National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations

Higher Standards

The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies meets National Standards for operational quality, donor service and accountability in the community foundation sector.

To receive confirmation of National Standards compliance, The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies  submitted its organizational and financial policies and procedures to a rigorous peer review.

  The National Standards Seal by our name indicates official confirmation from the Council on Foundations that we have met the most rigorous standards in philanthropy. It affirms our commitment to financial security, transparency and accountability. It says our grantmaking includes an open, competitive process designed to address the changing needs of our community. The National Standards Seal also confirms our history of honoring donors’ wishes—to support the arts, cultivate gardens, save endangered species, cure illness, expand literacy, feed children—and support countless other important causes. 

The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations Program was established in 2000 in cooperation with the Council on Foundations. National Standards guide community foundations in establishing legal, ethical and effective operational practices that serve as blueprints for internal development and benchmarks for external assessment. The 43 National Standards require The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies to document its policies in donor services, investment management, grantmaking and administration.