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BrightFocus Foundation Earns Seal of Excellence From Leading Nonprofit Group

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Amy Coates Madsen, Michael Buckley, Scott Rodgville, and Violet Apple. Michael is holding the framed Seal of Excellence plaque.

Recognizes Strong Commitment to Accountability and Transparency

Left to Right: Amy Coates Madsen, Standards for Excellence Institute Director; Michael Buckley, Vice President, Public Affairs, BrightFocus Foundation; Scott Rodgville, Chair, BrightFocus Foundation Board of Directors; Violet Apple, CEO of Girls Scouts of Central Maryland, Standards for Accreditation recipient, Board Member of Maryland Nonprofits

Clarksburg MD — BrightFocus Foundation, a Maryland-based nonprofit and a leading source of worldwide research funding on diseases of mind and sight, was recently awarded a Seal of Excellence from the Maryland Nonprofits Standards for Excellence Institute.  This is the organization’s third time receiving this distinction.

“This is a strong affirmation of BrightFocus’ long commitment to the best practices of nonprofit management and governance.  Accountability and transparency are at the core of how we carry out our mission,” said BrightFocus Foundation President and CEO Stacy Pagos Haller.

A panel of experts at the Standards for Excellence Institute® conducted an in-depth review of BrightFocus that evaluated the nonprofit’s:

  • Mission, strategy and evaluation;
  • Leadership, including: board, staff, and volunteers;
  • Legal compliance and ethics;
  • Finance and operations;
  • Resource development; and
  • Public awareness, engagement, and advocacy

“We are proud to continue to earn this honor.  It recognizes that BrightFocus is performing at a high level of efficiency and professionalism, and that we are worthy of the trust the public places in us,” Haller said.

BrightFocus is one of only 63 nonprofits in the state, and one of 204 nationwide, to be accredited through the Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector.  BrightFocus also holds a seal of accreditation from the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.

About BrightFocus Foundation

BrightFocus Foundation is a premier source of private research funding to defeat Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.  We are currently managing a global portfolio of nearly 200 research projects, a nearly $50 million investment in the bold, innovative science that will find the cures for diseases of mind and sight.  We share the latest research findings and best practices to empower families impacted by these diseases.