Standards for Excellence is a nationally accredited curriculum that teaches best practices for nonprofit management, governance, and legal compliance. The foundation of the Standards for Excellence® program is the published Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector. It identifies 6 major areas of nonprofit governance and management which contain 27 different topic areas. Each topic area includes specific benchmarks and measures that provide a structured approach to building capacity, accountability, and sustainability in your organization.

Standards for Excellence

Standards for Excellence is a 16 hour seminar is a comprehensive curriculum on the guiding principles and best practices that nonprofit organizations use to enhance their missions and show greater accountability to the public. Built around 78 benchmarks for high performance, it includes practical tools and policies to build a strong organization and stay legally compliant. Organizations that complete the course have access to hundreds of samples of templates and forms for social media policies, document retention, and outcome based measurements (and much more!). Organizations are also given a certificate of completion which is valid for 5 years and recognized on the OKCNP website. This course is a prerequisite for the Bridge to Excellence and Standards for Excellence Accreditation.

LEARN MORE 

Bridge to Excellence

The Bridge to Excellence is a 10-session peer cohort experience to sharpen an organization’s implementation of the principles and benchmarks in the Standards for Excellence© curriculum. Participants will receive peer and instructor based coaching on improving policies and practices to benefit an organization’s commitment to the principles and practices taught in the Standards for Excellence two-day course. Every organization can benefit from taking a closer view of implementing “the Standards,” but this course will also prepare organizations to be ready to apply for accreditation in the nationally recognized Standards for Excellence program.

LEARN MORE

Accreditation and Recognition

Accreditation through the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits provides a way for organizations to demonstrate that they are going beyond the minimum legal requirements of local, state and federal regulations. It shows that an organization is committed to raising the level of principled and responsible practices within the nonprofit sector. Accreditation in the Standards for Excellence is a model for organizations to implement throughout their operating plans so they can gain a deeper understanding of their effectiveness, improve their decision-making and minimize risks. Nonprofits that adhere to this model – and become formally accredited under the Standards for Excellence code – earn the right to display the Seal of Excellence throughout their organization.

LEARN MORE

Organizations Who Have Completed Standards For Excellence

The organizations listed below have completed (within the past five years) the 4-part session of the Standards for Excellence® program offered by the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. As organizations receiving a certificate of completion, these organizations have reviewed the Standards curriculum and have received tools to assist them in implementing best practices which promote transparency and accountability.

(Organization name – Year of completion)