The Community Foundation of Calhoun County was recognized as one of the first community foundations having met the compliance and accountability practices that are in accordance with the recently established National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. The Council on Foundations and leaders of the community foundation field formulated the National Standards in 2000 to aid community foundations in establishing legal, ethical and effective operational and organizational practices surpassing the regulatory requirements of the Internal Revenue Service and Congress.
 
“Adopting and adhering to high standards is the best way we can demonstrate our ongoing commitment to our donors and the entire community,” said Terry Childers, chairwoman of the board of the Community Foundation of Calhoun County. “We are committed to reaffirming the trust and integrity that are a hallmark of our foundation.”
 
Intended both as a blueprint for internal organizational development and as a tangible set of benchmarks for external assessment of performance, the 43 National Standards address six key areas of community foundation operations:
 
·        Mission, Structure and Governance, including standards defining board accountability, compensation, independence, fiduciary responsibility and diverse representation of the community.
·        Resource Development, including parameters for administration of funds, disclosures to donors and commitment to building long-term resources for varied community issues and causes. 
·        Stewardship and Accountability, covering prudent investment and management of funds, transparent record-keeping, use of funds for their intended purpose, annual audits, and public availability of financial information, including standards related to due diligence and community responsiveness.
·        Grantmaking and Community Leadership, including standards related to broad and open grantmaking programs, due diligence, and responsiveness to changing community needs.
·        Donor Relations, encompassing guidelines for informing, educating and involving donors in responding to community needs.
·        Communications, including openness to public comment, publishing annual reports and frequent information about activities, services and community impact. 
 
In order to achieve Confirmation of Compliance with the National Standards, community foundations must undergo an extensive review of their organizational and financial policies and procedures. Trained, experienced community foundation practitioners perform the review process, which takes from eight months to a year to complete.