Reliable public benefit organization
About
The seal of reliability (term Reliable public benefit organization) was established as a reaction to demand of donors and non-profit organizations. It´s purpose is to provide potential donors and general public with information that the public benefit organization is economical with entrusted money which is being used transparently and adequately to fulfil the stated mission. The seal of reliability aims to become significant means of self-regulation which is something the Czech Republic has been lacking in so far.
For donors
Decision making becomes easier for donors! A public benefit organization is checked out annually to find out if it:
- is economical with donated money;
- works toward it’s further development;
- appreciates it’s donors;
- fulfils its mission responsibly.
For organizations
The seal of reliability pays off! A public benefit organization which gains the seal of reliability becomes:
- a more trustworthy partner to the benefactors, business, individual and public donors;
- a more attractive employer;
- a more serious partner for contractors;
- a more interesting subject to the media.
The seal of reliability is given for three years. Each year, it is checked out if the organization still meets the requirements for seal holders. The organization undergoes a complete evaluation after three years. It is carried out by experienced assessors who have been active in non profit sector for years. The decision whether the organization will be given the seal or not is made by Council for the Assessment of Reliability consisting of independent experts, based on recommendation of assessors.
How to get the seal?
Getting the seal of reliability is not only a formality. If an organization decides to apply for it, it is necessary to meet the entry criteria stated in Application for reliability assessment. A number of information on organization structure and management has to be submitted. The assessment can be launched after the organization has paid the fee. There is a visit of an assessor to the organization as a part of the evaluation. The seal of reliability is given for three years. Each year, it is checked out if the organization still meets the requirements for seal holders.
1. Applying for reliability assessment
First step towards the seal of reliability is submitting the application form. Your organization fills in the needed information into the Application for reliability assessment and prepares requested attachments. Declaration of meeting the entry conditions has to be signed by the statutory agent.
Filled and signed Application for reliability assessment needs to be scanned and send to the address: znackaspolehlivosti@avpo.cz.
2. Filling the detailed form of assessment
After signing the contract you can start filling the Form of assessment. We admit it is not easy work as we require a lot of information and documents which need to be submitted together with the filled form from each evaluated organization.
3. Signing the contract of assessment
After getting the signed Application for reliability assessment we check completeness and verify if your organization really meets all the criteria for evaluation. If not, you might be asked to complete the missing information. If there is no missing information we will inform you in detail about all upcoming steps of the whole process.
First of them is signing the contract of assessment which includes thorough rules of assessment and using the seal of reliability.
4. Payment
After successfully filling and submitting the extensive Form of assessment and required attachments you will be asked to pay the assessment fee. The amount is stated in the current price-list approved by the Council for the Assessment of Reliability.
When the Association of Public Benefit Organizations Czech Republic (AVPO CR) receives the amount, a determined assessor assumes responsibility for the process. They will go through all the information given in the Form and also visit your organization in person. As a result, there is a detailed report on organization on the ground of which the Council for the Assessment of Reliability consisting of independent experts decides whether to give the seal of reliability or not.
Course of assessment
Assessment of reliability is a complex and sophisticated process, based on a unique methodology created by the Association of Public Benefit Organizations Czech Republic (AVPO CR). The process can be divided into three stages:
1. Entry analysis
First, assessors consider if the evaluated public benefit organization meets the essential criteria for being given the seal of reliability. The aim of this preliminary evaluation is to exclude such organizations that are obviously not in a state to be given the seal of reliability. These organizations do not have to go through next time-consuming and costly evaluation. The assessors also inform them what needs to be done to apply for the seal of reliability in the future.
2. Detailed evaluation
Public benefit organization fills in an extensive questionnaire and attaches requested materials. These are worked with by the assessors who can any time ask for more or detailed information. Assessment covers five areas. For each area there is a component conclusion and recommendation carried out by assessors, which results in recommendation to give/not to give the seal of reliability to the organization. This means that the organization is evaluated comprehensively, as a whole.
3. Evaluation by the Council
Based on the detailed report and recommendations of an assessor, the Council decided whether to give the seal of reliability to the organization or not. The Council for the Assessment of Reliability consists of independent experts from various areas who have interest in public benefit sector which guarantees impartiality of the Council.
About the Council for the Assessment of Reliability
The Council for the Assessment of Reliability is the supreme body which decides on giving or not giving the seal of reliability or as the case may be on taking the seal away if the organization seriously breaks the given rules or doesn’t meet the standards for holding the seal anymore. The Council is fully independent. It consists of personalities from various fields. There are representatives of academic sphere, non-profit and business sector or mass media. An essential condition for becoming a member is a long-term interest in non-profit organizations ssues and engagement in the non-profit sphere.
Incentive at the end
Getting the seal of reliability needs some effort, but it pays off! Managers of already evaluated organizations mostly appreciate getting the feedback from assessors which uncovered their weak points and showed ways to strengthen the steadiness of their organization. First of all, Reliable public benefit organization is a more trustworthy partner to donors, more attractive employer for people seeking work in non-profit sector and more serious partner for contractors and interesting subject to media. Donors can be sure that the organization holding the seal of reliability is annually controlled, is economical with donated money, fulfils its mission and works towards further progress.
Contact
Contact person
Aleš Mrázek
mrazek@avpo.cz
+420 739 655 241
Follow us
Address
Asociace veřejně prospěšných organizací ČR
Švédská 22, 150 00, Praha 5 – Smíchov
IČ: 72074086 DIČ: CZ72074086
číslo účtu: 238350465/0300