The Foundation Accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, Earns Seal of Excellence

The Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society is a recipient of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations’ Seal of Excellence for successfully completing their rigorous Standards for Excellence® accreditation program.

The Foundation voluntarily opened itself up to analysis by a “jury of its peers.” The peer review team examined The Foundation for compliance with the Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector, in areas including: Mission, Strategy and Evaluation; Leadership: Board, Staff, and Volunteers; Legal Compliance and Ethics; Finance and Operations; Resource Development; and Public Awareness, Engagement, and Advocacy.

PANO evaluates fundamental values such as honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, responsibility, and accountability, all of which are inherently important in the nonprofit world. The Foundation’s programs and services, management, fundraising and financial practices were subjected to in-depth examination prior to earning accreditation.

Heather Wilson, MSW, CFRE, CAE

Heather Wilson, Executive Director of The Foundation comments, "The Foundation is pleased to have received another accreditation from PANO. We take pride in promoting the highest standards of nonprofit ethics and accountability for The Foundation and for those we serve. The accreditation signals to our partners and our community that The Foundation operates with the highest standards of excellence."

About Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations

PANO is a statewide membership organization amplifying the impact of the community benefit sector through advocacy, collaboration, learning, communication and support services. PANO exists to support the incredible work of the nonprofit sector and highlight the critical role nonprofits serve. By coming together and recognizing our collective value, Pennsylvania communities and the power to do good will thrive. For more information on PANO and PANO’s Standards for Excellence® Program, visit www.pano.org.

About the Standards for Excellence Institute

The Standards for Excellence originated as a special initiative of Maryland Nonprofits in 1998 and has since expanded into a national program to help nonprofit organizations achieve the highest benchmarks of ethics and accountability in nonprofit governance, management and operations. The program has been formally adopted by ten state, regional and national affiliate organizations, and is supported by 66 Licensed Consultants and over 100 volunteers with professional experience in nonprofit governance and administration. Since its inception, the program has accredited or recognized over 200 individual nonprofit organizations that completed a rigorous application and review process to demonstrate adherence to the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector. www.standardsforexcellenceinstitute.org.