The Standards for Excellence program was conceived and launched to strengthen nonprofit governance and management, while also enhancing the public’s trust in the nonprofit sector.  The program promotes widespread application of a comprehensive system of self-regulation in the nonprofit sector. And YOU can be part of this movement toward EXCELLENCE.

The Standards for Excellence® Institute (the Institute) is an initiative dedicated to promoting the highest standards of ethics and accountability in nonprofit governance, management, and operations.  What makes the Standards for Excellence Institute unique is that we don’t just talk about accountability.  We provide nonprofits with a common sense approach to achieve the highest standards in governance and management, while at the same time staying focused on the people and communities you serve. 

The Standards for Excellence Institute uses as its foundation the Standards for Excellence program, a system of nonprofit sector self-regulation originated by the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations in 1998. The program’s centerpiece is a code of conduct for nonprofits called the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector (the Standards for Excellence code).  Individuals and organizations across the nation can gain access to the Standards for Excellence program directly through replication partners in areas where partners exist.