Joshua M. Freeman Foundation Renews its Accreditation!
The Standards for Excellence Institute congratulates the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation for renewing their accreditation under the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector.
Being accredited by the Standards for Excellence Institute demonstrates that the nonprofit has met the rigorous requirements that are included in the standards. Being an accredited nonprofit sets the organization apart as a top performer in the nonprofit field and lets all its stakeholders (funders, community members, board, staff, volunteers) know that they can have confidence in the quality of its programs, its accountability and openness, and its commitment to best practices.
Joshua M. Freeman Foundation’s mission is “Advancing arts access for all through performance, education and advocacy.” They serve more than 130,000 individuals in the Delmarva area through their two main programs, the Arts Access Initiative and Freeman Arts. Many of the live arts performances are held at Freeman Arts Pavilion, located in Selbyville, DE. When not held at the venue, live performances occur at schools and community centers around Delmarva.
Executive Director Patti Grimes says:
Achieving the Standards of Excellence accreditation has provided additional accountability and transparency for our organization as an IRS-designated non-profit entity. As the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation seeks and requires financial support from the public to fulfill its mission, it is incumbent on the organization to detail its strong business practices. Standards of Excellence accreditation reaffirms the organization’s strong commitment to developing and upholding policies and procedures.
Congratulations again to the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation for this noteworthy achievement. They have earned the right to proudly use the Seal of Excellence, the symbol for excellence and transparency in nonprofit management.
The Standards for Excellence Institute encourages all nonprofits to check out the Standards for Excellence code and to consider applying for accreditation or recognition. A good starting point is the free online self-assessment, which provides a detailed, actionable report, along with links to resources.
About the Author: Amy Coates Madsen
Amy Coates Madsen is the Director of the Standards for Excellence Institute, a national initiative to promote the highest standards of ethics and accountability in nonprofit governance, management, and operations, and to facilitate adherence to standards by all organizations. The Standards for Excellence Institute is a program of the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations where Amy has served for more than twenty-two years. Amy is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the association’s comprehensive ethics and accountability program and efforts to replicate the program nationally. She serves as a frequent trainer and writer in the areas of board conduct, program evaluation, program replication, fundraising ethics, and nonprofit management. She has taught courses on nonprofit ethics and accountability at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies Certificate Program on Nonprofit Management. She has held positions at the Trenton lobbying firm of the Princeton Public Affairs Group, and the Public Policy Liaison Unit at the world headquarters of Catholic Relief Services. Amy received her Master of Arts in Policy Studies degree from the Johns Hopkins University – Institute for Policy Studies in Baltimore, Maryland; and her Bachelors degree from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Amy is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Amy serves on the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities (ACT). Amy is a former member of the Disaster Action Team of the Central Maryland Chapter of the American Red Cross and is qualified to provide disaster preparedness training to children and adults. She has also served as the former President of Central Maryland CAN TOO and was a member of the Board of Trustees of the largest United Methodist Church in Baltimore City. She serves on the board of her children’s preschool PTA and is a volunteer with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. Amy is currently leading an effort to establish an endowment for the Virginia Tech University Honors Program.