Our Work
The Arc Maryland is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the rights and quality of life of persons with I/DD and their families. We do this through public policy, advocacy, public awareness, and training and membership support.
We are a membership-based organization of 8,000 members. With our ten local chapters serving 19 counties and Baltimore City, we encompass all ages and more than 100 different diagnoses including intellectual disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and other developmental disabilities. Our local network of chapters provides a wide range of human services and other supports to people with I/DD and their family members, including individual and public policy advocacy, residential, educational, and vocational services, employment, family supports and early intervention that promote people with I/DD to participate and be included in their communities.
The Arc Maryland is part of a national network through The Arc US of nearly 700 state and local chapters nationwide. The Arc is on the front lines to ensure that people with I/DD and their families have the support and services they need to be fully engaged in their communities.
Standards of Excellence Certified
What does this seal represent? Nonprofit organizations must comply with applicable local, state, and federal laws. Standards of Excellence builds on that foundation, and goes a step further. The Standards for Excellence® are intended to describe how the most well-managed and responsibly governed organizations should, and do, operate. Based on fundamental values – such as honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, compassion, responsibility, and accountability – these Standards describe how nonprofits should act to be ethical and be accountable in their program operations, governance, human resources, financial management, and fundraising. Eight (8) Guiding Principles are provided, along with fifty-five (55) Standards – more detailed performance benchmarks that will enable nonprofits to strengthen their operations.