Standards for Excellence Certification

Friends of the Family is one of fewer than 50 nonprofit organizations in Maryland to achieve this certification from the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations.  Covering every aspect of operations from fund raising to governance, from employee relations to mission focus, the painstaking Maryland Nonprofits peer review process to which we subjected our materials revealed that we are an exemplary nonprofit, and we're very proud.

For our readers who want to know how well we're doing in achieving our mission, you can rest assured that an independent board of investigators determined that:

• We have a well-defined mission.
• Our programs effectively and efficiently work to achieve the mission.
• We ensure program effectiveness.
• We devote our resources to achieving our stated purpose.

• Our fundraising costs are reasonable.
• Solicitation and promotional materials are accurate and truthful.
• We honor the known intentions of all donors.
• We respect the privacy of donors and safeguard their confidentiality, providing a means for donors to remain anonymous.

For people who would like to know who our Board members are and what they do, we successfully demonstrated that:

• The Board membership is composed of individuals who are personally committed to the mission of Friends of the Family and reflects the diversity of the communities served by Friends of the Family.
• The Friends of the Family Board engages in ongoing planning activities; evaluates the success of the organization's programs in achieving its mission; establishes policies for effective management of the organization; and regularly reviews and approves the organization's budget.
• The Board evaluates the executive director's performance and periodically reviews the appropriateness of the overall salary structure of the organization.

In fact, there are 8 guiding principles and 55 standards that Maryland Nonprofits reviews and evaluates in the process of deciding if an organization merits the honor.  Click here for more information about the Standards for Excellence.