Charity Navigator: February 2014

Monday, February 24, 2014

New Video About Charity Navigator

Thank you to the Giving Library, one of our API partners, for producing this video overview of Charity Navigator! Check it out:

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Thursday, February 20, 2014

7 Year Old Raises over $60,000 for Cancer Research

What happens when a determined seven year old is told he is too young to attend a charity event? He starts his own event and raises $60,000! Ethan Sandlofer lost his mother five years ago to a rare form of cancer. In honor of her, Ethan's father Jason has been doing the annual Cycle for Survival event to raise money for Memorial Sloan Kettering. When Ethan asked to do it as well he was told that only adults could be involved. Ethan decided to create his own event through Cycle for Survival that was the first if it's kind for kids. He started small getting it set up at his school for him and his classmates. But now it's become a large event and has been covered by multiple news agencies HERE and HERE. The event is this Saturday and Ethan has surpassed his early fundraising goal and now is on his way to his new goal of $70,000. If he reaches that goal he will win a bet he has with his father. Ethan will get to shave his father’s head! This is a great example of the fact that no matter how young, old, big or small you are, you can make a difference and get the word out for your cause. Please share with us ways in which you teach your kids about charity and 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 >>

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

An Update on our Charity Data

As of February 1, Charity Navigator has 7,000 charity evaluations on its website.

In their most recent fiscal year, these charities generated approximately $227 billion in total revenue.
Of this $227 billion in total revenue, $204 billion came from the charities’ primary revenue sources.
More than half of this primary revenue, some $110 billion, came from contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government grants.
These same organizations reported spending $214 billion. Roughly 87%, or $187 billion, of these expenses were reported as program expenses. Administration expenses accounted for 9%, or $19 billion, and fundraising expenses accounted for the final 4%, or $9 billion.
The charities we evaluated reported total net assets equaling $518 billion.

We found that the majority of charities are financially healthy organizations.

Seven out of ten of the charities examined by Charity Navigator spend less than 10% of their budget on fundraising costs, less than 15% on administration costs, and at least 75% on the programs and services they exist to provide.
Over their past three to five fiscal years, 40% of the organizations demonstrate at least 5% growth in their primary revenue and program expenses.
Slightly more than half (52%) of the organizations have accumulated at least a year’s worth of working capital to fall back on during economic downturns.

While most charities are indeed fiscally responsible and financially healthy, we learned that not all charities are equal.

A quarter of the charities evaluated by Charity Navigator ran an average deficit in their past three to five fiscal years.
13% devoted less than 70% of their budgets to their programs and services and 4% devote less than 60%.
5% maintain less than a month’s worth of working capital.
77 charities get an overall 0-star rating.
139 charities have a Donor Advisory.
Only 53% of the charities have donor privacy policies.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Hail to the Charity

In honor of President’s Day on Monday, consider supporting one of the following presidential charities.

Welcome to Charity Navigator's Blog!