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The Arc Maryland is proud to announce receiving the Standards for Excellence Institute’s Seal of Excellence for successfully completing its rigorous accreditation program. The Arc Maryland voluntarily opened itself up to analysis by a “jury of its peers.”

The peer review team examined The Arc Maryland for compliance with the Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector, in areas including: Mission, Strategy and Evaluation; Leadership: Board, Staff, and Volunteers; Legal Compliance and Ethics; Finance and Operations; Resource Development; and Public Awareness, Engagement, and Advocacy.

The Standards for Excellence Institute evaluates fundamental values such as honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, responsibility, and accountability, all of which are inherently important in the nonprofit world. The Arc Maryland’s programs and services, management, fundraising and financial practices were subjected to in-depth examination prior to earning accreditation.

“Earning this accreditation is critical to our mission at The Arc Maryland of creating a world where children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have and enjoy equal rights and opportunities. Having this seal of approval when applying for grants and seeking financial support from our donors should help bolster the funds needed to accomplish our goals and engage public support,” said Cristine Marchand, executive director of The Arc Maryland.

The Standards for Excellence Institute is committed to raising the level of principled and responsible practices within the nonprofit sector. The Institute offers a model for organizations to implement in their operating plans so they can gain a deeper understanding of their effectiveness, improve their decision- making and minimize risks. Nonprofits that adhere to the principles and practices of strong nonprofit management and governance can become formally accredited under the Standards for Excellence® program.

A recent study of 102 nonprofit organizations that have received the Standards for Excellence® accreditation compared with peer organizations of similar size and industry examined the impact of becoming accredited. Significant findings found that the process is associated with an increase in direct public support.

Researchers found that nonprofit organizations’ stakeholders will react positively to organizations earning the accreditation by allocating more resources to the nonprofit.

About the Standards for Excellence Institute
The Standards for Excellence originated as a special initiative of Maryland Nonprofits in 1998 and has since expanded into a national program to help nonprofit organizations achieve the highest benchmarks of ethics and accountability in nonprofit governance, management and operations. The program has been formally adopted by 10 state, regional and national affiliate organizations, and is supported by nearly 80 licensed consultants and over 100 volunteers with professional experience in nonprofit governance and administration. Since its inception, the program has accredited or recognized over 200 individual nonprofit organizations that completed a rigorous application and review process to demonstrate adherence to the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector. www.standardsforexcellenceinstitute.org.

Nearly 300 people showed just how “fearless” they are on Friday the 13th and attended The Arc Maryland’s 2016 convention in May. The day started with an inspirational story of facing your fears when life throws you a curve ball by Brian Boyle. Donning their superhero capes, attendees mingled with 20 exhibitors, and cheered on the winners of The Arc Maryland’s annual awards. (See separate story in this e-newsletter.)

The afternoon workshops were often standing-room only! Feedback on our surveys shows that attendees liked the hotel and lunch (better dessert next year!) and thought our program was the best in years!

Our first annual photo booth was a huge success! To see your fun photos, click here. Once on the website for Monumental Photos, click on the Gallery tab, click on The Arc Maryland Convention and our password is “Fearless.”

Thank you again to our great Convention Committee members: The Arc Baltimore – Chris Knoerlein; The Arc Carroll County – Mary Jo Walla; The Arc Central Chesapeake – Angie DeMoreland; The Arc Howard County – Linda Lombardi; The Arc Montgomery County – Ellen Franks & Deborah Mark; The Arc Northern Chesapeake – Andrea Lynn; The Arc Prince George’s County – Michelle Howell & Melissa Ezelle; and The Arc Southern Maryland – Jennie Parran, as well as Linda Brown, Cristine Marchand and Susan O’Brien of The Arc Maryland. We would also like to thank Joan Scott for volunteering to take photos at this year’s event.

The Convention wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors and exhibitors. Please make sure to follow up with them about their services and products. Special thanks to our signature sponsors: TransDev, Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration, Amerigroup, & The Arc Northern Virginia Special Needs Trust.

Our 2017 Convention will be held on Friday, May 19, at the BWI Hilton in Linthicum. MARK YOUR CALENDARS!