The Northshore Schools Foundation has been honored with a prestigious 2015 Top-Rated Award by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews about nonprofit organizations.

“We are excited to be named a 2015 Top-Rated Nonprofit and are very proud of our accomplishments this year … The Foundation is strongly committed to the District’s mission of ‘Strengthening Our Community Through Excellence in Education,'” said Northshore Schools Foundation Executive Director Carmin Dalziel in a release. “To that end, the Foundation Board has elected to track our performance and align our funding priorities to the four Northshore School Board goals that guide the District’s ongoing improvement efforts. We are addressing 22 of the School Board 28 performance measures for those goals through our focus on Literacy; Teacher Excellence; Music, Health & Enrichment; Struggling and Advanced Learners and STEM and College & Career Readiness.”

The Northshore Schools Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises funds and builds partnerships to support Northshore School District priorities of excellence and academic success for all Northshore students.

The Top-Rated Nonprofit award was based on the large number of positive reviews that the organization received – reviews written by volunteers, donors and clients. People posted their personal experiences with the nonprofit.

”Northshore Schools Foundation has blossomed into a marvelous, nearly miraculous, source for teachers at every level within our District,” one post read. “They have allowed instructors to extend their curriculums beyond the immediate classroom and into projects that have had long term impacts on their students and the community. The leaders of the Foundation do an amazing job of rallying the constituency behind our teachers and showcasing the results!”

While the Top-Rated Awards run through the end of October, Northshore Schools Foundation was part of the inaugural group to qualify. In addition, the organization has been added to GreatNonprofits #GivingTuesday Guide — an interactive guide to top nonprofits throughout the years.

“Savvy donors want to see the impact of their donations more than ever,” said GreatNonprofits CEO Perla Ni. “People with direct experience with Northshore Schools Foundation have voted that the organization is making a real difference.”

Dalziel said that being on the Top-Rated list gives donors and volunteers more confidence that the Foundation is a credible organization.

“The reviews by volunteers, clients and other donors show the on-the-ground results of this nonprofit,” Dalziel said. “This award is a form of recognition by the community.”