Facts About … The Arc of Maryland

The Arc of Maryland works to create a world where children and adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities have and enjoy equal rights and opportunities.

We began in 1950 as a small group of concerned parents. Today we are the largest statewide advocacy organization assisting persons with cognitive and developmental disabilities in Maryland.

We number nearly 7,000 members throughout Maryland including people with developmental disabilities, parents and other family members, educators and professionals working in the field and interested persons from the general public. We an innovative and flexible organization which seeks to incorporate and support self advocates within the leadership of the organization. In 2007, we earned the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organization’s Seal of Excellence for successfully completing the Standards for Excellence certification. Three local chapters, The Arc of Baltimore, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, and The Arc of Howard County have also received this distinction.

To view our recent annual report, click here. To read more news about The Arc, click here.

Our Network

We have 10 Local Chapters that provide an array of direct services for people of all ages and their families, a state office in Annapolis and an office in Easton.

The Arc of Maryland is an integral part of a nationwide, non-profit, voluntary movement boasting over 160,000 members and 1,300 state and local chapters across the nation. For more information on The Arc of the United States and around the country, visit www.thearc.org.

Our Goals

To fulfill our purpose, The Arc of Maryland actively pursues six goals:

1. To create and sustain a person-driven service delivery system that incorporates the preferences, addresses the needs, and protects the rights of persons with developmental disabilities
   
   
2. To empower persons with developmental disabilities and members of their families
   
   
3. To advocate for the full inclusion of all persons with developmental disabilities in the life of the community
   
   
4. To create a strong beginning and a firm foundation for children with developmental disabilities by supporting them and their families
   
   
5. To promote efforts to prevent and reduce the incidence of developmental disabilities in the general population
   
   
6. To ensure that The Arc of Maryland is financially stable and capable of fulfilling its mission

The Arc of Maryland is proud to display this Seal of Excellence awarded by the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations. Certification in the Standards for Excellence program is bestowed only to nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated compliance with 55 specific Standards for Excellence based on honestly, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, responsibility and accountability. The standards go beyond the minimum legal requirements by outlining how well-managed and responsibly-governed nonprofits should operate in eight areas of nonprofit operations:

• Mission and Program
• Governing Board
• Conflict of Interest
• Human Resources
• Financial and Legal Accountability
• Openness and Disclosure
• Fundraising
• Public Policy and Public Affairs

The Seal of Excellence is a symbol of trust.
Organizations that display the seal not only obey the law, but go beyond the minimum requirements set forth by government regulation.

The Seal of Excellence is a symbol for excellence in nonprofit management.
Organizations that display the seal are guided by a well defined mission, have evaluation systems in place to measure the effectiveness of their programs, and adhere to sound financial management policies.

The Seal of Excellence is a symbol of excellence in leadership.
Organizations that display the seal are led by a volunteer board of directors that accepts responsibility to oversee the organization's mission, policies, programs, human and financial resources.

The Seal of Excellence is a symbol of openness and disclosure in nonprofits.
Organizations that display the seal have information available to the public, provide truthful responsible stewardship of all donations, and provide a voice for their constituents.

The Arc of Maryland has met, complied with, and integrated the Standards for Excellence into all its activities to successfully complete this voluntary certification program. For more information about the Standards for Excellence program, please visit www.standardsforexcellence.org.

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