The Community Foundation for Mississippi (CFM) is pleased to announce that they have recently received reaccreditation with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations®. This accreditation indicates that CFM meets the highest standards for philanthropic excellence.
“This is a significant accomplishment,” said Jane Alexander, President and CEO of CFM. “When people trust CFM with a charitable bequest, to establish a fund, or set up an annuity, they do it knowing that we have met rigorous standards for donor services, investment management, grantmaking and administration.”
National Standards is not mandatory, but community foundations that apply choose to go above and beyond by affirming their commitment to excellence and accountability. This accreditation assures that CFM has sound policies and practices in place, meeting the highest standards for local giving.
The process of earning National Standards accreditation is arduous. To receive accreditation with National Standards, CFM submitted policies and procedures to a rigorous review of 26 National Standards in six key areas of community foundation operations, including donor services, investment management, grantmaking and administration. Documentation was reviewed by community foundation experts from a panel appointed by the Community Foundations National Standards Board, a supporting organization of the Council on Foundations in Washington, D.C.
“The National Standards accreditation says this house is in order,” Alexander. “It is an excellent validation of our work on behalf of our donors and our community.”
Continuing National Standards accreditation is a long-standing priority for the foundation.