There are benefits to both approaches to earning the Seal of Excellence, and each organization can decide for itself which path to certification will work for them. 

Tiered Approach

The Tiered Approach may be your best option if you are interested in taking a step-by-step deliberate approach to implementing the Standards for Excellence® code.  The Tiered Approach will provide your organization with the opportunity to receive external recognition for your efforts at key milestone points. See Self-Assessment for Tier One Application.

The tiered approach to Standards for Excellence recognition is open to any nonprofit. It may be a particularly attractive approach if:

• your organization is less than five years old
• your organization has a small staff or is an all volunteer organization
• your organization is in the midst of many different initiatives simultaneously
• your organization is just getting started in its program evaluation efforts or does not presently have a comprehensive system of program evaluation and planning in place for all programs
• your organization could benefit from more assistance along the way from Standards staff
• your organization is just beginning to codify and develop official policies in areas like finance, conflicts of interest and fundraising.

The Traditional Approach to Standards for Excellence certification

If your organization is currently employing most of the elements of the Standards for Excellence code right now and you would like to take the direct approach to earning the Seal of Excellence, the traditional Standards for Excellence certification may be for you. 

The traditional approach to Standards for Excellence recognition is open to any nonprofit This may be a particularly attractive approach if:

• your organization has a strong board of directors with a robust and active committee structure
• you have a dedicated staff person or volunteer to intensively lead this effort for up to a year.
• your organization is committed to implementing, applying, and earning the Seal of Excellence within the next six to twelve months
• your organization has a strong commitment to program evaluation and currently evaluates all of its programs in a comprehensive manner.

Still have questions about which is right for you? See our Tiers at a Glance resource and try the Self Assessments: Tiered Approach and Traditional Approach.