CFO receives National Standards accreditation

Date: June 1, 2026
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks recently received accreditation from Community Foundations National Standards, the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence. Community Foundations National Standards establishes legal, ethical and effective practices for community foundations.

The CFO joins more than 450 community foundations with National Standards accreditation, which requires community foundations to document their policies for donor services, investments, grantmaking and administration. 

The CFO’s Board of Directors identified national accreditation as a strategic priority for fiscal year 2026. To achieve accreditation, CFO staff spent the past year updating its policies and procedures. The result is alignment with a national program designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors.

“Meeting the National Standards benchmarks is a rigorous, comprehensive process,” said Michelle Foster, board president of National Standards. “This accreditation is a significant accomplishment that indicates the Community Foundation of the Ozarks demonstrates a commitment to transparency, quality, integrity and accountability as it carries out its mission.” 

“Our work is entirely driven by trust, especially with donors and professional advisors who are considering charitable legacies as part of an estate plan,” said Winter Kinne, president and CEO of the CFO. “National Standards accreditation gives everyone we serve a clear sign that the CFO pursues our mission with excellence. I’m grateful to our staff for ensuring our policies meet the highest standards.”
In addition to its National Standards accreditation, the CFO holds a platinum Candid Seal of Transparency, a widely recognized designation for nonprofit credibility.  

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 cfstandards.org.

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is the region’s largest public charitable foundation serving donors, nonprofit partners and 55 regional affiliates with $549 million in assets under management as of June 30, 2025. The CFO’s mission is to improve the quality of life for everyone in central and southern Missouri through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership. Learn more at cfozarks.org.

Community Foundation of the Ozarks
Mailing: P.O. Box 8960 · Springfield, MO 65801
Physical: 300 South Jefferson, Suite 400 · Springfield, MO 65806
Phone: 417-864-6199 · Fax: 417-864-8344
cfozarks.org