The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties recently received accreditation 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.
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 accredited nationwide, the program is designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors.
“This is fundamentally important to our donors,” said Amy Owen, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties. “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 and honor their charitable wishes for generations to come. The National Standards accreditation says our house is in order.”
The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties works to meet critical community needs and support local causes. Since founded in 1999, the organization has established more than 70 charitable funds, exceeding $6 million in grants to nonprofit organizations addressing community needs such as human services, health, education, nature and environmental conservation, historic preservation, and more. In addition, the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties has been a leading voice for philanthropy in Loudoun and Northern Fauquier, spearheading the Faces of Loudoun awareness campaign, creating Give Choose, an annual day of online giving that has raised almost $900,000 for local nonprofits, and convening local stakeholders and philanthropists with its annual Philanthropy Summit.
The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties 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 the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties’ grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.
“Building permanent local endowment requires concrete systems and policies,” said Board Chair Tracey White, Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties. “We must diversify assets, monitor performance, operate fairly, adhere to donor vision, and disperse funds to benefit our community. With our National Standards accreditation, you can be assured that we’re doing just that.”
“Meeting the National Standards benchmarks is a rigorous, comprehensive process,” said Randy Royster, Chair of the Community Foundations National Standards Board. “This accreditation is a significant accomplishment that indicates the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties demonstrates a commitment to transparency, quality, integrity and accountability as it carries out its mission.”
National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations is the first program of its kind for charitable foundations in the United States.
Recently, the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties also achieved a Platinum Seal of Transparency rating from GuideStar, the highest recognition an organization offered by the online nonprofit information service. In 2017, the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties was named Nonprofit of the Year at the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards, and in 2018, President and CEO Amy Owen was named Entrepreneur of the Year.
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