A Nevada City-based nonprofit is the first California organization to be awarded a Standards for Excellence certification by a prominent nationwide nonprofit initiative. The Center for Nonprofit Leadership, which acts as a resource to strengthen and sustain local nonprofit organizations, announced it had been awarded the designation Tuesday. The Standards for Excellence Institute’s certification is a peer-review based accreditation program for nonprofit organizations that wish to demonstrate they are adhering to high standards of effectiveness and accountability. The designation is much like a Good Housekeeping seal of approval for the nonprofit industry. “Becoming certified provides a blueprint for excellence for …