Charity Navigator: Top Ten Lists

10 Most Requested Charities

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

Since Charity Navigator launched its service in 2002, we have received thousands of requests from donors and charities to rate the financial performance of specific organizations. Users of our service are especially eager to see ratings for these ten most requested charities. The list is ranked by the number of times we have received a request to rate the charity.

10 Charities with the Most Consecutive 4-Star Ratings

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

Charities tackle some of society�s most complex and intractable issues --- such as combating hunger, preserving the environment, curing diseases and changing people�s perceptions. These are long-term objectives. To be successful, organizations must be high performers consistently, year after year. These ten charities are the first to earn 8 consecutive 4-star ratings demonstrating an ongoing fiscal excellence. They are well-positioned to pursue and achieve long-term change.

10 Super-Sized Charities

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

This Top 10 list contains some heavy hitters in the nonprofit sector. Each of these charities had total expenses greater than $500 million in its most recent fiscal year. Their combined total expenses are approximately $10 billion. We offer this list because we believe it is enlightening for donors to realize just how large many of America's charities are and why we believe it is important that our country establish a federal regulatory agency to monitor and regulate charities.

10 Slam-Dunk Charities

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

These 10 charities are not only tops in terms of fiscal health, but also for respecting the rights of donors. Charity Navigator has awarded each of these 10 charities a 4-star rating for both organizational efficiency and organizational capacity. Besides outperforming its peers in terms of financial management, each of these charities also has a donor privacy policy in place. This tells us that these 10 charities are committed to fiscal responsibility and to protecting the personal information of contributors.

10 Celebrity-Related Charities

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

Celebrity endorsements help charities increase awareness of their endeavors and thus stimulate more donations. However, just because your favorite super-star supports a charity doesn't mean the charity is well-run and worthy of a contribution from you. Check out how we rate these 10 charities which are closely aligned, in some cases even named for, the celebrities that founded or support them.

10 Charities Drowning in Administrative Costs

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

These 10 charities are not models of efficiency. Each directs more than 48% of its budget towards administrative costs. That means most of your money goes toward such expenses as liability insurance, accounting and legal services, administrative salaries, and investment expenses, not the programs you aim to support.

10 of the Best Charities Everyone's Heard Of

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

These 10 charities work throughout the country and the world. They are large, complex organizations with budgets exceeding $100 million, and at least $65 million in net assets. They became household names in part because of their exceptional financial management, no easy feat considering the scope and size of their operations. Charitable givers should feel confident that these national institutions put their donations to good use.

10 Most Frequently Reviewed Charities

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

Popularity doesn't make a charity more effective or more worthy of support. But it does show that people know your name. These 10 charities are the most frequently visited on our web site. They are ranked by number of page views during the month of September 2009.

10 Charities Worth Watching

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

Many of America's most effective charities are also household names. But some well-known charities are less effective than you'd think, while a number of lesser known charities are truly exceptional. These 10 charities all operate on less than $2 million a year, but they all earn a four-star rating from Charity Navigator. We encourage you to learn more about them.

10 Highly Paid CEOs at Low-Rated Charities

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

For charities to be successful, they need talented, experienced leaders. Those leaders command significant salaries. But CEOs who command high salaries should also get the most out of the organizations they lead. The leaders of these 10 organizations are taking high salaries at the expense of spending dollars on the charity's programs. Despite receiving more than $240,000 in annual pay, these CEOs run organizations that devote less than 60% of their budgets to their programs and services. That means that at least 40% of your dollars are going to such costs as fundraising and administration, including the salary of the CEO.

10 Inefficient Fundraisers

Charity Navigator — Nov 21, 2009 EST

Excellent charities succeed because their resources are not tied up in fundraising. They find creative ways to spend less to raise more, thereby maximizing the resources they can devote to their programs. These 10 charities are not so fortunate or efficient. They spend more than $0.50 to raise each dollar in support, making them four times less efficient than the average charity. This inefficiency forces them to devote more than 40% of their budgets to fundraising, limiting the difference they can make with your dollars.