Charity Navigator

Charity Navigator remains the most prominent brand among nonprofit ratings organizations. This grant supports Charity Navigator's continued efforts to reform its nonprofit evaluation system to include nonfinancial information such as transparency practices, constituency surveys, and performance measures and results.

Charity Navigator is the dominant brand among nonprofit ratings organizations. As discussed in the "Updates and Highlights" section, this grant is supporting Charity Navigator as it reforms its nonprofit evaluation system to include nonfinancial information: transparency practices, constituency surveys, and programmatic performance.

Charity Navigator is the most prominent brand among nonprofit rating organizations. In January 2013 (in part with Hewlett Foundation support), Charity Navigator launched its well-thought-out 3.0 rating system that includes not only financial health criteria and accountability and transparency criteria, but also now includes results reporting. When Charity Navigator first began its nonprofit ratings in 2002, it focused only on financial health metrics, such as the percentage of a charity’s expenses that went to program versus overhead costs. While the overhead debate (whether and how it should matter) continues in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, Charity Navigator has substantially and productively evolved its rating system.