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Accountability Standards 2009
The purpose of the Accountability Standards is to strengthen nonprofits’ commitment to accountable practices and provide meaningful information to the donating public in order to advance more informed philanthropy. The Accountability Standards were developed by a diverse group of donors, nonprofit leaders, grantmakers, academics and community representatives. Additionally, the general public helped shape the Standards through focus groups and town hall forums.

The Standards represent a balance of contemporary regulatory requirements and sound practices for nonprofits, and therefore serve to modernize the reasonable expectations that donors have of nonprofits they wish to support. Addressing four distinct areas of accountability— Public Disclosure, Governance, Financial Activity and Fundraising, the Standards represent a measurable, specific indicator of a broader philosophy statement accompanying each standard.

These Standards, approved by the Board of Directors on October 8, 2009, are at the heart of the Acountability Wizard, used to conduct charity reviews.

Public Disclosure
Public trust is vitally important for a nonprofit organization.  The Council believes that in order to build trust a nonprofit should make an effort to communicate clearly, to its constituency and donors, its activities, accomplishments and costs of operations ... more

Governance
As is evidenced in the new IRS Form 990, nonprofit governance is of increasing interest and importance. The following standards are intended to help ensure that a nonprofit has a strong system of governance, good management practices and policies, and regularly assesses its mission against its programmatic accomplishments ... more

Financial Activity
Donors want to know that when they give a donation to a nonprofit their dollars will be used effectively and efficiently, but also that the nonprofit is stable in the long run.  For this reason, the following standards reflect this by acknowledging the need of a nonprofit to invest in its infrastructure while maintaining a healthy financial picture for the future ... more

Fundraising
Fundraising is an essential part of any nonprofit organization.  The Council believes that a nonprofit should strive to proactively seek funds, while also following ethical practices that will ensure the upkeep of trust for the organization, and respect for the sector as a whole among donors ... more


IN THIS SECTION

Printable Version
Download a printable version of the entire list of Accountability Standards.

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Accountability

Thank You
Thank you to the funders who supported the revisions of the Accountability Standards 2009 with grants ... more

Development of Accountability Standards
Led by Council staff, the Accountability Standards were developed by a diverse group of donors, nonprofit leaders, grantmakers, academics and community representatives ... more