The Community Foundation of Northwest Florida recently received accreditation in the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence, the National Standards for U. S. Community Foundations. “Meeting the National Standards benchmarks is a rigorous, comprehensive process that reflects our commitment to quality, integrity and accountability,” said Eric Nickelsen, Board Chairman. With this achievement, the Community Foundation of Northwest Florida joins more than 500 community foundations that have received this accreditation
This year-long process requires community foundations to document their policies and procedures for donor services, investment management, grant making and administration. “This is critically important to our current donors as well as our future donors,” said Paul Young, Executive Director. “When people establish a charitable fund with our foundation, they are putting their trust in us. They are counting on us to manage the investment wisely and honor their charitable interests. The National Standards accreditation says our house is in order.”
During 2011 the Community Foundation of Northwest Florida was selected by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, a New York based philanthropic organization, to administer grants in support of individuals and families who were impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Through this effort more than 4,700 individual were helped. The Community Foundation also makes grants to a variety of worthwhile causes based on the wishes of individual donors.
Community foundations exist to give more people the same options enjoyed by the very rich – the ability to set aside a sum of money that will yield income in perpetuity for charitable causes.The Community Foundation of Northwest Florida works with donors who have an interest in long-term charitable giving. The Community Foundation manages the charitable funds, distributes gifts on behalf of donors, provides the accounting functions and satisfies all government reporting requirements. This arrangement leaves the donors freedom to focus only on their charitable interests.
The Community Foundation of Northwest Florida was first established in 1995 through an initial grant from the D.W. McMillan Foundation, a private family foundation located in Brewton, Alabama. The long range goal is to serve all communities and areas of Northwest Florida.