GREENFIELD – The Hancock County Community Foundation (HCCF) recently received accreditation with the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence, according to a press release.
National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations establish legal, ethical, effective practices for community foundations.
“Meeting the National Standards benchmarks is a rigorous, comprehensive process,” said Randy Royster, board president of the Council on Foundations. “This accreditation is a significant accomplishment that indicates the Community Foundation demonstrates a commitment to transparency, quality, integrity, and accountability as it carries out its mission.”
The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations program requires community foundations to document their policies for donor services, investments, grantmaking and administration. With more than 500 community foundations already accredited nationwide, the program is designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors.
“This is critically important to our donors,” said Mary Gibble, HCCF president/CEO. “When people make a charitable bequest or establish a fund, they are putting their trust in us. They are counting on us to manage the investment wisely, honor their charitable wishes and, in some cases, provide lifetime income to a loved one. The National Standards accreditation says our house is in order.”
HCCF works to meet critical community needs and support local causes including health and human services, community enrichment, education, early childhood literacy, scholarships, arts and culture, and more.
HCCF offers a range of charitable funds, allowing donors to advance a cause, support an individual organization, provide flexible support for community needs or recommend individual grants. In addition to affirming the organization’s philanthropic services, the accreditation validates HCCF’s grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.
“Grantmaking is a lot like investing,” said Ryan Hammons, HCCF board chair. “We need to assess risks, weigh potential gains, diversify assets, monitor performance, and operate fairly. With our National Standards accreditation, you can be assured that we’re doing just that.”
