GTCF Receives National Accreditation from Council on Foundations

Today, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation (GTCF) was notified it has once again received its National Standards accreditation for U.S. Community Foundations. National Standards is an accreditation program created by community foundations for community foundations.

“In 2006, GTCF was the first Washington State Community Foundation to receive the National Standards seal for best practices and ever since we have taken great pride in ensuring our Pierce County donors and nonprofits partners know that we hold ourselves to the most rigorous standards in community philanthropy,” Kathi Littmann, GTCF President & CEO, said.

The National Standards accreditation represents the following four key organizational qualities:

• Evidence of Excellence: As a symbol of excellence and rigor, the National Standards Seal helps philanthropists and their professional advisers recognize and choose community foundations as a sound place to give and make a difference.

• Accountability: Community foundations of all sizes use National Standards as a roadmap to establish legal, ethical, effective practices that withstand the scrutiny of donors, government and media.

• Impact: National Standards set consistent expectations among community foundation boards and practitioners, providing a framework for documenting, communicating and providing training and technical assistance to advance best practices.

• Distinction: National Standards distinguish community foundations from entities that provide similar services and ensure all participants have met benchmarks for quality in operations and service.

Community foundations submit documentation to confirm they meet The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. This documentation is peer-reviewed. Community Foundations reconfirm their accreditation annually. For more information about the program, please visit cfstandards.org.