Setting Quality Standards and Leading the State
MENTOR Minnesota’s (MENTORMN) Quality Partners are mentoring programs that have demonstrated their commitment to quality program practices by completing the National Quality Mentoring System (NQMS). To highlight these organizations, MENTORMN offers many benefits, including public recognition.
Becoming a Quality Partner
There are two levels of partnership available to Minnesota youth mentoring programs – Dedicated and Expert.
To become a Dedicated Partner, a program must:
- Complete the online NQMS assessment
- Participate in a review with MENTORMN staff to create a 12-month Improvement & Innovation Plan
- Return a signed Statement of Accuracy to MENTORMN
Expert Partners must also meet these requirements, but in addition, they must follow 100% of the best practices outlined in the NQMS (although not all best practices must have a rating of 5 on the implementation quality scale).
Recognition & Benefits
Completing the NQMS validates existing program quality and pinpoints areas for improvement. Because of the way it helps programs follow best practices, NQMS ultimately advances the mentoring field by ensuring safe, positive experiences for youth and volunteers.
Dedicated Partners receive the following additional benefits:
- Priority listing featuring the Dedicated Partner quality badge on MENTOR Minnesota’s webpage as well as the national quality badge on the Mentoring Connector website
- Recognition of demonstrated accountability and integrity for the sake of the giving public
- Tools and resources to facilitate adherence to all NQMS practices
- Access to funding opportunities through MENTORMN to improve program quality (when available)
- Priority consideration for award recognition from MENTORMN
- Eligibility for discounts on training, products and publications (discounts are offered at the discretion of MENTORMN and are subject to change)
- Special invitations to partner-only events
- Connections to corporations/business community initiatives
- Letters of support from MENTORMN citing NQMS Partner status (upon request)
- Networking opportunities with members from diverse regions and professions
- Priority status to hear about new resources and events
In addition to the benefits outlined above, Expert Partners receive:
- Highest priority listing featuring the 100% Best Practices quality seal on MENTOR Minnesota’s web page as well as the national
quality badge on the Mentoring Connector website - Public policy advocacy from MENTORMN on behalf of the program
- Leadership opportunities through MENTORMN committee and/or board participation
- Promotion with media outlets
Maintaining and Advancing Partnership Status
Mentoring programs that attain Dedicated Partner status can advance to Expert Partner status after they have made improvements and have 100% of best practices in place. Once a program attains either partner status, they retain partnership for three years, after which partner status is reset until the NQMS is re-submitted.
MENTOR Minnesota’s Quality Partners
For a list of current MENTOR Minnesota’s Quality Partners, please visit our Quality Partner page.