Committee Handbook

Dear ISMPP Colleague,

ISMPP’s success depends on the dedication of our Committee volunteers, whose work supports high-quality education, member resources, and the continued advancement of our profession.

This webpage provides the framework for Committee operations, helping ensure clear communication, effective governance, appropriate oversight, and alignment with ISMPP’s goals and objectives.

Thank you for your time, effort, and commitment to ISMPP. You are key to our success.

1. General Information

1.1 ISMPP Conflict of Interest and Responsibility Form

Each year, all ISMPP Committee Volunteers must submit a Conflict of Interest and Responsibility Form in order to serve. The ISMPP office will send an electronic link to the form. It must be completed by date specified. 

2. General Operating Guidelines

2.1 BOT/Leadership Interaction

Each Committee is provided with an overarching remit by the ISMPP Board of Trustees (BOT)/Leadership. This remit is intended to align the Committee’s work with ISMPP’s mission, strategic priorities, annual goals, available resources, and member value priorities.

Committee objectives, deliverables, workstreams, and any proposed Task Forces must remain within the approved remit unless a change is reviewed and approved by BOT/Leadership or its designated liaison.

Committee Chairs are responsible for keeping Committee work aligned with the approved remit and for escalating questions, risks, scope changes, or resource needs to the appropriate BOT/Leadership or ISMPP staff liaison.

2.2 ISMPP Office Interaction

ISMPP is a non-profit association, and Committees should endeavor to be as self-sufficient as possible within their own resources. ISMPP staff may be able to assist in certain circumstances; however, Committees should generally assume that staff cannot perform a significant amount of Committee administration in addition to their pre-existing ISMPP responsibilities.

2.3 Volunteer Member Responsibilities

ISMPP Committees rely on the active engagement, professionalism, and collaboration of their volunteer members. Committee members are expected to support the Committee’s approved remit, participate in Committee discussions and assignments, respect confidentiality requirements, and contribute in a timely and constructive manner.

Committee members should make reasonable efforts to attend scheduled meetings and notify the Committee Chair if they are unable to participate fully or complete an assigned task. If a Committee member misses three or more meetings or is not actively contributing, ISMPP may ask the individual to step down.

Committee membership is a members-only benefit. Work assigned to an ISMPP Committee member must be completed by that Committee member unless otherwise approved by the Committee Chair and ISMPP staff liaison. Using outside resources without approval may violate confidentiality expectations.

Committees should maintain documentation of key actions, decisions, assignments, and follow-up items. Committee materials should be stored in the appropriate ISMPP Committee SharePoint site.

Committee members are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respectfully. Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated, and Committees should not be used as a forum to promote a company’s products or services.

2.4 Committee and Task Force Governance

All Committee and Task Force activities, goals, expectations, budgets, deliverables, timelines, and external-facing plans must be reviewed and approved by the BOT/Leadership or its designated liaison before work begins. Approval may be documented through an annual Committee remit, annual workplan, Task Force charter, written charge, meeting record, or email approval.

Committee and Task Force activities are authorized only when they are documented in a BOT/Leadership-approved Committee remit, Committee workplan, Task Force charter, or specific written charge.

Committees and Task Forces may recommend programs, resources, publications, tools, partnerships, or other activities for ISMPP consideration. However, they may not independently commit ISMPP funds, engage vendors, enter partnerships, represent ISMPP externally, publish official ISMPP guidance or positions, launch new initiatives, create new Task Forces, invite outside participants, or materially change their approved scope without prior approval.

Task Forces are temporary groups created to complete a specific body of work, produce a defined deliverable, or explore a focused issue. Each Task Force must have an approved charter before substantive work begins. The charter should define the Task Force’s purpose, scope, deliverables, timeline, leadership, reporting pathway, required resources, and expected sunset date.

No Committee or Task Force activity should be treated as approved solely because it was discussed at a meeting, suggested by a volunteer, included in informal notes, or historically performed in a prior year. If there is uncertainty about whether an activity is within scope or has been approved, the Committee or Task Force Chair must pause the activity and consult the BOT/Leadership liaison and ISMPP staff liaison before proceeding.

3. Request for Funding

ISMPP remains committed to supporting the activities of its Committees. In some instances, Committee work may require outside vendor support, specialized expertise, or resources to fulfill deliverables on an expedited timeline.

Committees do not have authority to commit or utilize ISMPP funds without BOT/Leadership approval. Any request for funding, vendor support, technology, paid services, or other ISMPP resources must be submitted and approved before any financial commitment is made.

Funding requests should include the purpose of the request, connection to the Committee’s approved remit or Task Force charter, anticipated cost, timeline, expected benefit to ISMPP and its members, and any staff or vendor support required.

4. Committee Descriptions

Each Committee operates under an overarching remit provided by the ISMPP Board of Trustees (BOT)/Leadership. Committee descriptions, annual objectives, activities, deliverables, and timelines should remain aligned with the approved remit and may be updated periodically to reflect ISMPP’s strategic priorities and member needs.

Committee-specific descriptions may be added or updated as approved by BOT/Leadership.