The Standards for Excellence Institute, an initiative dedicated to promoting the highest standards of nonprofit ethics and accountability, announces its 2022 Class of Licensed Consultants. Thirty professionals completed the intensive, three-day training seminar and are now equipped to assist nonprofits nationwide.[…]

Baltimore, MD – December 16, 2021; The Standards for Excellence Institute, an initiative designed to help nonprofit organizations operate more ethically and accountably, announces its 2021 Class of Licensed Consultants.Thirty-two class members hailing from various regions of the country completed the intensive, five-day virtual training seminar and can now assist nonprofits nationwide. They bring over 530 collective years of nonprofit experience to the table and represent organizations from[…]

In celebration of our amazing volunteers at Maryland, we sat down (virtually!) with long time Maryland Nonprofits Standards for Excellence volunteer peer reviewer, Leslie Petak on May 1, 2020.  Thank you, Leslie for sharing your story and for your service to nonprofits throughout the country. How long have you been involved? Leslie began her work as a Standards for Excellence Peer Reviewer in June 2005.When did you get involved with SFX what attracted you to SFX?Leslie is a trained clinical[…]

Kelsie Overton formerly ran a program at the Alabama Association of Nonprofits that matched interns with nonprofit organizations seeking Accreditation with the Standards for Excellence. She is now a litigation associate practicing at Bradley.  She recently shared her experience with the Institute. When I was working at the Alabama Association of Nonprofits, our CEO, Shannon Ammons, noticed a barrier for many nonprofit organizations. Though they wanted to become accredited with the Standards for[…]

The Standards for Excellence Institute, an initiative designed to help nonprofit organizations operate more ethically and accountably, announces its 2019 Class of Licensed Consultants. Twenty-nine class members hailing from nine states recently completed the intensive, three-day training seminar and can assist nonprofits nationwide. They bring years of experience to the table and represent organizations from California to Maryland – and many in between.    Standards for Excellence Licensed[…]

From Amy Coates Madsen, Director of the Standards for Excellence There have been a series of high-profile conflict of interest situations and ethical challenges in the nonprofit sector in the last few weeks and months. To many, these high-profile stories have served as a wake-up call to nonprofit board and staff leaders that they should be more focused on their governance in a way that is as ethical as possible. Here are three quick tips to start your journey of preventing conflicts of interest[…]

Ethical indiscressions can take a major toll on a nonprofit's stakeholders and cause harm to the entire social sector. Read this article by Joan Harrington of Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, a Replication Partner, to see the impacts of specific ethical failures. […]

Dissenting Board Members often get labeled as problematic, when in reality they are an asset. An open exhange of ideas and thoughts makes for a healthy nonprofit. Read this article by Joan Harrington and Ann Skeet of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, a Replication Partner, to encourage an array of diverging outlooks in your organization. […]

Recruitment is only the first step in effective board diversity. Organizations must then actively facilitate inclusive conditions to allow for open communication in board meetings. Read this article by Anita Varma of Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, a Replication Partner, to learn practices that establish an environment of diverse perspectives. […]

Ron Barrett, COGENCY GLOBAL's Vice President of Nonprofit Services, reflects on his experience participating in the 2018 Standards for Excellence Institute Licensed Consultant Training.[…]