LA PORTE COUNTY, IN— Unity Foundation of La Porte County recently received accreditation with Community Foundations National Standards®, the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence. This accreditation confirms that Unity Foundation meets the legal, ethical, and operational standards set for community foundations nationwide.

“Meeting the National Standards benchmarks is a rigorous, comprehensive process,” said Susie Nelson, board chair of National Standards. “This accreditation is a significant accomplishment that indicates Unity Foundation of La Porte County demonstrates a commitment to transparency, quality, integrity and accountability as it carries out its mission.”

The Community Foundations 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.

“This is critically important to our donors,” said Maggi Spartz, Unity Foundation President. “When people make a charitable bequest or establish a fund, they are putting their trust in us. They are counting on us to manage the investment wisely and honor their charitable wishes. The National Standards accreditation confirms we are doing just that.”

Unity 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 Unity Foundation’s grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.

“Unity has participated in accreditation programs since 2007,” said Jon Gilmore, Unity Foundation Board Chair. “With our National Standards accreditation, you can be assured that we are doing things right.”

Community Foundations National Standards® is the first program of its kind for charitable foundations in the United States.

About Unity Foundation
Since 1992, Unity Foundation of La Porte County has served donors, nonprofits and local communities. As La Porte County’s community foundation, it manages $50 million in assets, administers more than 400 charitable funds, and has distributed nearly $29 million through direct grants and scholarships. Unity Foundation’s mission is to strengthen La Porte County now and forever by building permanent endowments; providing leadership; offering philanthropic vehicles for everyone; and being a catalyst for social and economic vitality. For more information, please visit uflc.net or call 219-879-0327.

About the Community Foundations National Standards Board
The Community Foundations National Standards Board is a supporting organization of the Council on Foundations and is responsible for the quality, value and integrity of compliance with National Standards. For more information on the National Standards Board, visit its website at www.cfstandards.org.