Standards for Excellence News
News and Links
Carnegie Results
Newsletter
regarding the national effort
Forbes Fund Tropman Report:
High
Performance in Nonprofit Organizations in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.
Independent Sector
Issues and Accountability
Nonprofit Times
article about this national effort.
Press Releases and Articles
Eastern University Scholarship Opportunity for Nonprofit Agencies Awarded
the Seal of Excellence August 2006
2006 Annual Conference and Standards for
Excellence Class June 2006
LOCAL CORPORATIONS TEAM WITH PANO IN SUPPORT.
February 2004
Chronicle of Philanthropy
"Sealed for Good" April 3, 2003.
PANO Initiates Standards for Excellence Program
Op-Ed piece
in December 2, 2002 Harrisburg Patriot News
Pennsylvania Nonprofit Report
Interview June 2002
PANO Appoints Standards Director
PANO Announces Establishment of Standards for Excellence Program
Eastern University Scholarship Opportunity for Nonprofit Agencies Awarded
the Seal of Excellence
CONTACT: Patricia Mogan Date: August 11, 2006 Pennsylvania Association of
Nonprofit Organizations (717) 236-8584, x1001
Master of Science in Nonprofit Management Scholarship opens to
Pennsylvania nonprofit organizations certified under the Standards for
Excellence Eastern University and the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit
Organizations recently announced the availability of a $1,500 MS in
Nonprofit Management scholarship for any Staff and/or Board member of
nonprofit organizations certified under the Standards for Excellence
Program.
Eastern University’s MS in Nonprofit Management program is a 20-month
accelerated weekend residency program that allows working nonprofit
professionals to hone their management skills and obtain their degree while
continuing their work in the field. This allows Eastern University students
to maximize the benefits of their learning experience from the shared
experiences of scholars and other working professionals. Students also
benefit by applying the knowledge gained from their studies and research
directly to their responsibilities in the workplace. Standards for
Excellence Certified Organizations have already demonstrated excellence in
the openness, accountability, and efficient management practices in their
programs and operations; students from certified organizations will be able
to apply that knowledge as they study for their MS in Nonprofit Management
degree.
The MS in Nonprofit Management program is now offered in Washington D.C.
and Philadelphia, with classes expected to start at Eastern University’s
Harrisburg campus in November 2006. The weekend structured format has
benefited students from all parts of Pennsylvania and many other states. For
details on the MS in Nonprofit Management Program please visit
www.eastern.edu/nonprofit
or contact Program Coordinator Denise Robinson at 1-800-732-7669 x1050.
Administered by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations,
the Standards for Excellence is a comprehensive ethics and accountability
program that includes extensive educational resources, training sessions and
a voluntary certification process to help nonprofit organizations increase
organizational effectiveness, credibility with the public and operational
strength. The program provides training and tools that nonprofits can use to
be proactive in achieving “best practices” in all areas of operations,
including program services, governing board, finance, fundraising, public
policy and more.
To find out more about the Standards for Excellence ethics and
accountability program for the nonprofit sector please visit
http://www.pano.org/standards/standards.php, contact Tony
Karantonis at tony@pano.org or call
(717) 236-8584 x1011
##
June 12, 2006. PENNSYLVANIA
ASSOCIATION OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS HOLDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND
ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF ITS STANDARDS FOR EXCELLENCE CLASS OF 2006
(Harrisburg, PA) Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
(PANO) held its Annual Conference on June 7 at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg
East, Harrisburg. The conference welcomed special guest speaker Greg Behr,
Executive Director of the Forbes Funds, and consisted of the following
workshop sessions: Town Hall Meeting led by the National Council of
Nonprofit Associations. The purpose of the town hall session was to gather
feedback on issues facing the sector. This information will be used at the
National Nonprofit Congress held in Washington DC in October 2006. Other
sessions included: From Adequate to Outstanding Performance, Standards for
Excellence Roundtable and Humor in the Workplace.
A highlight of the event was honoring eight newly certified organizations
that have been awarded the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit
Organizations’ “Standards for Excellence Seal,” from July 2005 to June 2006.
These are: Berks Counseling Center, Reading; Berks TALKLINE, Reading;
Community Education Council of Elk and Cameron Counties, St. Marys;
Interfaith Housing Alliance (PA Division), Shippensburg; Tri-City Life
Center, Inc, Lower Burrell; Surrey Services for Seniors, Berwyn;
Westmoreland Human Opportunities, Greensburg; and the YWCA of York.
In addition to the certification process, Standards provides many
educational components to assist nonprofits in building operational
capacity. The voluntary certification process includes an anonymous peer
review process that sets high standards and promotes excellence and
accountability for nonprofits through self-regulation. The goals of the
program are to build capacity in nonprofit organizations, to increase the
accountability and credibility of the sector. Ares covered in the Standards
are: mission and program, governing body, conflict of interest, human
resources, financial & legal, openness, fundraising and public
affairs/public policy.
For more information regarding future PANO workshops and
events please contact Amy Palmer at (717)
236-8584 x1002 or amy@pano.org. For
more information on the Standards for Excellence program please contact Tish
Mogan at (717) 236-8584 x1001 or
tish@pano.org.
PANO is the statewide membership organization serving and advancing the
charitable nonprofit sector through leadership, advocacy, education and
services in order to improve the quality of life in Pennsylvania. PANO
represents all regions of the state and all sectors of the nonprofit
community including human service, health, educational, cultural,
environmental, religious and other charitable organizations and foundations.
February 2004. LOCAL CORPORATIONS
TEAM WITH PANO IN SUPPORT OF STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM New ethics
and accountability program designed to address concerns and eliminate
doubt in the nonprofit sector
KPMG, McKonly & Asbury, LLP, and Waypoint Bank, all of Harrisburg, have
responded to a challenge grant offered by The Greater Harrisburg Foundation
by offering funds in support of The Standards for Excellence Program in
Dauphin and Cumberland Counties. The Greater Harrisburg Foundation has
supported this program as a tool for capacity building and assurance of
accountability for nonprofit organizations. The Standards for Excellence
Program, being introduced by the Pennsylvania Association for Nonprofit
Organizations (PANO), is an ethics and accountability program designed for
Pennsylvania’s nonprofit sector. One of the first states in the country to
offer such a program, Pennsylvania’s innovative program will address some of
the public’s most pressing questions and concerns about charitable nonprofit
organizations.
The goal of the Standards of Excellence program is to help increase the
public’s trust in Pennsylvania’s nonprofit organizations and to provide
tools to help nonprofit organizations act ethically and be accountable in
their individual operations. The program utilizes an extensive evaluation
based on eight guiding principles for all charitable nonprofit organizations
which are as follows: a well defined mission and the devotion of the
resources of the organization to achieving that mission; the organization
should be governed by an elected, volunteer board of directors committed to
the mission; policies are in place to govern conflicts of interest; a fair
and meaningful human resources policy for both paid employees and
volunteers; the organization displays sound financial management; openness
to the public regarding all aspects of operation; fundraising practices are
consistent with the mission and respectful of both donors and potential
donors; and a representation to the interests of the public through public
policy. To go a step further, the Standards for Excellence Code next
provides fifty-six individual standards that act as detailed performance
benchmarks within their respective guidelines enabling nonprofit
organizations to strengthen their operations.
All organizations that wish to participate in the Standards for
Excellence Certification Program will be subject to a rigorous peer review
utilizing the guidelines outlined above. Nonprofit organizations from around
the state are eligible to apply for certification. For more information on
the Standards of Excellence program, contact Tish Mogan at
tish@pano.org or at 717-236-8584. A
detailed description of the requirements for certification can also be found
by visiting
www.pano.org/standards/standards.php .
The Carnegie Corporation of New York and The Atlantic Philanthropies have
provided the funding necessary to assist Maryland Association of Nonprofit
Organizations to replicate its nationally acclaimed Standards for Excellence
Program in five states, including Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) is the
statewide membership organization serving and advancing the charitable
nonprofit sector through leadership, advocacy, education and services in
order to improve the quality of life in Pennsylvania. PANO represents all
regions of the state and all sectors of the nonprofit community including
human service, health educational, cultural, environmental, religious and
other charitable organizations and foundations. For more information on
PANO, contact Jennifer Ross at jenn@pano.org
or 717-236-8584 or visit www.pano.org .
###
March 4, 2003: PANO
INITIATES STANDARDS FOR EXCELLENCE PROGRAM New ethics and accountability
program designed for the nonprofit sector
The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
has introduced the Standards for Excellence, an ethics and accountability
program designed for Pennsylvania’s nonprofit sector. One of the first
states in the country to offer such a program, Pennsylvania’s innovative
program will address some of the public’s most pressing questions about
charitable nonprofit organizations. The Standards for Excellence program
sets high standards and promotes excellence and accountability for nonprofit
organizations through self-regulation.
The goal of the Standards program is to help increase the
public’s trust in Pennsylvania’s nonprofit organizations and to provide
tools to help nonprofit organizations act ethically and be accountable in
their program operations, governance, human resources, financial management
and fundraising practices. The program assures that nonprofit organizations
share information through annual reports, financial statements and
interaction with the public and requires that nonprofits evaluate programs
relative to the mission of the organization so stakeholders can be assured
nonprofits are doing the job expected of them.
Organizations that voluntarily participate in the
Standards for Excellence Certification Program will be subject to a rigorous
peer review. Such organizations will be measured against the Standards
for
Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector, a
model for well managed and responsibly governed nonprofit organizations.
Nonprofits from around the state are eligible to apply for the Standards
for Excellence program. For more information on the Standards for Excellence
program, contact Tish Mogan at tish@pano.org or 717-236-8584 or visit
www.pano.org/standards/standards.php .
The Carnegie Corporation of New York and The Atlantic
Philanthropies have provided the funding necessary to assist Maryland
Association of Nonprofit Organizations to replicate its nationally acclaimed
Standards for Excellence Program in five states, including Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
(PANO) is the statewide membership organization serving and advancing the
charitable nonprofit sector through leadership, advocacy, education and
services in order to improve the quality of life in Pennsylvania. PANO
represents all regions of the state and all sectors of the nonprofit
community including human service, health educational, cultural,
environmental, religious and other charitable organizations and foundations.
For more information on PANO, contact Jennifer Ross at
jenn@pano.org or
717-236-8584.
# # #
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Op-Ed piece
in December 2, 2002 Harrisburg Patriot News
It is unfortunate that a few mis-guided nonprofits have
tarnished the name of many, since the majority of nonprofits in our nation
are effectively and ethically using contributions to help millions in need.
In a recent poll (2001) conducted by the Maryland Association of Nonprofit
Organizations (Maryland Nonprofits), 90% of respondents stated that a
standard requiring charities to evaluate programs in relation to mission to
see if they are working would increase public trust in charities. The
Pennsylvania Association for Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) has taken a
leadership role in adapting and implementing the Standards for Excellence,
a comprehensive ethics and accountability program, to restore the public’s
faith in Pennsylvania’s 30,000 nonprofit organizations that work so hard to
extend hands of hope and caring to the 12 million citizens of the
Commonwealth.
PANO has received a positive response from nonprofits
in the state interested in adapting and implementing an ethical code to
improve and maintain pubic trust and professional integrity. Existing sets
of standards, while useful, have limitations; many do not address the full
spectrum of ethics and accountability issues. Industry-specific standards
apply to subsets of nonprofit organizations and include programmatic
components that lack relevance across the entire sector. PANO is offering a
code that can be implemented in all sectors of the nonprofit world to help
increase the public’s trust in Pennsylvania’s nonprofit organizations.
The United Way scandal in the early nineties brought
the ethical practices of nonprofits into question. Nonprofit accountability
has continued to be a topic for discussion, as referenced in the September 8
article published by the Patriot-News, We gave $2.4 billion- where did
the money go? PANO recognizes that most not-for-profit organizations
depend on fundraising to keep them alive. With this in mind, charitable
organizations are beginning to understand that their integrity is vital to
their life span. According to PANO, 84% of the public would be willing to
make contributions to nonprofits if they had a seal of ethical approval. A
program that holds organizations accountable for their ethical practices
would aid nonprofits in terms of funding, community respect, and
organizational integrity.
The
Standards for Excellence were developed by a work group of 50 nonprofit
executives, board leaders and consultants from various respectable Maryland
Nonprofits’ members. Due to the great success of the program in
Maryland, the Carnegie Corporation Foundation in New York and
The Atlantic Philanthropies awarded
a $1.3 million grant to replicate the program in other states.
Pennsylvania was one of the recipients. PANO saw the opportunity to offer
non-profits in the state a chance to validate their ethical practices and
gain respect from the communities and publics on whom non-profit success
depends. With this in mind, PANO announced at an annual meeting in July
that it would launch the program.
The Standards for Excellence program consists of
three main components — an ethical code of conduct, educational resources,
and a voluntary certification program. Organizations involved with the
Standards for Excellence program are provided with an array of
educational resources, including information packets and training
curricula. A voluntary certification, which must be renewed every three
years, is also available to organizations that wish to demonstrate adherence
to the Standards.
Interest and enthusiasm in the program has been
positive by PANO members, and non-members alike. An increasing number of
nonprofit leaders, including executives and board members, are seeking
guidance and direction regarding the best practices in nonprofit
management.
To assume their rightful place in society, it is time
for nonprofit organizations as a community to make an affirmative and
forward-looking statement about collective values and aspirations, and
publicly embrace standards of conduct that go beyond the legal limit.
PANO is challenging the nonprofit sector of
Pennsylvania to hear the call towards a more productive, trustworthy and
responsible way of business for charities.
For more information regarding the Standards for
Excellence, call Tish Mogan at 717-236-8584, or email at
moganpano@aol.com .
# # #
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Press Release: March 19, 2002
CONTACT: Joe Geiger
Executive Director
E-mail: JGeiger528@aol.com
www.pano.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PANO appoints officer for Standards for Excellence program
HARRISBURG, Pa. (Mar. 19, 2002)—The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit
Organizations (PANO) has selected Patricia “Tish” Mogan to direct its
forthcoming Standards for Excellence program.
With outstanding credentials, Tish was selected from a strong pool of
candidates. Tish earned an MBA in Non-Profit Management at Eastern
University in 1998 after acquiring a Master of Arts in Theology from St.
Bonaventure University. Tish provided executive leadership to the MBF Center
in Norristown for twelve years. Tish is skilled in leadership,
collaborating, and resource and organizational development. Tish was most
recently employed as Associate at Kent & Kent in Wayne, PA, and is
currently instructing as an adjunct professor at Eastern.
Adopted from the
Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, PANO’s Standards for
Excellence program is being implemented in order to boost the reputation of
Pennsylvania’s charitable community. Based on fundamental values—such as
honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, responsibility and
accountability—these Standards for Excellence describe how nonprofits should
act to be ethical and accountable in their program operations, governance,
human resources, financial management and fundraising. Organizations wishing
to earn the Seal of Excellence must demonstrate their compliance with the
program.
PANO is the statewide membership organization serving and advancing the
charitable nonprofit sector through leadership, advocacy, education and
services in order to improve the quality of life in Pennsylvania. For
information regarding the Standards for Excellence program, please contact
Tish Mogan at (717) 236-8584.
# # #
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Press Release: November 6, 2001
PANO Announces Establishment of Standards for Excellence Program
The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO), which
represents over 460 organizations statewide, is developing a Standards
program designed to provide a comprehensive code of conduct for
nonprofits. Working with a group of nonprofit executives, board members
and consultants among the ranks of its members, PANO is working to
establish a Code of Ethics that will set high standards and promote
excellence and accountability for nonprofits through self-regulation. This
program will be one of the first in the country.
To be known as Standards for Excellence, the goal of the Standards
program will be to help increase the public's trust in nonprofit
organizations and provide the tools necessary to help nonprofits act
ethically and be accountable in their program operations, governance,
human resources, financial management and fundraising practices. The
program will encourage nonprofits to share information through annual
reports, financial statements and interaction with the public and help
nonprofits evaluate programs relative to the mission of the organization
so stakeholders can be assured nonprofits are doing the job expected of
them.
Organizations that voluntarily participate in the Standards for
Excellence certification program will be subject to rigorous review
designed to assure the organization's compliance with a code of ethics and
accountability. For more information, contact Joe Geiger, Executive
Director at 717-236-8584.
The Carnegie Corporation of New York and The Atlantic Philanthropies
have provided the funding necessary to assist Maryland Association of
Nonprofit Organizations to replicate this nationally acclaimed Standards
for Excellence Program in five states including Pennsylvania.
PANO is the statewide organization serving and strengthening the
charitable nonprofit sector through leadership, advocacy, education and
services in order to improve the quality of life of Pennsylvania's
people.
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