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The Standards for Excellence Institute would like to congratulate an organization that recently earned or renewed their accreditation under the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector:
The Standards for Excellence Institute would like to congratulate the following organizations that have earned their recognition under the Institute’s Standards Basics program:
Learn more about the Standards for Excellence nonprofit accreditation and recognition programs.
The Standards for Excellence Institute is committed to helping you increase your nonprofit effectiveness and we are proud to announce that we have scheduled TEN exclusive learning webinars to our events calendar throughout 2016. In addition to two introductory webinars that provide an overview of the Standards for Excellence program, a series of topical webinars are available that delve deeper into specific areas of the Standards for Excellence code.
The Standards for Excellence Institute is committed to raising the level of principled and responsible nonprofit governance practices within the nonprofit sector. Our nationally-adopted Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector provides a model for organizations to implement so they can gain a deeper understanding of their effectiveness, improve their decision‐making and minimize risks. We have created this series of learning opportunities for nonprofit leaders, board members, and professionals to gain an in-depth knowledge of Standards for Excellence program and to attain the resources necessary to put it into practice.
Members of the Standards for Excellence Institute and Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultants are eligible to receive 50% off the registration price of every webinar! Members and consultants should login to their online accounts to obtain their exclusive coupon code prior to registering.
Not a member? Learn more and join to receive your discounts today!
In addition to this topical webinar series, three comprehensive Pass to Excellence seminars will be taking place on the east coast this spring. The Pass to Excellence seminar is designed for nonprofit leaders to acquire an in-depth knowledge of Standards for Excellence Ethics and Accountability Code and to attain the resources necessary to put it into practice. During the day-long seminar, our Standards for Excellence expert staff will work with attendees to develop a tailored work plan for each organization to implement key areas outlined in this vetted code. This plan will help leaders strengthen the management, governance, and operations of their organizations with concrete strategies and best practices. Attendees will also gain comprehensive strategies should they consider earning the Seal of Excellence through the Standards for Excellence accreditation program.
Members of the Standards for Excellence Institute are also eligible to receive 50% off the registration price of the Pass to excellence programs on April 27 and May 11! Members should login to their online accounts to obtain their exclusive coupon code prior to registering.
Not a member? Learn more and join to receive your discounts today!
We’re pleased to bring you this guest blog post about nominating your nonprofit’s board president, written by Susan Detwiler of The Detwiler Group. Susan is a Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultant. Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultants are an elite group of independent consultants that have been selected by the Standards for Excellence Institute and have received extensive training in using the Standards for Excellence code and program materials for the advancement of their work and the nonprofits and other institutions with whom they work. To find a Licensed Consultant in your area, check out the online listing of Licensed Consultants. And be sure to follow Susan’s informative blog at detwiler.com.
Campaigns, Caucuses, Primaries & Promises……
It’s the quadrennial Presidential election season, and everyone wants your vote.
While a contested election may be good for the country, doing the same for your nonprofit just distracts you from delivering your mission.
Especially if your entire organization is committed to the same mission and your whole board supports the strategic plan.
Then what makes a good nominee for president? What makes a good nominee for ANY officer on your board? These are the questions your nominating committee should answer.
Here are a few questions to start you off:
Only after answering those questions, should you start seeking a president from among your board members. Because then you’ll know how to evaluate whether they’re ready for the job.
Similar questions can be asked about any board officer position. What questions would YOU ask, before contemplating a new secretary, treasurer, vice president?
The post was originally published by the Detwiler Group. Susan Detwiler is a Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultant who specializes in strategic planning, governance, board excellence and facilitation. Located in the Mid-Atlantic, she works with agencies across the United States. Have some thoughts to share on this subject? Get in touch with her at sdetwiler@detwiler.com.
The Standards for Excellence Institute would like to congratulate the following organization that has earned their recognition under the Institute’s Standards Basics program:
Marnie Taylor
The following post originally appeared in The Journal Record and was written by Marnie Taylor, president and CEO of the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, a replication partner of the Standards for Excellence Institute.
This week, the Oklahoma Legislature convened in the Capitol to consider policy and an unprecedented budget failure that will affect every citizen in our state. Last month, I spoke with a number of nonprofit leaders in Oklahoma and reminded them that as nonprofits, it is our duty to inform, educate, enlighten and empower through our missions. Whether we provide social services, education, arts and culture or other services, nonprofits can and must advocate for their missions.
While so much advocacy and public education happens at the grass-roots level, I also encourage nonprofits to start with their boards to stand for their missions.
While boardrooms are traditionally filled with conversation about fiduciary oversight and fundraising, advocacy must be a central part of that conversation.
Nonprofits should start by initiating a conversation with their board to help members understand the real impact of their missions. Through a depth of knowledge, nonprofit boards can set a vision that is aspirational and can attain a wide variety of community changes. Board members who understand the work of a nonprofit make better advocates and champions for their organizations. They can envision a world changed by missions and assess and develop better strategies to implement programs.
I encourage nonprofits to regularly educate board members about big-picture issues that affect constituents. On boards, learning about the greater realities and problems helped me make better decisions that were strategic and in the best interests of those we served.
I would also encourage nonprofits to make advocacy and public education a core function of a board and part of the culture and values of that organization. Draw board members together with common beliefs and values and then turn those into action. Engage the board at every meeting, encourage board members to utilize their own spheres of influence in advocacy.
Now, more than ever, organizations should work hard to engage all board members, staff, volunteers and consumers in the advocacy process. Decisions at the Capitol will have effects on our sector – regardless of an organization’s funding streams. Great nonprofits make advocacy and public education a priority, and there is no time like the present to ensure your board has a strong voice in the advocacy process.
The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits has been a Standards for Excellence Replication Partner since 2006. Replication Partners are licensed to offer Standards for Excellence program materials, educational resources, training curricula, and public education information to nonprofit organizations in a specific location or group of affiliates. Visit www.oklahomacenterfornonprofits.org or www.standardsforexcellence.org/replication-partners/ to learn more.
The Standards for Excellence Institute, an initiative designed to help nonprofit organizations operate more ethically and accountably, and the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO), the statewide association of nonprofits serving the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a licensed partner of the Standards for Excellence Institute, are pleased to announce the addition of four Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultants to Pennsylvania’s nonprofit community. Recently completing the comprehensive requirements of this program, these individuals are now licensed in every aspect of the Standards for Excellence program and are capable of assisting nonprofits throughout the nation.
Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultants use their new, extensive knowledge of the multi-faceted initiative to help nonprofits strengthen their governance practices and exceed the rising demand for nonprofit accountability. They provide nonprofit organizations with organizational assessments, consulting, training, and assistance in the application process for national Standards for Excellence accreditation. Licensed Consultants may also use the Standards for Excellence training curricula and educational materials in all areas where the Institute does not have replication partners nationwide. Many licensed consultants will also work with licensed replication partners.
Libby Felten, CPA, CGMA, a new Licensed Consultant based in Spring House, Pennsylvania, offered, “In these times of increased competition and scarcity of resources, it is a privilege to become a Standards of Excellence Licensed Consultant to assist not-for-profits in differentiating themselves by attaining the highest standards in governance and management.”
“The Standards for Excellence licensed consulting training was enlightening and empowering. I am honored to be amongst this elite group of consultants dedicated to strengthening the nonprofit sector through national best practices and standards. I look forward to working with the staff at PANO as we utilize the standards to elevate our clients’ operational competencies.” says Monica Gould, CMC, MBA.
Tish Mogan, Director of PANO’s Standards for Excellence program, states that “The Standards for Excellence program has assisted thousands of nonprofit organizations in strengthening operational infrastructure and governance practices. PANO’s Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultants multiply this impact tremendously.”
The Standards for Excellence Institute’s national Licensed Consultant program has grown each year since its inception in 2006. A searchable directory of consultants can be found on the Institute’s website.
Here are the most recent Licensed Consultants:
PANO is a licensed replication partner of the Standards for Excellence Institute. Standards for Excellence replication partners are licensed to use all program materials, including the Standards for Excellence code, educational resources, training curricula, accreditation program materials and public relations and public education information in a geographically defined area or for a specific group of affiliates, chapters, or related organizations.
The Standards for Excellence Institute will offer the next national Licensed Consultant program in the fall of 2016. For information on applying to participate (applications available Spring 2016), complete the online request for information form.
The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations strives to amplify the impact of the community benefit sector through advocacy, collaboration, learning and support. We envision a vibrant, thriving community where people realize their highest aspirations. PANO works with nonprofits in PA to build capacity and create connections within and across sectors. To learn more, visit www.pano.org.
The Standards for Excellence Institute, an operating division of Maryland Nonprofits, uses the Standards for Excellence program as its vehicle for effective change. The Standards for Excellence program works to help nonprofit organizations act ethically and accountably in their management and governance, while enhancing the public’s trust in the nonprofit sector. To learn more, visit www.standardsforexcellence.org.
Press Contacts
Contact: Amy Coates Madsen
Director, Standards for Excellence Institute®
443.438.2314, acmadsen@standardsforexcellence.org
Contact: Tish Mogan
Standards for Excellence Director, Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
717.236.8584, tish@pano.org
Ensuring your organization is taking full advantage of the web can be a daunting task. However, a good nonprofit website and strong online presence is crucial to managing an organization’s reputation and success. Nonprofits can promote their missions and services online using the following resources.
We’re pleased to bring you this guest blog post from Susan Detwiler of The Detwiler Group. Susan is a Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultant. Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultants are an elite group of independent consultants that have been selected by the Standards for Excellence Institute and have received extensive training in using the Standards for Excellence code and program materials for the advancement of their work and the nonprofits and other institutions with whom they work. To find a Licensed Consultant in your area, check out the online listing of Licensed Consultants. And be sure to follow Susan’s informative blog at detwiler.com.
You probably spent time and money developing a strategic plan. Your board voted to approve it. Perhaps a board committee created it; maybe your executive director and senior staff.
Where is it now? That big report sitting on the shelf isn’t going to do your organization any good if it’s not a living document.
When did you last pull out the strategic plan and track your progress toward your goals? When was the last time the board spent more than 10 minutes discussing that progress?
A plan without discrete steps, a timeline and accountability isn’t a plan. It’s a wish list. Here are a few tips for maintaining your progress, so that 3 years from now you can look back and say, “We did this!”
“If anything is certain, it is that change is certain. The world we are planning for today will not exist in this form tomorrow.” Phil Crosby
Engage your board in keeping the strategic plan a living document. It may sit on a shelf, but it won’t get dusty. You’ll regularly reference it in board meetings, and watch the progress toward your goals. Potential board members will see your commitment, and want to be a part of your growth.
Theodor Herzl wrote,
“If you will it, it is no dream. And if you do not will it, a dream it is and a dream it will stay.”
The first step is commitment. If you have the will, you can accomplish the rest.
The post was originally published by the Detwiler Group. Susan Detwiler is a Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultant who specializes in strategic planning, governance, board excellence and facilitation. Located in the Mid-Atlantic, she works with agencies across the United States. Have some thoughts to share on this subject? Get in touch with her at sdetwiler@detwiler.com.
Recent sealholder Building Families for Children announces today the receipt of a $100,000 gift from a private backer of the nearly century-old, faith-based nonprofit. The organization recently earned their accreditation under the Standards for Excellence program.
“This welcomed and generous donation will help us to do God’s work, which is lifting children and their parents out of poverty,” said BFC Executive Director Debbie Marini.
The donor, who asked to be identified only as a “long-time admirer” of BFC, said, “Building Families has made a real difference for so many children over the years. It’s a wonderful organization and deserves support as it helps even more.”
BFC’s programs include: treatment foster care for traumatized youth; Safe Families For Children which recruits “host parents” to temporarily house and care for a child while their mom or dad deals with homelessness, or some other life crisis; mentoring of young adults aging out of foster care; and other initiatives to support at-risk families.
In December, BFC was awarded the Seal of Excellence from the Standards for Excellence Institute, which is part of Maryland Nonprofits. To earn accreditation, BFC’s programs, management, and financial practices were all subjected to close scrutiny by a jury of its peers.
The donation and Seal of Excellence come as BFC, founded in 1920, prepares for its 100th anniversary with a community-awareness campaign, “Countdown to 100,” which will feature fundraisers and public-service events. “Countdown to 100” will highlight BFC’s past and offer a vision of its future as an agency that has helped more than 20,000 people while pushing to break the generational cycle of poverty.
About Building Families for Children: Willoughby McCormick, founder of the prominent Baltimore-based spice company that bears his name, helped establish Baptist Children’s Home of Maryland in October 1920. It later became known as Baptist Family and Children Services. A quarter century later, the faith-based organization was renamed Building Families for Children. In 1989, the organization moved its headquarters from Baltimore to Columbia, Maryland, to become more centrally located to its broad service area. Today, Building Families upholds McCormick’s founding beliefs that children do better in a home setting rather than in an institution, and that families are strengthened when embraced by their communities.
For more information on Building Families for Children and “Countdown to 100 Activities”, visit www.buildingfamiliesforchildren.org.
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