DONATE NOW To Reduce Your 2009 Tax Bill

If you were planning on making a charitable donation to reduce your 2009 tax bill, then you need to do so by the end of the day!

Don't worry, you still have time to go to Charity Navigator’s site and give online by clicking on the ‘Donate Now’ button located on your favorite charity’s ratings page. An added benefit of giving through our site is that you’ll be able to access your 2009 giving history when you are ready to complete your tax return.

And if you are at all unclear about the tax implications of your charitable efforts, then we encourage you to check out our guides on this topic.

Finally, if our evaluations have helped guide your charitable decisions this year, we hope you’ll consider a donation to Charity Navigator. We are a 501 (c)(3) public charity and donations to us are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

When Does the Check Have to Be in the Mail?

If you're making your year-end charitable contributions by check, make sure you get them in the mail on or before December 31st. The IRS expects that donations made in this manner are postmarked on or before the last day of the year and deposited very shortly thereafter. Year after year, it never fails that charities receive a significant number of well-intentioned donors' checks dated in December yet postmarked in January and even February. If you want your donation to count for the current tax year, make a New Year's Eve trip to the post office--it's well worth it!




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

There Is Still Time To Pick A Charity

Are you still looking for a charity to support this year? No problem, check out our list of the highest and lowest rated charites in each of our 34 causes. And if nothing catches your interest there, then use our advanced search tool to look for more charities.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

A Great Example of Corporate Social Responsibility

IntegraScan, a new corporate sponsor of Charity Navigator, is giving back to the community in a big way through its Safe Kids program. The company noticed that the downturn in the economy had led to a pronounced decrease in the number of organizations serving children and youth that were requesting the necessary and vital background checks of their employees and volunteers. This year, IntegraScan made a commitment to provide $500,000 of monthly free background checks to organizations serving children and youth. That adds up to $6 million annually. Eligible organizations do not have to have 501 (c)(3) status--they simply have to demonstrate that they provide programs and services to this population. Click here to learn more. And thanks, IntegraScan, for your commitment to corporate responsibility!




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month

Here's a video we created last year about National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month:


Visit our site for a list of related charities.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Giving Facts

Did you know?

• You must keep a bank record or written communication from a charity including the charity's name, along with the date and amount of your contribution, in order to deduct a cash contribution.
• A total of 19 billion cards, letters, and packages are delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year.
• For just $1, food banks can provide nine pounds of food and grocery products to Americans facing hunger.
• Donations to charitable causes in the United States reached an estimated $307 billion in 2008 --- an impressive figure, yet down 5.7% over the prior year.

Visit our site for more holiday inspired factoids.




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

More Isn't Always Better

Followers of Charity Navigator know that we have often noted how easy it is to create a new nonprofit. We've long lamented the fact that the size of the nonprofit sector has ballooned in recent years, yet the amount of money flowing into the sector hasn't kept pace. A recent article in the New York Times by Stephanie Strom details just how dramatic the growth has been and backs up our claim that the IRS hands out nonprofit status like people giving candy to babies.

Here are some highlights from the article:

• New charities are created every 10-15 minutes.
• Last year, the IRS approved 99% of applications for charity status.
• There are 1.1 million charities in America.
• In the past decade, the number of charities has grown 60%.

The above situation prompted, Rob Reich, associate professor of political science at Stanford, to say the following about the IRS review process, “it just seems utterly implausible that anyone can be doing due diligence in any way that constitutes a serious review of the applicant, let alone keeping an eye on them after they are approved.” And Dean Zerbe, who was previously tax counsel to the Senate Finance Committee , said he believes that we need to find a way to encourage those who wish to create new charities to take steps to ensure that their 'new' group isn't going to offer duplicative services.

The moral of this tale for donors is that just because a group is a bona fide nonprofit doesn't mean that it is effective, ethical or efficient. Be sure to do your homework and check out a charity before you give.

As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Pay At The Top Comes Under Scrutiny

This week, President Obama told bank executives that the government will not be happy to see large executive bonuses. Such payouts just don't sit well with so many Americans out of work. Not surprising, the public's concern over pay at the top doesn't end with the for-profit sector. Americans want to know that the charities seeking their support this holiday season, and beyond, are not offering excessive salaries to their CEOs.

Tampa area donors will therefore be thankful to learn of WFLA-TV Mark Douglas' in-depth investigation into the compensation practices at hundreds of local charities. His report includes many quotes from Charity Navigator's president & CEO as well as a searchable database of pay at area charities.

If you are interested in supporting charities not located in the Tampa area, then check out our charity ratings which include information on the top executive's pay. And for more detail on the topic, consult our CEO Compensation Study which can be downloaded from our site for free.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Mid-December Update

Our Mid-December update includes new evaluations for over 146 charities, including those for The Hunger Project (4 stars), The Glaucoma Foundation (3 stars), OPERA America(2 stars), USS Constitution Museum (1 star), and Iditarod Trail Committee (zero stars).

As always, our latest Top 10 lists are available to view as well.

If you have not done so already, be sure to sign up for our free, monthly, email newsletters so that you can automatically be notified about our updates.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

What Do You Plan To Eat For The Holidays

From latkas, to turkeys, to cookies, to sweet potato pie, food is a key part of the winter holiday festivities. Sadly, there are many Americans that are unable to buy a special holiday meal this year. Thankfully, many charities work hard to provide meals to the less fortunate. On our site, we offer some tips to help you find a charity to support so that people in your community can have a special, hot meal this holiday season.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

New Books About Giving

Charity Navigator is featured in the new book, Ten Ways to Change the World in Your Twenties, written by environmental advocate Libuse Binder. The book is a collection of ideas and resources to help millenials tackle today’s toughest issues. Ten Ways includes information to help twentysomethings make a difference by:

• Digging into what they love
• Volunteering in ways big and small
• Leading an eco-active lifestyle
• Turning their passion into a vocation

As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

• Supporting political actions that reflect their values

Another book, SMART GENEROSITY: Everything You Need To Know About Charity, Philanthropy and Giving Wisely, by Renata Rafferty offers practical advice, real-life stories, and extensive recommendations guaranteed to uncomplicate even the largest philanthropic gifts. Ideal for financial planners and charity professionals, the book provides:

• FIVE steps to defining your philanthropic focus
• FOUR ways to assess a charity
• The ONE question to ask before making a gift
• The TEN warning signs a donor should never ignore
  

Ken Berger, Charity Navigator’s president & CEO, calls this new book “A rare voice of clarity and wise counsel for donors.”

Happy Reading!

Happy Hanukkah

Hanukkah , the Jewish festival of rededication (also known as the festival of lights) starts tonight. It is an 8 day holiday during which each night a candle on the menorah is lit.

The Jewish faith has a strong tradition of Tzedakah- giving to those in need. In fact, Jews are expected to give 10% of their net income to charity. As such, some families will use the time spent together during Hanukkah to select and donate to a charity.

What a wonderful family tradition that really anyone can include in their winter holiday celebrations! Be sure to visit our site for tips on how to make the most of your holiday giving.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

(Guest Blog) Award winning documentary film on Aid in Africa – What are we doing here?

There are hundreds of aid organizations with fancy brochures, emotional marketing campaigns, and claims of ending poverty. The trouble is, after somewhere between 500 billion dollars and a few trillion dollars (no one knows that exact amount of aid given to Africa), most Africans are poorer than they were before receiving that aid. What happened?

Not being experts, but knowing enough to realize that statistics, studies, and aid organizations tell at best a simplified version of the truth, we decided we needed first-hand experiential knowledge. We traveled from Cairo to Cape Town, across 12 countries and spent six months talking with people, hanging out, sharing a meal, exchanging stories and learning from African people and those who were working on “fighting poverty.” As documentary filmmakers, we naturally filmed everything (around 350 hours) – which was eventually edited down to an 84 min film titled "What are we doing here?"
Aid organizations, celebrity activists (and documentary filmmakers) often present Africa as a place to feel sorry for; a place that is helpless and without our assistance will be doomed to a horrible existence. We found something different: that Africans’ are far from helpless and that often our good intentions are not only ineffective, but can often be destructive. There are some things we (NGOs, governments, and individuals) can do to help, but there are also lots of things we can do that cause problem and don’t help. Check out our trailer and find out how you can see the film at www.whatarewedoinghere.net.
Written by Tim Klein, one of the four directors/producers of “What are we doing here?”



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

One Gift Card, Two Gifts

Still looking for that perfect holiday gift? How about picking up one of the new GiveCards.

With GiveCards the giver selects the donation amount starting at $5. The recipient activates the card and donates the pre-selected amount to a charity of their choosing. The recipient then spends the rest of the card amount anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. The cards can be personalized and arrive within 5 business days after your purchase.

And the best part is that GiveCards has partnered with Charity Navigator so that our data is accessible to guide recipients in selecting a charity. Please do not hesitate to contact us to learn more about opportunities to share our data with your site's audience.


As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Bryant Gumbel Has Lung Cancer

Sadly, Bryant Gumbel, host of HBO Real Sports and former Today Show anchor, has announced that he's being treated for lung cancer. According to the CDC, more people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer.

Visit our site for a list of charities working to find a cure for and generate awareness about lung cancer.

Since smoking is a major risk factor, you may also want to support a charity, like Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids or Action on Smoking and Health , that is working to limit the number of people who smoke.




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Saving Philanthropy

As you may know, we are working to expand our rating system to include an assessment of each charity's accountability and programmatic outcomes. The following provocative video, "Saving Philanthropy," makes the case for charities to measure their outcomes and for foundations to fund such analysis. If you want to learn more about this topic, then we suggest you visit Ken Berger's blog where he's been holding discussions on outcome measurement.




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

How Many Requests for Funding Did You Get This Past Year?

One of the donors that uses our site conducted an experiment this past year. From 12/1/08 - 11/30/09, he keep a record of each time a charity sent him an appeal for support. As he says, "results tabulated below show how many mailings we received during the period. The numbers are, eh, impressive.It is incredible how much mail some charities send."

American Diabetes 24
UNICEF 18
World Vision 18
NARAL 16
Special Olympics 14
Smile Train 13
ALS Assn 13
American Fd for the Blind 13
American Lung 11
American Red Cross 11
American Cancer Society 11
ASH 10
Planned Parenthood 10
Nat’l Park Conv. Svc. 9
HOPE 8

We know many donors share his frustration with the number of appeals they receive from charities. How about you? How many times a year should a given charity contact you seeking support?



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Most Popular Posts

Here are our most popular blog posts so far this year:

• The Obama Budget and Charitable Tax Deductions
• Non-Profit CEO Pay and Government Funding
• What the Stimulus Plan Means for Nonprofits
• Michael Jackson and Philanthropy
• Free 990s on Our Site
• Tiger Woods Defends his Philanthropy
• Twitter Users Raise Money for Charity: Water
• Giving in 2008
• A Donor's Wish List
• United Way Ratings Declining

As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Upcoming Webinar

Becoming a High Performing Organization

State of the Field and a First Look at the Outcomes and Effective Practices Portal

3pm-4:30pm (EST), Thursday December 10, 2009

Mounting interest in identifying and funding high-performing nonprofits has left many social service providers scrambling to improve their performance. But where can organizations go to find the practical resources needed? What are effective practices and how do you measure outcomes? How do you then put these resources into practice to transform your organization into a high-performing nonprofit?

In this webinar, Kristin Moore (Child Trends) will provide an overview of the resources available to youth serving organizations. Anisha Chablani (Roca) will then discuss how Roca has leveraged available research along with knowledge from internal performance data to improve outcomes for the young people they serve. And then, Mary Winkler (Urban Institute) provides a first look at an exciting new web resource called the Outcomes and Effective Practices Portal (OEP) – a joint project with Social Solutions. The OEP aims to become the single, comprehensive resource for nonprofits to access the information and related measurement tools needed to run highly effective programs. Click here to register.





As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

International Charity Rating Groups

We get several emails each week from international donors inquiring about a Charity Navigator like service in their country. And we've been approached by many people around the world who are interested in establishing a rating service. Some have traveled from as far as Asia to meet with us to learn from our experience!

The good news for donors is that there are charity evaluators taking shape in England, Sweden, Israel and Canada. As the philanthropic sector expands around the world, and the demand for the type of data we provide with it, I'm sure so will the number of countries with nonprofit rating services.


As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

December Update

Our December update includes new evaluations for over 300 charities, including those for Locks of Love (4 stars), Marine Toys for Tots Foundation (3 stars), Gifts in Kind International (2 stars), The Wilderness Society (1 star), and Hale House (zero stars).

Please also check out the new Top 10 lists.

If you have not done so already, be sure to sign up for our free, monthly, email newsletters so that you can automatically be notified about our updates.














As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

(Guest Blog) Two Parrot takes on River Blindness Film Project in Cameroon, West Africa

Deep in the jungles of western Cameroon the Jimmy Carter Center treats one of the world's most insidious diseases. Two Parrot Production brothers John and Bill Kizorek made their way over hours of single-lane rutted roads, along with members of the Lions Club of Cameroon. They created a short documentary film (now on YouTube) on how the fly breeds, how it bites humans and lays eggs in their bodies. The bites release microfilaria into the bloodstream, some of which make their way to the eyes and cause blindness. Other side-effects are skin ulcers, intense itching, and nodules under the skin.

John Kizorek taping education program in remote Cameroon village

The film shows how an international drug donation program by Merck, using the drug Mectizan, is helping cure this disease. Along the way the Two Parrot videographers taped the flies biting humans and also showed what the Lions Club members are doing to educate the community to eradicate this disease from the country.

Bill Kizorek coming up from fly-infested river bank

Small boy examined for symptoms of river blindness.

According to Bill Kizorek, "this was a little on the scary side. At one point I asked where I could find some of these flies to film, and the guy standing next to me pulled up his pant leg and had SIX of the flies sucking blood from his calf! I was grateful to be wearing ExOfficio pants with Insect Shield to deter similar gnawing on my own skin." -by Bill Kizorek, senior partner,Two Parrot Productions

Why did we invite Bill Kizorek to do another blog entry for Charity Navigator? Because we helped match up Two Parrot with several of the charities who eventually benefited from their grants and many of our blog readers enjoyed their first guest posting.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Happy Black Friday

Instead of standing in line at the mall trying to catch a deal, put your feet up and purchase a Good Card from the comfort of your home. A Good Card is a gift card for charity offered by Charity Navigator through a partnership with Network for Good. You pick the amount to put on the card and the recipient selects a charity (or charities) to receive the donation.







As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Happy Thanksgiving

City Harvest
Island Harvest
Harvest Hope Food Bank
Ozarks Food Harvest
Forgotten Harvest

Each day, based on a particular holiday (like Thanksgiving) or current event, Charity Navigator’s experts select 4-5 highly-rated charities to highlight. Subscribe now.







As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

If You Must Shop On Black Friday

If you plan to take advantage of Black Friday's sales, then charge away with your Charity Navigator Capital One Visa card. This way 1% of your purchases will be donated to Charity Navigator.

Don't have a Charity Navigator Capital One Visa card? Get one now!





As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

What We're Thankful For

As Thanksgiving approaches, we at Charity Navigator are thankful for:

• Our 1,000+ friends on Facebook Causes! We're especially grateful for those fans that have donated.
• The tens of thousands of donors who have already donated to the 5,500 charities we rate, this year, using Network for Good's giving program. And we're really thankful for those donors who in processing their gift have also given a few dollars to us in appreciation for our research.
• To the many new and existing donors who have directly contributed to us this year.
• Our 2500+ followers on Twitter.
• The reporters who write about nonprofits.
• The millions of donors who have used our site to make informed giving choices.
• Our 100,000 newsletter subscribers.
• The thousands of charities that get our highest ratings.
• And of course, all the readers of our blogs: Charity Navigator Blog & Ken's Commentary).

As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Oreos and Charity – Teaching Kids To Be Philanthropists

What could be more daunting than trying to teach the concept of philanthropy to a bunch of 5 year olds? Having to go after the parents that work at Kraft and who had the kids make their own Oreo cookies! This was the conundrum I was up against a few weeks back when my child’s kindergarten teacher extended an invitation for all the parents to come in and talk about our careers. Considering what I was up against, it went great.

First, taking a cue from some lesson plans I found online, I introduced the word philanthropy. We talked about how it means to share your time, talent and treasures for the common good. All the kids got a chance to answer the question “I’m going to be a philanthropist because I’m going to …” They did a great job and had some thoughtful answers.

Next, I read them the book Strega Nona’s Harvest. One of the characters builds a secret garden and anonymously donates the vegetables he grows to Strega Nona. She doesn’t know what to do with all the extra food. When she finds out that everyone else in town had a poor crop yield, she decides to have a feast and feed all her neighbors. The kids like the story.

After that, we made harvest goodie bags. We filled them with candy, stickers, notepads, crayons and small toys. I told the kids that the bags were for kids in our community that didn’t have enough food, like the people in the story. And that when these kids and their families go to the local food bank this Thanksgiving, that they’d get our goodie bags as an extra treat. We decided that we’d donate our creations to the 4-star charity, Homeless Solutions.
Before I left, I gave the teacher some handouts to stick in each kid’s backpack. I found the activity pages on a site called, Learning to Give. I especially like the “share, save, spend” inspired piggy bank that the kids can make themselves. If I get invited back, then this would be a fun project to do with the kids.

But enough about my experience, how about you? How have you taught young people about giving back?


As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Making The Case For Corporate Giving

Ken Berger, Charity Navigator's president & CEO, makes the case in NJBIZ for corporate philanthropy. He points out that in 2008 corporations gave $14.5 billion to charity and that New Jersey is home to some big-time corporate givers. Just last year, NJ based Merck gave $821 million; Johnson & Johnson, $497 million; Prudential, $31 million; and Public Service Enterprise Group, $7.5 million. Ken ends his discussion with some advice on how firms can identify great charities to partner with.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

scroogenomics - Wharton Professor Makes the Case for Charitable Giving During the Holidays

In his new book, scroogenomics, Wharton professor Joel Waldfogel advocates that we all donate to charity in someone's name, rather than give another dreaded fruit cake this holiday season. Both in the book, and in a recent interview where he argues that $13 billion is wasted on useless presents, he recommends Charity Navigator as a source of information about charities. And in the book, he even suggests the Good Card as a good solution to holiday gift giving.

Watch the video below to learn more about the professor's research.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Conference Call on International Capacity Building and Effectiveness

Ken Berger, president and CEO of Charity Navigator, along with Sam Worthington, president and CEO of InterAction, will discuss the best ways to assess the effectiveness of internationally-focused organizations via a conference call hosted by the Independent Sector. The title of the discussion is "Assessing Internationally-Focused Nonprofits -- Striking the Right Balance of Short-Term Efficiency and Long-Term Capacity" and it will take place on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

For more details and to register, click here.







As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Charity Leaders Discuss Fundraising in the Down Economy

This year's holiday giving guide includes a roundtable discussion with the leaders of 10 nonprofits. The participants were selected from our Advisory Panel and from the higher rated charities in our database. We've published the first part of that discussion which focuses on how these organizations are fairing in the recession.

Here are some quotes from Part 1:

We continue to be anxious about Foundation giving and the lack of multi-year commitments that new initiatives require. On individual giving, we remain optimistic.~Jeremy Kohomban, Ph.D., President and CEO, The Children’s Village



I believe that if an organization has a good mission and a good story to tell, then it will weather the storm. It takes aggressive planning and a dedicated staff now to position the organization for the future so it’s ready when the economy does rebound. ~Susan Paresky, Senior Vice President, Development, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & The Jimmy Fund

We agree that it will take a couple of years to see people giving again as in the past. In fact, we believe there is a “new reality”, meaning that it won’t ever be as it once was. That due to actual losses and setbacks, or due to paralysis by fear, that the donor public will not be giving as they once did. Smaller gifts, designated purposes, and higher scrutiny will be the new rule.~Curtis Hail, President, e3 Partners Ministry


The second part of the conversation, which discuss the characteristics of a high performing charity, will be accessible on our site in December.


As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Creative Ways To Donate This Holiday Season

Users of Charity Navigator, and just about anyone opening their mailbox around now, know that requests for charitable donations soar at the end of the year. Why? There are three main reasons.

1. The religious nature of the holidays inspire people to help those who are less fortunate.
2. Taxpayers need to make their donations by December 31 to qualify for a tax deduction in this calendar year.
3. As the year comes to a close, people look at their personal budgets and determine how much money they have for their charitable interests.

Knowing this, charities step up their appeals for your support towards the end of the year. To help you make smart choices about where to invest your philanthropic dollars, we've published a holiday giving guide that is full of tips and information.

That said, we are fearful that giving will continue to be down this holiday season as it was last year. The recession has hindered many people's ability to support their favorite charities resulting in the biggest drop in charitable giving in the last fifty years. Even if the economy improves, it will likely take many months for charitable giving to rebound.

Thankfully, Shelly Banjo over at the Wall Street Journal has some smart ideas for how you can still afford to give in this down economy.

As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Car Donations & Your Taxes

Recent reports indicate that the IRS isn't doing enough to ensure that donors are properly documenting their deductions for car donations or to make sure that the charities are following the new laws. While that may be true, we still urge donors to be careful when claiming these deductions. For more information, check out our Guide To Donating Your Car.




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Bob Dylan Releases Holiday Record to Benefit Charity

Christmas in the Heart, released earlier in October, is Bob Dylan’s first full-length holiday album. While some Dylan fans are skeptical of the singer’s transition to the Christmas music genre, the album has been met with positive reviews. Dylan shows his holiday spirit not only through the traditional tunes, but through his generous spirit – the royalties from sales of the album are going straight to charity. All proceeds will benefit four-star rated Feeding America, UK-based Crisis, and the UN World Food Programme. Interested in what causes other musicians are supporting? Check out or hot topic page of Celebrity-Charity associations.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Do Donors Care About A Charity's Impact?

As Ken Berger recently discussed in his blog entry, Why Should Donors Care About Outcomes and Impact?, we've had some surprising feedback regarding our intention to rate each charity's outcomes. Many experts in the field actually question whether donors even care about a charity's outcomes. So, when the folks over at Zoomerang offered us the chance to use their online survey software, we thought let's take this question to the donors.

That's right, we want to hear from you. Is it important to you as a donor to know that a charity has meaningful results? Let us know now by completing our 3 question survey.

Then check out how other donors are responding.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Veterans Day

Today, is a day that Americans pause to honor all our military veterans. This may inspire you to make a donation to one of these 4-star charities:

Special Operations Warrior Foundation
Fisher House Foundation
National Military Family Association
Homes for Our Troops

This Veterans Day you are probably also thinking about the recent outburst of violence at Ft. Hood. If so, then you may want to make a gift to the 4-star charity Operation Homefront which has established a fund to help the families impacted by the tragedy at Ft. Hood.

For more ratings for charities that Support Our Troops, please visit the Hot Topics portion of our site.




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Drew Carey’s Twitter Challenge Raises Money for Charity

This holiday season, Twitter fans can help guarantee a $1 million donation for the LiveStrong Foundation from actor Drew Carey. What’s the catch? Drew Carey must reach 1,000,000 followers on his own Twitter account (@drewfromtv) by midnight on December 31st. This quirky fundraising scheme began with another Drew – cancer survivor Drew Olanoff - who happens to be the owner of an enviable twitter name, @drew. Drew Olanoff decided to auction this rare twitter user name and donate the profits. Drew Carey, host of “The Price is Right,” got wind of the good-willed auction and bid on the name. He eventually raised his donation challenge to a $1 million promise if he reaches the same number of followers on his own account. The donation will be prorated, so for every new follower, $1.00 will be donated to the LiveStrong Foundation, up to $1 million. Learn more about the story at CNN, or check on @drewfromTV’s progress here.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Rainn Wilson of “The Office” visits Haiti

Rainn Wilson, better known as quirky Dwight on NBC’s The Office recently travelled to Haiti to learn about the countries staggering poverty rates and troubled education systems. Wilson went with his wife and spent six days with two different charities, the Mona Foundation and Planting Peace according to a USA today article. The article includes blog entries that Wilson wrote while there, which he calls his “webary.” We’ve featured celebrities and their efforts to give back on this blog before. Do you share Rainn Wilson’s interest in international development and human services? Consider a donation to one of our top rated international charities. You can also find a list of four-star charities working in Haiti here.







As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Catch Charity Navigator's Videos on Starfish Television

Two of Charity Navigator's videos have made the jump from YouTube to your TV set. You'll be able to catch our videos on Starfish Television Network on the following dates:

• Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 11:48 AM EST
• Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 5:23 PM EST
• Sunday, November 15, 2009 - 1:20 AM EST
• Monday, November 16, 2009 - 9:11 AM EST
• Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 2:18 AM EST

There are 4 ways to view Starfish Television Network:

1. Dish Network 1000 platform, channels 296 & 9408
2. Coaxial Cable TV (Edinboro PA) channel 8
3. Visit www.StarfishTV.org, click “Watch Live”
4. Visit www.ZapMyTV.com

And you can find out when we'll be on TV again by visiting our page on the Starfish TV's website.




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Appeal(ing) Rewards!

Charity Navigator's Fall donor drive is in full swing. We've teamed up with the
New Jersey Nets to say a resounding thanks to one lucky donor. Everyone who donates $50 or more between now and December 10 will automatically be entered to win 4 tickets (valued at $700!) to a New Jersey Nets game (click here for details). Tough times demand smarter giving--that's why Charity Navigator is more important than ever and why we're asking for your support. Thank You!





As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Charity Navigator Holiday Giving Tips

For those of you planning end-of-year charitable giving, we offer our annual Charity Navigator Holiday Giving Guide. Reading this online guide before you give will ensure that your holiday donations best reach a good cause.
Explore the Giving Guide:

• Charity Navigator's Holiday Giving Tips
• Roundtable Discussion with Nonprofit Professionals
  Part 1: How charities are coping in these challenging times
• Highest and Lowest Rated Charity in Each Cause
• Holiday Giving Factoids

As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Volunteer Center of Bergen County, NJ - Executive Director's Roundtable

Next week, Charity Navigator's president & CEO, Ken Berger, will lead a roundtable discussion at The Volunteer Center of Bergen County. Executive Directors in Northern NJ are invited to spend the morning with him and other nonprofit leaders to develop strategies that maintain organizational integrity in the face of prolonged challenges to fiscal stability.

Discussion topics may include:

• educating our Boards about realistic fundraising expectations in this economic climate


• developing budget contingencies for the long haul


• using the combined, proactive power of nonprofits to leverage joint purchasing


• figuring out how to combine resources for "back office" operations


• other topics of your choice

Date/Time: Thursday, November 12, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Course Leader: Ken Berger, Charity Navigator
Registration Fee: Free
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
For more information contact The Volunteer Center of Bergen County's Non-Profit Training and Resource Center: 64 Passaic Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 201-489-9454, training@bergenvolunteers.org, www.bergenvolunteers.org.


As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

November Update

We know that many of you are starting to think about your end-of-year charitable giving plans. With that in mind, we've just published 356 updated ratings, several top 10 lists, and articles.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Charitable Giving, Wealth, and Happiness

A new book reveals that those who are wealthy and donate 10% or more of their income build a higher net worth and are happier than other wealthy people. The book was written by Thomas J. Stanley based on a survey of over 900 millionaires. A recent article about the book, explains that Mr. Stanley says the most generous wealthy donors "are the least enamored with status. They have a small house and a big heart." It seems that the sample of the most wealthy who give, get more out of acquiring wealth and donating a good portion of that wealth rather than just spending their money on luxury items. So it seems donating and helping other does make one feel good!






As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Happy Halloween

Here are some charities that are clearly a Treat and not a Trick when it comes to financial efficiency, and their names truly fit today's occasion:

• The Midnight Mission
• Erie Community Foundation
• Graywolf Press
• Alley Cat Rescue
• United States Fund for UNICEF

Each day, based on a particular holiday (like Halloween) or current event, Charity Navigator’s experts select 4-5 highly-rated charities to highlight. Subscribe now.




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Nonprofit Executive Leadership Certificate Program

Rutgers Business School offers A Certificate Program for Senior Executives & Emerging Leaders of Nonprofit Organizations and Foundations

November 3-5; 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Are you a nonprofit executive in the NJ area? Then consider signing up for this Rutgers Business School certificate program. It is designed to help you advance your career, gain credentials for enhancing your future, and provides an opportunity for you to network with experts, professionals and colleagues. Led by nationally recognized practitioners, the program covers a wide range of topics including:

Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
A personal Model for Life and Career Planning
Ethics and Accountability: Challenges for Nonprofit and Foundation Leaders
Nonprofit Financial Management
Leading through Communication
The Strategic Board
Best Practices in Executive
Compensation
Relevance and Sustainability

Charity Navigator's own Ken Berger will present "Nonprofit Accountability and Transparency" in the afternoon on the 4th. Learn more and register now.



As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>

Qdoba's Qmmunity Project

Qdoba Mexican Grill has teamed up with the 4-star Starlight Children’s Foundation to uncover community stars all over the country. The person with the most votes will earn $5,000 for his/her charity and have a Starlight Fun Center mobile entertainment unit donated in their name to a hospital in their area.

What does this have to do with Charity Navigator? Qdoba is using our list of highly rated charities. So what are you waiting for? Nominate a star now and be confident that when you select a charity it will be one that Charity Navigator has vetted.




As a 501 (c) (3) organization itself, Charity Navigator depends on public support to help donors make informed choices. Please consider investing in the future of Charity Navigator by making a donation today.  Donate now >>