Mankato, MN (May 9, 2023) — Mankato Area Foundation (MAF) 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.
“Meeting the National Standards benchmarks is a rigorous, comprehensive process,” said Randy Royster, board member of the Council on Foundations. “This accreditation is a significant accomplishment that indicates Mankato Area Foundation demonstrates a commitment to transparency, quality, integrity and accountability as it carries out its mission.”
The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations® 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, as well as to their legal and financial advisors.
“This is critically important to our donors,” said Nancy Zallek, President and CEO of MAF. “When people make a charitable bequest or establish a fund, they put their trust in us. They count on us to manage the investment wisely and honor their charitable wishes. The National Standards accreditation says our house is in order.”
Since 1974, the MAF has been dedicated to building a community of individuals who believe in the strength of giving. As a permanent, trusted resource, donors look to MAF to help them make their charitable giving more effective.
MAF offers a range of charitable funds, allowing donors to advance a cause, support a charitable organization, or provide flexible support for community needs. In addition to affirming the organization’s philanthropic services, the accreditation validates MAF’s grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.
“Grantmaking is a lot like investing,” said Kristin Weeks Duncanson, MAF board chair. “We need to assess risks, weigh potential gains, diversify assets, monitor performance and operate fairly. With our National Standards accreditation, you can be assured that we’re doing just that.”
National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations® is the first program of its kind for charitable foundations in the United States.
About Mankato Area Foundation
The Mankato Area Foundation is a donor-driven community foundation whose purpose is to improve the livability in Greater Mankato through philanthropy. Our community foundation connects donors with causes they care about, provides funding to address key community objectives and convenes individuals and organizations to find solutions for local challenges.
To learn more about the Mankato Area Foundation and how the organization makes an impact on this region visit www.mankatoareafoundation.com or visit us on Facebook.
About Community Foundations National Standards
The Community Foundations National Standards Board is a supporting organization of the Council on Foundations and is responsible for the quality, value and integrity of compliance with National Standards. For more information on the National Standards Board, visit its website at www.cfstandards.org.