A dynamic and creative nongovernmental, nonprofit sector depends upon the public’s confidence in the efficacy of its programs, and in the integrity of the individuals and organizations comprising the sector. Program quality and individual and organizational integrity are ultimately the responsibility of each individual organization, its board, staff and constituents. However, umbrella groups that represent communities of interest within the nonprofit sector also have a significant leadership role to play in building the public trust by clearly defining high standards of governance, management and programs to guide its members, and by developing appropriate mechanisms to ensure accountability.

Experience confirms that the action of one nonprofit with even an appearance of impropriety hurts the whole sector by undermining public confidence. A collective commitment to quality and integrity by coalitions like InterAction is an essential dimension of the overall process of maintaining and enhancing the public trust.

PVO Standards History

Beginning in 1989, in response to membership demand, InterAction began developing its Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) Standards. Developed over a three-year period through member working group participation, these standards are a set of ethical guidelines covering private voluntary organization (PVO) governance, financial reporting, fundraising, public relations, management practice, human resources and program services. Over the years, the standards have been reviewed, updated and added to by InterAction working groups and they continue to reflect best practices in the sector.

The PVO Standards are managed and enforced by the Membership and Standards Committee of the InterAction Board of Directors. Noncompliance with the standards can result in suspension of a member or denial of a membership application.

Raising the Bar

By consulting accepted standards of governance and business management, such as those of the Better Business Bureau, and building upon best practices of our member organizations, InterAction PVO Standards go beyond basic business practice guidelines to set standards of accountability that reflect the broad impact and the complexity of members’ work around the world.

InterAction remains one of the few international humanitarian and development NGO networks that have standards, rather than guidelines, and a standards compliance process, raising the bar for similar NGO associations both within the United States and around the globe.

Assistance and Compliance

As a voluntary association, InterAction’s PVO Standards derive their weight and credibility from the collective commitment of the membership. The standards are not to be understood as supplanting the need for each individual member organization to manage its affairs with a concern for matters of program quality and individual and organizational integrity; rather, they are intended to complement the commitment of every member organization.

The PVO Standards FAQ , as well as the PVO Standards Guidance documents will answer most questions that arise about the standards. InterAction staff remain available to provide technical support for any member organization seeking to improve its accountability and compliance with the standards.

Since 2006, members have been required to participate every two years in a compliance process called Self Certification Plus, which provides a mechanism for organizational examination of its own accountability structures and a thorough review and certification of compliance with InterAction’s PVO Standards.

2010 Self-Certification Plus Process 

InterAction members successfully completed their mandatory biennial compliance with InterAction PVO Standards through Self-Certification-Plus exercise on December 31, 2010. To date InterAction members have gone through three mandatory self-certification processes, each one building on the previous year’s processes while strengthening and increasing their capacity to meet compliance and draft the required policies.

The SCP process evaluates a member's compliance with standards in areas of governance and administration; program standards and organizational commitment standards.  It also provides an opportunity for dialogue between  an organization’s senior staff and its board. 

Each year a significant improvement has been noticed in members developing written policies and providing a comprehensive list of documents used for evidence of their compliance.  In any given year, when a member reports non compliance in any of the standards, they must create an action plan for meeting compliance and is given two years to either come into compliance or to demonstrate concerted movement toward coming into compliance.

To learn more about the results of the Self-Certification-Plus processes our members go through biennially, please join our PVO Standards workshop at our Forum 2011: Investing Common Solutions in August 10-12, 2011.    

Questions about standards and accountability should be directed to Barbara Wallace or Taina Alexander in the Membership and Standards Office.

To have access to InterAction's PVO Standards, please click here.