Placer Community Foundation has received reaccreditation with the highest standard for philanthropic standards by the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, which is administered by the Council on Foundations in Washington DC. It’s the twelfth year PCF has earned the prestigious designation, pointing to the foundation’s standing as one of the best in the nation.
The reaccreditation follows a rigorous evaluation of PCF’s operations. The National Standards program requires community foundations to document their policies for donor services, investments, grantmaking and administration. With over 500 community foundations already accredited nationwide, the program is designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors.
“Caring individuals, businesses, and organizations come to us because of our expertise, ability to steward investments wisely, and promise to honor their charitable vision for the greatest impact,” says CEO Veronica Blake. “The accreditation is important, but the most valued indication of our success is earning our donor’s unwavering trust.”
Placer Community Foundation offers a range of charitable funds, allowing donors to advance a cause, support an individual organization, provide flexible support for community needs or recommend individual grants. In addition to affirming the organization’s philanthropic services, the accreditation validates Placer Community Foundation’s grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.
“Grantmaking is a lot like investing,” says Ken Larson, Placer Community Foundation board chair. “We need to assess risks, weigh potential gains, diversify assets, monitor performance and operate fairly. With our National Standards accreditation, you can be assured that we’re doing just that.”
With assets of more than $17 million and more than 105 charitable funds, the foundation distributed $890,000 in local grants and scholarships in 2019. In addition, PCF provided 2,200 hours of free training to nonprofits and has dedicated community leadership efforts around affordable housing and the 2020 census count.
For more information on the Council of Foundations – National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, visit cfstandards.org.