The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation Accredited with Rigorous Philanthropic Standards
Lynchburg, VA – The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation recently received reaccreditation with the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence. National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations establish legal, ethical, effective practices for community foundations everywhere.
“Meeting the National Standards benchmarks is a rigorous, comprehensive process,” said Hugh Ralston, Chair of the Community Foundations National Standards Board. “This accreditation is a significant accomplishment that says The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation has demonstrated a commitment to quality, integrity and accountability.”
The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations program requires community foundations to document their policies for donor services, investments, grantmaking and administration. With over 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 Stuart Fauber, President of The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation. “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 reaccreditation says our house is in order.”
The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation works to meet critical community needs and support local causes. Needs served are broad in scope including human services to children, youth, the needy, and the elderly; education; health; the arts; and the humanities.
The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation 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 philanthropy services, the accreditation validates The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation’s grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.
“Grantmaking is a lot like investing,” said MaryJane Dolan, The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation’s 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.” National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations is the first program of its kind for charitable foundations in the United States.
December 2, 2014