Washington County, OH – Marietta Community Foundation is proud to announce that it has been nationally accredited by National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations for its operational integrity.

While the process can be daunting, foundations that reach the finish line are awarded the National Standards Accreditation Seal. Marietta Community Foundation recently crossed that finish line, marking its commitment to upholding integrity and community trust.

The Accreditation Seal is only awarded to those community foundations that continue to meet comprehensive standards. Those receiving the Accreditation Seal have demonstrated their commitment to the success and well-being of every cause and person they support and are willing and able to stand by every grant they have made.

“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 Marietta Community Foundation demonstrates a commitment to transparency, quality, integrity and accountability as it carries out its mission.”

Although receiving the Accreditation Seal is not required for community foundations, MCF voluntarily participates in the process to make sure it is operating effectively, transparently, and efficiently for Washington County.

“We want our donors and community to know that they can trust us,” said Heather Allender, President & CEO. “We want to perform at our very best. The building block to any successful relationship is trust… this accreditation validates the trust that the community has in our organization.”

While MCF takes these efforts to give donors and professional advisors peace-of-mind, they also want to model honest and transparent practices for local nonprofits.

“I hope by voluntarily submitting ourselves to this accreditation process, we are setting a positive example for our local nonprofits,” said Allender. “We want to lead by example.”

MCF first received its accreditation in 2009 and has since renewed its accreditation every year necessary. While the Board of Directors and Staff at the Foundation value the coveted Accreditation Seal, nothing compares to the trust they have in the community.

“This seal shows that we are among the top organizations in the country,” said Allender. “But, our work is not done until we receive a seal-of-approval from every person in Washington County… that’s the seal that holds the most value in our eyes.”

Marietta Community Foundation works to improve Washington County through grants and initiatives. If you would like to support the Foundation in its efforts to better Washington County, please contact Heather Allender at 740-373-3286 or heather@mcfohio.org.