, or unwelcoming environment for any member of our community falls within scope of this policy, even if not explicitly listed above.
Conflict Resolution & Escalation Pathway
Make Santa Fe uses a tiered approach. The appropriate starting point depends on the nature, severity, and urgency of the situation. Reporters always have the right to bypass lower tiers when the situation warrants it.
Informal Resolution
Direct DialogueFor minor interpersonal disagreements or misunderstandings. Both parties engage in respectful dialogue, with optional staff facilitation. Skip this tier entirely if the incident involves harassment, discrimination, physical contact, threats, or any power imbalance.
Formal Reporting & Staff Review
Staff InvestigationSubmit a formal report. Make Santa Fe will acknowledge within 5 business days, assign a reviewer, conduct an investigation (interviews, documentation), and issue a written determination. Outcomes include warnings, required training, or temporary suspension.
Executive Level Review
Automatically triggered for: harassment, discrimination, physical contact, violence/threats; reports against the ED or a board member; appeals of Tier 2 decisions; or when Tier 2 exceeds 14 days. Outcomes may include permanent membership revocation.
External Resolution
Third-Party Mediation or Legal ReferralIf unresolved after Tier 3, or if the situation involves potential criminal conduct or civil rights violations, Make Santa Fe will provide referrals to the EEOC, NM Human Rights Bureau, or local law enforcement, and will cooperate fully with any external investigation.
Safety Override
In cases involving credible, immediate safety threats, Make Santa Fe staff reserves the right to take protective action, including removal from the space , at any tier, at any time.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 first.
Confidentiality & Anonymous Reporting
Make Santa Fe will protect the confidentiality of all parties to the maximum extent practicable. Complete confidentiality cannot always be guaranteed where:
- Disclosure is required by law (e.g., mandatory reporting of child abuse or abuse of a vulnerable adult).
- The safety of an individual or the community requires disclosure.
- A fair investigation requires the respondent to know the nature of the allegations against them.
Anonymous reports are accepted and will be investigated to the extent possible. Reporters should understand that anonymous submissions may limit Make Santa Fe’s ability to follow up, contact the reporter for clarification, or reach a definitive determination.
Non-Retaliation
Retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, reports a concern, participates in an investigation, or supports another person through this process is strictly prohibited. Retaliation includes and is not limited to exclusion, intimidation, disparagement, adverse changes in access or status, or any conduct that would discourage a reasonable person from reporting.
Any person who believes they have experienced retaliation may report it using the same channels as any other grievance. Substantiated retaliation will be treated as a serious policy violation subject to the full range of disciplinary outcomes, up to and including permanent revocation of membership.
How to Report a Grievance
Reports may be submitted through any of the following channels. You do not need to know which tier is appropriate staff can help determine the right process.
- Online Form (below): makesantafe.org/member-policies/conflict-resolution-policy/
- General Staff: build@makesantafe.org
- Executive Director: ed@makesantafe.org
- Board of Directors: board@makesantafe.org
- In Person: Speak directly with any Make Santa Fe staff member on-site
For incidents involving the Executive Director, report directly to board@makesantafe.org.
For incidents involving a board member, report to ed@makesantafe.org and/or the full Board by using the email above.
Accessibility & Language Access
Make Santa Fe is committed to making this process accessible to everyone. Accommodations and language access support are available upon request, including:
- Submitting reports in Spanish or requesting a Spanish-speaking point of contact
- Requesting a support person or advocate to accompany you through the process
- Receiving written communications in accessible formats
Contact build@makesantafe.org to request any accommodation. No accommodation request will be used as evidence in any investigation.