BAF recently received accreditation with the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence. Community Foundations National Standards® establish legal, ethical, effective practices for community foundations everywhere.
“Meeting the National Standards benchmarks is a rigorous, comprehensive process,” said Susie Nelson, board chair of National Standards. “This accreditation is a significant accomplishment that indicates Beckley Area Foundation demonstrates a commitment to transparency, quality, integrity and accountability as it carries out its mission.”
The Community Foundations National Standards® program requires community foundations to document their policies for donor services, investments, grantmaking and administration. With over 500 community foundations already accredited nationwide, the program is designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors.
“This is critically important to our donors,” said Jereme Evans, BAF Board President. “When people make a charitable bequest or establish a fund, they are putting their trust in us. They are counting on us to manage the investment wisely and honor their charitable wishes. The National Standards accreditation says our house is in order. BAF works to meet critical community needs and support local causes, including supporting the arts, environmental projects, expanding youth programs, feeding at-risk populations and much more”.
BAF offers a range of charitable funds, allowing donors to advance a cause, support an individual organization, provide flexible support for community needs or recommend individual grants. In addition to affirming the organization’s philanthropic services, the accreditation validates BAF’s grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.
“Grantmaking is a lot like investing,” said Dena Cushman, BAF Executive Director. “We need to assess risks, weigh potential gains, diversify assets, monitor performance and operate fairly. With our National Standards accreditation, you can be assured that we’re doing just that.”
Community Foundations National Standards® is the first program of its kind for charitable foundations in the United States.