How investing in our people helped us adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic

In August 2021, Charity Navigator launched the fourth and final beacon of the Encompass Rating System -- Leadership & Adaptability. Although achieving a score within this core area of organizational effectiveness directly affects the overall rating of Encompass-rated nonprofits, nonprofits evaluated for the Star Rating System can also achieve a score, but their ratings will be unaffected. In this and future blog posts, we will share stories of Leadership & Adaptability from nonprofits within both rating systems.

Evidence Action: Encompass-rated (100 out of 100)

Like many other organizations, the pandemic has caused significant disruptions to our operations and continues to do so in different ways.  To protect our staff and the communities we serve while also ensuring continued impact, we temporarily paused or delayed some programs, changed the way we deliver others, and undertook critical new initiatives. Our teams were able to rapidly adapt our operations in part by developing a strong leadership who is attuned to the needs of the populations we serve. 

Project Management: Benefits + What Nonprofits Need to Know

Project management is a set of tasks that lead to an objective that will move your mission forward. Like a lot in our world, nonprofit management software saves time, increases flexibility, and provides analysis of your accomplishments.

Getting Started with AI for Nonprofits: Crash Course

Between changing giving habits and methods, the rise of new tech, and the pandemic’s ongoing impacts, there are plenty of trends and developments to keep up with.

Artificial intelligence is among the most talked-about nonprofit trends of the past several years. But even as AI becomes an increasingly common part of nonprofit toolkits, a lot of misconceptions still exist. This overview will cover the fundamentals you’ll need to know.

MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett: $2.7B Round of Giving Benefits Nonprofit Infrastructure, Community-Centered Services & Education

On June 15, 2021, MacKenzie Scott announced her most recent round of generosity: a $2.7 billion philanthropic investment. Ms. Scott, her husband Dan Jewett, and “a constellation of researchers and administrators” set out to support “high-impact organizations in categories and communities that have been historically underfunded and overlooked.”  Even though a few months have passed, it’s safe to assume that the 286 organizations focused on nonprofit infrastructure, community-centered services, and education are still surprised, excited, and energized to make an impact with the new funding. In fact, we can do more than assume, as Charity Navigator was one of the nonprofits supported. The funds we received will go a long way in accelerating the work outlined in our 2026 Strategic Plan.

Three Things Every Virtual Fundraiser Can Learn From Twitch

Last year, streamers raised more than $83 million for charity on Twitch. How did they do it, and what can nonprofits learn from their success?

Twitch is a $15 billion streaming platform that is known for its gaming content, but, in actuality, is populated with all manner of self-made streamers. In 2020, these streamers raised millions of dollars for large well-funded causes like St. Jude, and for small niche causes like Black Cat Rescue and Relief. So, why have Twitch gamers, chess players, quilters, and just chatters been able to raise so much money for charity? Because Twitch streamers are practicing state-of-the-art virtual fundraising using techniques that are critical to ALL successful fundraisers, no matter the platform.

Increase the impact of charitable giving by sponsoring a matching challenge

As someone who believes in giving back to my community, I’ve spent many years building meaningful connections with the nonprofits working in the causes I care deeply about. Through this effort, my wife and I have developed many ways to make our contributions as impactful as possible, whether through giving our time, treasure, and talent, leveraging Charity Navigator’s ratings to ensure we’re giving to efficient charities, or funding a match challenge. 

Meet the Team: My Nonprofit Journey - Bilal Taylor

Welcome to our Meet The Team series, where each month we will introduce a member of the Charity Navigator team to our readers. Millions of visitors come to

Charity Navigator annually, and they may be surprised to learn that we're a staff of 25! We often proudly state that we are a "small yet mighty team"-- achieving a lot with the resources we have, while staying focused on our mission. We are extremely honored to be a part of the nonprofit community where our footprint (and our ratings!) have expanded, and we are incredibly appreciative of the support received from our donors and users, nonprofits, and funders. We hope this series will be enlightening and entertaining. Click here for other profiles.

My name is Bilal Taylor, and I have served as the Vice President of Culture & Community at Charity Navigator since late June 2021.  In this role I have primary responsibility for building out the Culture & Community “beacon” in our new Encompass Rating System.  In time, our team will grow this beacon to rate charities/nonprofits based on how they center the voices of their staff and constituents in building equitable, inclusive organizational practices, and transformative programs in the communities they serve.

As Encompass Matures, Making Meaning from the Rating System

Written by Stephen Rockwell, Chief Ratings Technology Officer at Charity Navigator. Stephen leads the team of charity analysts, program specialists, and development engineers that launched the new Encompass rating methodology and criteria.

Charity Navigator launched the Leadership & Adaptability beacon this month, filling out the fourth and final domain within the Encompass Rating System. The new beacon provides donors with data on the leadership capabilities of a nonprofit organization in regards to:

• Strategy - Strategic thinking and goal setting. 
• Leadership - Description of how the organization mobilizes on their mission and develops leaders.
• Adaptability - Stories of how organizations changed and evolved during this tumultuous last pandemic year.