NYLC Meets Accountability Standards

The National Youth Leadership Council is pleased to announce it has met the Charities Review Council’s Accountability Standards for nonprofits.

The Charities Review Council is an independent resource for people who make contributions to support nonprofit organizations. They are dedicated to empowering donors in making informed and thoughtful giving decisions. Minnesota is currently the only state that has such an independent resource for donors.

 “Compliance with the Accountability Standards is a very rigorous process, which ensures that we are meeting the highest standards as a nonprofit,” said Pam Siebert, NYLC Operations Director. “We had already been addressing most of the standards, but this process helped us examine nearly every area of our operations and make improvements.”

The Council’s Accountability Standards consist of 27 standards, which address a nonprofit’s performance in four critical areas: public disclosure, governance, financial activity, and fundraising. The standards have evolved over the Council's 65 years, with broad participation from Minnesota’s nonprofit and philanthropic communities, to reflect reasonable public expectations of nonprofits. 

The Council provides assistance to nonprofits who aim to align themselves to the Accountability Standards and help them make the changes needed to comply. When a charity meets all 27, the results of these reviews are posted online and provided to the public at no cost, helping donors identify trustworthy organizations. These organizations are also granted the use of the Council’s “Meets Standards” seal. The seal provides a public, concise, and accessible indicator of a charity’s commitment to accountable and ethical practices.

For more information about the Charities Review Council, please visit www.smartgivers.org.