CS&S Emergency Guide

The CS&S office is closed on Fridays, in observance of the 4-day workweek. On rare occasions an emergency may arise for fiscally sponsored projects while the CS&S office is closed (Fridays and US holidays). This resource details what CS&S does and does not consider an emergency requiring immediate CS&S attention, as well as actions FSPs can take in response to matters that are timely, but not considered an emergency.

For a breakdown of how to get in touch with CS&S and how long requests may take to process, please refer to Communication guidelines for projects in the Fiscal Sponsorship Program.

Emergencies

To receive immediate attention for the following, please text the emergency phone number provided to project leads detailing the issue. The emergency SMS system will forward text-only messages. Attachments and emojis will not be forwarded.

This number will not be posted publicly, so please save it so you have it when you need it. Email fsp at codeforsociety.org with requests to resend the number. This will route your message to our team when the CS&S office is closed.

Please help CS&S staff observe work-life boundaries by texting the emergency number only in the event of:

Grant submissions requiring signature

On occasion, funders request CS&S signatures on a Friday without notice. This is considered an emergency requiring immediate CS&S attention.

Not considered an emergency

CS&S staff will not be available outside of normal business hours to resolve the following matters, even if they are sent via text to the emergency line. These requests will receive timely attention the following business day.

Executing independent contractor agreements or outbound service agreements

CS&S requests a lead time of 10 business days for executing agreements. In exceptional circumstances, FSPs may request expedited contract execution. CS&S will evaluate these requests on a case-by-case basis during regular business hours.

Tooling

Creating user accounts or adding new users to Google Workspace, Ramp, or Zoom can be scheduled in advance. Ramp users can assign delegate approvers for payment approvals in anticipation of time off.

Payments

Payees can update bank information in Ramp. For the fastest possible payment processing, be sure you have provided tax and bank information, and your invoice meets the minimum requirements outlined in Getting Paid by CS&S. Expedited payment requests from vendors can be accommodated during regular business hours.

Declined Ramp transactions

While we recognize the need to have available credit cards during travel and for other purchases on Friday or on weekends, declined transactions are not considered emergencies. The majority of declined credit card transactions can be avoided with the necessary preparation. In rare cases, a merchant may decline a transaction that CS&S staff are not able to resolve.

In the event of a declined transaction when the CS&S office is closed, FSPs can contact the vendor to determine alternative methods, such as use of a personal card and submitting a reimbursement request in Ramp or asking the vendor to submit a bill, to resolve the transaction.

In anticipation of travel or other large purchases during non-business hours, please submit requests for increased credit limits, if necessary. We are also able to provide limited-time use cards with large limits for retreats or other group bookings (usually best for one-time or groups of purchases within a short timeframe over USD $10k). You may submit requests in Ramp one business day ahead of time and as often as you need. This will help ensure declined transactions are prevented, as outlined in the recommendations detailed in our Ramp Credit Card Declined Transactions documentation.

Employee status changes

CS&S does not process same-day hiring, extended leave, or termination requests, as each case is unique and requires special compliance considerations. While awaiting CS&S's attention, FSPs can contact TriNet (connect360 at trinet.com) for guidance regarding US employees and Remote (help at remote.com) regarding non-US employees. For further termination guidance, please refer to Termination of Independent Contractors and Employees at CS&S.