Standards for Excellence Accreditation and Recognition Renewal

The renewal process is intended to serve as a mechanism to ensure that your organization continues to adhere to the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector in your operations and governance and that you have utilized a continuous improvement process to undertake higher tiers of excellence within your own organization. It is our goal to make this renewal process as simple and reasonable as possible.

At the end of your organization’s initial three years as a Standards for Excellence accredited group, to continue as an accredited organization, you are required to submit a renewal application. This provides the opportunity for your organization to illustrate that you continue to live by the benchmarks in the Standards for Excellence code.

You will complete the same online application form for renewal application as you completed for the initial application.  To help make the renewal process as streamlined as possible, the Standards for Excellence Institute may be able to auto-populate past application submission data into your renewal application. Contact the Standards for Excellence Institute at khull@standardsforexcellence.org for more details on this process to open your renewal application and auto-populate already submitted data.

The renewal application will provide you with the opportunity to share updates to your organization such as:

• organization’s budget size,
• number of employees and/or volunteers,
• updates to operational structures and processes,
• updates to board member lists and meeting materials, and
• policies, plans, or documents that were updated and/or enhanced during the accreditation period.
• In special situations, such as If your organization has undergone a significant change in the organizational structure (for example, a merger), you will need to describe this process and explain how your organization implements the Standards in its new structure.

Accredited organizations are encouraged to use the renewal process to review policies and documents submitted in your last application so that you can ensure the continued relevance, applicability, and compliance with updated laws or regulations.

To maintain your accreditation or recognition you will pay two fees based upon your budget size and membership status. These are the application fee and annual licensing fee. You will be invoiced for these separately.

Application Renewal fee: Paid three years after your initial accreditation, and thereafter every five years at the time when your renewal application is submitted.

Licensing fee: Paid annually.

Members of Maryland Nonprofits should click here for a customized fee schedule (scroll to the bottom of the page). 

Steps to Renew

1. During your application period, be sure to keep any expectations placed on your application front and center, and work to make requested operational and governance improvements, if any.
2. Check your license to confirm the end date. Your application will be due four months prior to the end of your current license.
3. Connect with the Standards for Excellence accreditation team to activate your application and learn more about auto-populating the documents submitted during the initial application submission into your new application. Reach out at khull@standardsforexcellence.org.
4. Create a log in for your organization on our online application system and submit your profile and intent to apply with your planned submission date. If your last application was prior to fall 2020 please contact accreditation@standardsforexcellence.org for more details. 
5. Review the Self-Assessment.
6. Review applicable sample application (linked below).
7. Make a plan to implement any needed organizational changes.
8. Reach out for help when you need it (reach out to a member of our team).
9. Plan to submit your renewal application by your stated deadline.

Organizations who are currently accredited will need to demonstrate that they meet all of the Standards for Excellence benchmarks by applying for accreditation. View an overview of the application process.

A reference copy of the application form can be found here. Please note, organizations need to submit their application online.