C06 Workshop: Peer Reviewer Training

Peer Reviewer Training for the Standards for Excellence Voluntary Certification Program

Wednesday, August 2, 1:00pm - 3:30pm

Price:  $60 Members; $90 Non-Members

Presenters

Amy Coates Madsen and Angineeki Jones, Standards for Excellence Institute, Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations

Description

This program provides training for individuals interested in becoming volunteer peer reviewers for the Standards for Excellence Institute's newly launched national nonprofit accreditation program.  Based on the Standards for Excellence program and initially offered by the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations and by selected replication partners around the country, the Standards accreditation program is now open to nonprofits working in communities around the country. 

Volunteer peer reviewers are sought to evaluate organizations' compliance with the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector.  To gain acceptance as a volunteer peer reviewer, individuals must complete an application, provide references and have at least three years of experience working with nonprofit organizations.  This training program for prospective volunteer peer reviewers includes instruction on the overall program (including the requirements of Standards for Excellence certification, compliance with the eight guiding principles and fifty-five Standards topics and the certification review process), and features  "mock peer review" activities among participants. 

Background:  The Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector serves as the centerpiece program of the Standards for Excellence Institute.  The Institute is a national initiative that promotes the highest standards of ethics and accountability in nonprofit governance, management, and operations, and facilitates adherence to those standards by all nonprofits.  The Institute is an operating division of the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations (Maryland Nonprofits.  The Standards for Excellence Institute works to strengthen the ability of nonprofit organizations to act ethically and accountably in their management and governance, while enhancing the public's trust in the nonprofit sector.  The Standards cover eight areas of nonprofit operations: Mission and Program, Governing Body, Conflict of Interest, Human Resources, Financial and Legal, Openness, Fundraising, and Public Affairs and Public Policy.

About the Presenters

Amy Coates Madsen, Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations

Amy Coates Madsen is the Director of the Standards for Excellence Institute. The Standards for Excellence Institute is a program of the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations where Amy has served for more than ten years. Amy is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the association's comprehensive ethics and accountability program and efforts to replicate the program nationally. She serves as a trainer in the areas of board conduct, program evaluation, program replication, fundraising ethics, and nonprofit management. Amy also works with nonprofit sector measurement research initiatives. She has taught a course on nonprofit ethics and accountability at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies Certificate Program on Nonprofit Management. She has held positions at the Trenton lobbying firm of the Princeton Public Affairs Group, and the Public Policy Liaison Unit at the world headquarters of Catholic Relief Services. Amy received her Master of Arts in Policy Studies degree from the Johns Hopkins University - Institute for Policy Studies in Baltimore, Maryland; and her Bachelors degree from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Amy is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Amy is a member of the Disaster Action Team of the Central Maryland Chapter of the American Red Cross, serves as the President of Central Maryland CAN TOO, and is a member of the Trustees of the largest United Methodist Church in Baltimore City.

Angineeki Jones, Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations

Angineeki Jones is Certification Manager of the Standards for Excellence Program, a voluntary governance and management certification program administered by the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations.  Jones has several years experience with nonprofit organizations and has worked in the areas of hunger and poverty, international education, and juvenile and criminal justice.  Her expertise is volunteer management, program evaluation, training, and technical assistance.  Prior to joining Maryland Nonprofits, Jones was the Senior Program Manager of Share Our Strength’s multi-site nutrition education program, Operation Frontline, and oversaw the program evaluation, training, technical assistance, and resource management of 14 replication sites.  Jones has also worked in Japan for two years with the Kagoshima Prefectural Government in Japan delivering international education and teaching English to community members and students.  Jones, a former AmeriCorps member, has a Master of Public Administration specializing in nonprofit management from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Spelman College.