Gulf Coast Retains Accreditation with Rigorous Standards for Philanthropic Excellence

Administered by the Community Foundations National Standards Board, a supporting organization of the Council on Foundations (COF), we recently received accreditation with the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence. Community Foundations National Standards® establish legal, ethical, effective practices for community foundations everywhere.

“Meeting the National Standards benchmarks is a rigorous, comprehensive process,” said Susie Nelson, board chair of National Standards. “This accreditation is a significant accomplishment that indicates Gulf Coast Community Foundation demonstrates a commitment to transparency, quality, integrity, and accountability as it carries out its mission.”

The Community Foundations National Standards® program requires community foundations to document their policies for donor services, investments, grantmaking, and administration. With over 550 community foundations already accredited nationwide, the program is designed to provide quality assurance to donors and their legal and financial advisors.

“This achievement is critically important to our donors,” said Gulf Coast’s President | CEO Phillip Lanham. “When individuals make a charitable bequest or establish a fund, they put their trust in Gulf Coast Community Foundation. 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. Maximizing the opportunity to operate at the highest level and strengthen our policies enables us to provide the best possible service to our region.” The Council on Foundations introduced the program in 2005, and Gulf Coast was among the first foundations to achieve accreditation, in early 2006.

“Grantmaking closely resembles investing,” said Gulf Coast’s Chief Financial Officer Carol Martin Brown. “We need to assess risks, weigh potential gains, diversify assets, monitor performance, and operate fairly. With our National Standards accreditation, you can be assured we are doing just that.”

Community Foundations National Standards® is the first program of its kind for charitable foundations in the United States.