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Vancouver Foundation among first charities in Canada to be accredited

May 8, 2012

Vancouver Foundation is one of the first charities in Canada to be accredited under new national standards for non-profit organizations.

May 8, 2012 – Vancouver Foundation is one of the first charities in Canada to be accredited under new national standards for non-profit organizations. The Foundation was recently granted the distinction by Imagine Canada, the national organizing body for Canadian charities, under its new Standards Program.

“This means a lot to us,” says Faye Wightman, president and CEO of Vancouver Foundation. “Accreditation demonstrates to the public, and all our stakeholders, that we operate in a transparent and accountable manner, and that their confidence in our work is well-founded. It’s recognition that we meet a set of standards. We extend our congratulations to the 16 other organizations across Canada who were part of the pilot group, and successfully completed the extensive accreditation process.”

Designed to strengthen public confidence in the charitable and non-profit sector, the new Standards Program is among the first of its kind at a national level. The voluntary program offers accreditation, via a third-party peer review process, to charities and non-profits that can demonstrate excellence in five key areas: board governance; financial accountability and transparency; ethical fundraising; staff management; and volunteer involvement. The program also provides resources and opportunities for learning to charities across Canada.

It’s estimated that there are more than 161,000 registered charities and non-profit organizations in Canada, with more than 20,000 in BC alone. As a Founding Member of Imagine Canada’s Standards Program, Vancouver Foundation has been involved in the development of the program from the very beginning.

“This really underlies everything we do,” says Wightman, “Our purpose at Vancouver Foundation is to bring together community assets to address current and emerging community needs. To do that effectively, you need the trust of everyone involved. This accreditation will help establish that trust. It’s quite a coup actually, and something we’re very proud of.”

For more information on Imagine Canada’s National Standards Program, visit www.imaginecanada.ca/standards

For more information:

604.688.2204

Vancouver Foundation helps build more vibrant and resilient communities in BC. We do this by harnessing the gifts of energy, ideas, time, and money of caring citizens to make meaningful and lasting impacts. We are Canada’s largest community foundation and we’ve been investing in communities since 1943.

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