Pregnancy Resource Center is a recipient of the Standards for Excellence Institute’s Seal of Excellence for successfully completing their rigorous accreditation program. Pregnancy Resource Center voluntarily opened itself up to analysis by a “jury of its peers.” The peer review team examined Pregnancy Resource Center for compliance with the Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector, in areas including: Mission, Strategy and Evaluation; Leadership: Board, Staff, and Volunteers; Legal Compliance and Ethics; Finance and Operations; Resource Development; and Public Awareness, Engagement, and Advocacy.
The Standards for Excellence Institute evaluates fundamental values such as honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, responsibility, and accountability, all of which are inherently important in the nonprofit world. Pregnancy Resource Center’s programs and services, management, fundraising and financial practices were subjected to in-depth examination prior to earning accreditation.
Karmen Stamps, Executive Director of Pregnancy Resource Center comments, “This process toward accreditation has been a labor of love for PRC. One of our core values is to remain above reproach. Our leadership four years ago felt this was a great path to journey down to stay above reproach in the eyes of all of our stakeholders-clients, donors, board, staff, volunteers, and community leaders. Anyone wanting to be served by this organization or to help serve, can do so with a peace of mind knowing that PRC is operating under the highest standards possible for a non-profit. PRC is a great organization to be involved in and having this seal further proves that point.”
“Working towards accreditation has provided PRC the opportunity to analyze and gauge every operational aspect of PRC against the highest level of excellence. Achieving accreditation helps those who work with, donate to, and receive services from the PRC know this is a center that is detail oriented in every aspect of its operation, providing the very best services in accordance with the established benchmarks of excellence” says Ingrid Williamson, Chair of the Board.
The Standards for Excellence Institute is committed to raising the level of principled and responsible practices within the nonprofit sector. The Institute offers a model for organizations to implement in their operating plans so they can gain a deeper understanding of their effectiveness, improve their decision-making and minimize risks. Nonprofits that adhere to the principles and practices of strong nonprofit management and governance can become formally accredited under the Standards for Excellence® program.
A recent university study of 102 nonprofit organizations that have received the Standards for Excellence accreditation compared with peer organizations of similar size and industry examined the impact of becoming accredited. Significant findings found that the process is associated with an increase direct public support.
Researchers found that nonprofit organizations’ stakeholders will react positively to organizations earning the Standards for Excellence accreditation by allocating more resources to the nonprofit. The Standards for Excellence program provides a structured approach to improved operations and quality management, delivering years of benchmarking and best practices to organizations’ leadership, and a “Good Housekeeping”-type seal of approval to outside stakeholders, indicating that the organization is performing as promised after comprehensive evaluation by practitioners and industry experts.
About Pregnancy Resource Center
Pregnancy Resource Center is a 501(c)(3), charitable nonprofit that serves Carroll, Haralson, and Heard Counties by providing free medical services by trained professionals. The mission of Carroll Sav-A-Life, Inc./Pregnancy Resource Center is “to serve those facing unintended pregnancies in the West Georgia area by providing compassionate medical services, evidenced-based resources, and education that encourages healthy life skills.” You can learn more about Pregnancy Resource Center by visiting pregnancyrc.com.
About the Standards for Excellence Institute
The Standards for Excellence originated as a special initiative of Maryland Nonprofits in 1998 and has since expanded into a national program to help nonprofit organizations achieve the highest benchmarks of ethics and accountability in nonprofit governance, management and operations. The program has been formally adopted by ten state, regional and national affiliate organizations, and is supported by nearly 80 Licensed Consultants and over 100 volunteers with professional experience in nonprofit governance and administration. Since its inception, the program has accredited or recognized over 200 individual nonprofit organizations that completed a rigorous application and review process to demonstrate adherence to the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector. www.standardsforexcellenceinstitute.org.
A celebration ceremony was held for Pregnancy Resource Center and their board members on November 30, 2021 at their Carrollton location.
