Guidelines & Principles for Nonprofit Excellence in Nebraska and Iowa

Introduction
The Guidelines & Principles for Nonprofit Excellence in Nebraska & Iowa are intended to serve as an educational resource to improve the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of charitable organizations. Designed to provide a planning and assessment framework, the documents contain legal requirements that all nonprofits must comply with, as well as practices to aspire to as we raise the bar in nonprofit performance.

Many of the guidelines and principles detailed will be helpful to all nonprofits. However, they are specifically written for Nebraska and Iowa nonprofit corporations that are tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that are public charities (i.e., not private foundations).

Think of Guidelines & Principles for Nonprofit Excellence in Nebraska & Iowa as a nonprofit roadmap—the roadmap itself does not determine the path to the final destination, but provides alternative routes and serves as a starting point for decision making.

Purpose
The Nonprofit Association of the Midlands (NAM) believes that good organizational practices are best implemented through education and self-regulation. The Guidelines & Principles for Nonprofit Excellence in Nebraska & Iowa were created as an internal planning and assessment tool for 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations as we work to enrich the quality of community life.


The Guidelines & Principles for Nonprofit Excellence in Nebraska & Iowa is intended to:
1. Provide nonprofit organizations with state-specific tools for evaluating regulatory compliance, enhancing strategic planning, and refining operational evaluation.
2. Support the growth and quality of the sector.
3. Increase public understanding of the role and contributions of the charitable nonprofit sector in Nebraska & Iowa.

Tools
Guidelines & Principles for Nonprofit Excellence in Nebraska & Iowa has three tools that will help your nonprofit organization:
1. The Guidelines Principles outlines clear definitions and recommended practices in twelve areas: Accountability-Advocacy and Public Policy-Communication-Evaluation-Financial Management-Fundraising-Governance-Human Resources-Information Technology-Planning-Strategic Alliances-Volunteer Engagement.
2. The Infrastructure Checklist is a guide to the documentation, systems, policies, procedures, and support mechanisms that all nonprofit organizations should have in place to comply with the law, and to function effectively, efficiently, and transparently.
3. The Assessment Tool is designed to help you identify, internally, what your organization is doing well and create an action plan for addressing organizational challenges. It is not an instrument for comparing your organization to others.


Thank You
Nonprofits are vital to the economic health and community fabric of all of us. From arts, to human services to youth services to education, nonprofits are in the business of how we as a community take care of each other. Thank you for all you do to make your community and your state a better place to live, work and raise families.


For more information visit NAM's site.