National Estate Planning Awareness Week — The tax-savvy way to give

 

How do legacy gifts and stocks make the most impact?

There are many ways to support charities you care most about. And here at FreeWill, we are dedicated to providing resources to increase the impact you can make.

Charity Fraud Awareness Week: Do your research and exercise caution

From October 18 - 22, Charity Navigator, along with others in the philanthropic, nonprofit, and finance communities, will observe Charity Fraud Awareness Week. This annual event, now in its 6th year, brings together regulators, nonprofits, and donors in raising awareness of fraud within the charitable space, and encourages the sharing of information and resources that will help eliminate or drastically reduce the number of occurrences of fraud and its victims. 

Intentional Giving Strategies: Make a Plan for Your Holiday Giving

The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University reported on the findings of the Giving USA Annual Report on Philanthropy, which showed that individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations gave an estimated $471.44 billion to U.S. charities. Giving by individuals increased by 2.2% in 2020, making up an estimated total of $324.10 billion.

Encompass By the Numbers: What the Ratings Reveal

Authored by Moustafa Elshaabiny, Senior Software Engineer, and Stephen Rockwell, Chief Ratings Technology Officer at Charity Navigator, who leads the team of charity analysts, program specialists, and development engineers that launched the new Encompass rating methodology and criteria.

The Encompass Rating System reached an important milestone last month, transitioning out of beta and into its own as an evaluation system of nonprofit organizations. Over the last 18 months developing Encompass, the Charity Navigator team heard from thousands of donors who made it clear that they want to make a difference with their contributions. Encompass helps donors assess the impact and community benefits that an organization provides, and the likelihood that the organization will sustain impact into the future. Encompass will evolve and mature over time via three release cycles each year. Our plan is to share a “by the numbers” post after each release, so that interested parties can see how the number of ratings within the overall system and each beacon are scaling. We may also explore other points of interest in the aggregate.

Shining a Light on Domestic Violence: Nonprofits Providing Access to Safety and Support

 

“1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, use of victim services, contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, etc.”

- As reported by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

4 Key Performance Indicators to Monitor This Giving Season

The last quarter of the year is the most important time for nonprofit fundraising, as the holiday spirit inspires generosity and supporters submit their final tax-deductible donations for the year. Is your nonprofit prepared to make the most of this charitable bonanza?

To gain the greatest insight from this year’s giving season, fundraising experts recommend taking a data-driven approach by monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), also known as fundraising metrics. 

Small Nonprofits: Get Started With Affiliate Programs

Small nonprofits often devote the brunt of their time and resources to fulfilling their mission. As a result, vital fundraising efforts can sometimes fall by the wayside. Fortunately, there are more ways for nonprofits of all sizes to earn revenue than planning time-consuming fundraisers. One solution is partnering with an affiliate program. 

Meet the Team: My Nonprofit Journey - Mary Wilson

Welcome to our Meet The Team series, where each month we will introduce a member of the Charity Navigator team to our readers. 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 Mary Wilson, and I am the Development Assistant at Charity Navigator. I provide support to a wonderful team of professionals in a fast-paced, interesting, and as I’ve learned, integral part of Charity Navigator.

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.  

Meet the Charity Navigator 2021 Summer Interns: Andrew Lora

Hello, my name is Andrew Lora, and I am the Marketing and Communications Intern at Charity Navigator. This summer, I have been faced with several different projects. At its core, my internship requires me to contribute to the creation of informative and impactful communications for donors and nonprofits. 

Meet the Charity Navigator Summer 2021 Interns: Alexis Tonge & Stevensky Mertyl

In our role as Research Development Interns at Charity Navigator, our focus for this internship has been to understand the giving behaviors of millennial donors in order to enhance our ability to guide future donations toward more effective and impactful nonprofits. We divide our time into three parts: literature reviews, survey research, and personal interviews. 

Meet the Charity Navigator 2021 Summer Interns: Zainab Farid

This summer, I had the privilege of working at Charity Navigator as their development intern. Under the tutelage of smart and kind mentors like Megan Ritter and Grace Dowd, I learned the ins and outs of the fundraising operations of an infrastructure-building nonprofit through a rotational internship.

Top 3 Reasons to Consider Making Recurring Gifts Instead of One-time Gifts

Maybe you've had one before or maybe you have one (or many) active at the moment. Recurring donations of any size and frequency can be not only more convenient for donors but highly preferred by nonprofits. Read on to discover my Top 3 Reasons to Consider Making Recurring Gifts instead of One-time Gifts.

Selecting a Nonprofit Addressing Homelessness

Giving back is very important to my wife and me.  We have developed deep relationships with local, national, and international nonprofits.  We use a disciplined process to identify causes and specific nonprofits for investment, as well as collaboration. One of these areas is homelessness.  We used Charity Navigator's website, studied Forms 990, and digested what was presented on the websites of a dozen candidates to determine the best fit for us.  When conducting exercises such as these, we focus on several questions:

 - Is their strategy compelling?

 - Do they differentiate themselves?

 - Is the organization sustainable and transparent?

 - Does scaling impact drive their organization?

We discovered a standout: Community Solutions.

Meet the Charity Navigator 2021 Summer Interns: Micalah Collins

Hello! My name is Micalah Collins, and I am the Advisory Research and Development Intern at Charity Navigator this summer. In my role, I assist the Advisory System Manager, Zachary Weinsteiger, in all things related to Charity Navigator’s Advisory System. This means that I help produce Advisories, which alert donors to relevant information about an organization not captured by ratings, and contribute to the day-to-day operations that keep the system running. On a given day, I may be checking various media monitoring tools for news that may warrant an Advisory for an organization; researching updated news and financial information about organizations already in the Advisory System; and recommending appropriate next steps (e.g., issuing an Advisory, removing an Advisory, keeping an Advisory posted, etc.) for the Charity Navigator Advisory Issuance Committee (CNAIC) to consider regarding the information I find. 

Encompass Advances with A New Rating on Leadership, Strategy, and Adaptability; Invites Nonprofit Storytelling

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. 

Today, Charity Navigator launches the final of four beacons that comprise the Encompass Rating System. This first version of the Leadership & Adaptability beacon will provide donors with insights into the strategy, leadership and adaptability of nonprofit organizations.  It draws upon the deep reservoir of thinking and lived experience of nonprofit leaders and experts in the field of leadership and strategy to deliver key data points that allow nonprofits to demonstrate their strategic thinking and goal setting, their leadership activities and development, and their stories of adaptability in this tumultuous pandemic year. 

3 Ways to Improve Board Effectiveness in a Post-COVID World

Since the onset of the pandemic, mission-driven boards have faced difficult decisions. After getting into the swing of remote operations, many organizations are returning to the office and relearning how to operate. While once the norm, working together in person may now seem unusual. Board members may need guidance transitioning to post-pandemic life, and your board leaders should step in. 

Meet the Team: My Nonprofit Journey - Zachary Weinsteiger

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 Zachary Weinsteiger, and I have been with Charity Navigator for over 5 years. Today, I serve as Charity Navigator’s Advisory System Manager, where I am responsible for overseeing the day to day operations of our Advisory program, as well as the continuous improvement and development within that system. The Charity Navigator Advisory System serves as a critical supplement by alerting donors to areas of possible concern that cannot otherwise be captured by our ratings systems.

Giving Circles: A nonprofit's new way to create community and engagement around giving

The median donor retention rate for all non-profits was 43.6% last year, according to The Fundraising Effectiveness Project. That means that less than half of all donors decided to give again during the year.

The growing giving circle movement is engaging 150,000 members in the U.S., and is expected to grow to 350,000 members over the next 5 years, and move $1 billion in donations. The most interesting fact thus far is that the vast majority of these donors are recurring givers. So how can nonprofits use the power of these giving communities to support their nonprofits? We’re breaking down a few ways that nonprofits can get involved in this exciting movement.

Giving Circles: A new and easy way to discover and join global communities of giving

There are over 2,000 giving circles and growing around the world that have engaged at least 150,000 people and given away as much as $1.29 billion. Never heard of a giving circle? It’s a simple way for individuals to collectively pool their funds and decide together how to donate them. However, until now, there wasn’t one place for people to search and discover these giving communities. Grapevine and Philanthropy Together recently launched the first-ever Global Giving Circle Directory. 

The Trillion Dollar Opportunity

Last week, we were excited to announce changes to our Board of Directors leadership at Charity Navigator, including our new Chair Marie Wieck. We also announced our new 2026 Strategic Plan, which includes a new mission, vision, and values, as well as a moon shot to guide a $1 trillion dollars of giving within the next 10 years. While ambitious, Stephen Rockwell, Charity Navigator's Chief Ratings Technology Officer, believes this can be done. Read Stephen's thoughts about our efforts, as year 

over year we have galvanized philanthropic support to nonprofits making a

 difference in the U.S. and around the world.

A trillion dollars.  That’s a huge number, almost unfathomable.  Now that I scared you, let’s take 10 percent of that number.  $100 Billion.  Less scary? That’s still a really big number.  How big?

• Uber, Square, Target, CVS all have market capitalizations around $100 Billion.
• The GDP of 125 countries is smaller than $100 Billion.
• The combined endowment values of the top 4 US foundations are $100 Billion.
• The endowments of the next 20 foundations gets you another $100 Billion.
• Bill Gates is now worth north of $100 billion at $126.  Bezos and Musk also surpassed $100 billion in the last year. 

What if I told you that it was well within Charity Navigator’s grasp to influence $100 billion in philanthropic giving per year?  Would you believe it?  And if we did so every year for 10 years that would be, yep, a trillion dollars.

Helping Vets Still Serve America

As we head into the 4th of July celebration, it’s a meaningful time to honor the military service members who are protecting our country and its ideals.  It’s also a time to reflect upon all our nation has endured throughout the pandemic and the people who have made it possible to overcome so many unforeseen challenges. I think about the veterans who are still serving in their communities long after they’ve taken off their uniforms, such as former medics now in the healthcare industry on the frontlines of COVID-19. 

The growing giving circle movement: What it is and how you can get involved

Almost every day, it can feel like you’re waking up to news relating to crises that you want to do something about. Countries around the world continue to battle COVID-19, communities face climate challenges that create natural disasters, and so much more. In addition to all of these, your desire may be strong to find more meaningful ways to give back in your own community. But how can you, as one person, really make a difference?

Meet the Team: My Nonprofit Journey - Lazar Nikolovski

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.

Hello, my name is Lazar Nikolovski, and I am the Executive Assistant at Charity Navigator. In that capacity I provide multi-level support to the President & CEO, act as the liaison to the Board of Directors, and perform several finance and operations functions in the organization. 

A Quick Overview of Google Ad Grants + How They Work

The Google Ad Grant is a simple and affordable way for nonprofits to jumpstart their digital marketing. With a robust digital presence, organizations can bolster existing fundraising, development, or communications efforts. The Grant is easy to acquire, does not have to be renewed, and has precise compliance requirements. Further, the grant is entirely free to get and maintain, requiring only the labor necessary to maintain minimum compliance.

Closing the Gender Gap on Nonprofit Boards

One of the leading issues within the nonprofit sector is board diversity. Boards are often composed of people from the same socioeconomic status, the same gender, race and overall, the same demographic. Why do you think this is, and what steps can a board of directors take to change this?

Choosing a Nonprofit Consultant: Advice for Nonprofits

Your nonprofit is considering hiring a consultant to assist with a certain project or task. But how do you know if you’re ready to bring on outside assistance, and how can you choose the best expert for your organization?

In this quick guide, we’ll discuss whether your nonprofit is ready to work with a consultant. Then, we’ll cover how to choose the right partner if you are. 

Constituent Feedback: Pace Center for Girls - Why is listening, reflecting and acting on feedback mission critical?

At Charity Navigator, we recognize the importance of Constituent Feedback, a practice whereby a nonprofit collects feedback from its beneficiaries and then utilizes what it learns in its decision-making process. In February 2021, we shared in a co-authored blog post, our intent to showcase nonprofits and their constituent feedback
practices within their Charity Navigator profiles. 

Today, we are pleased to feature one such organization -- Pace Center for Girls Inc., an Encompass rated organization with an overall 100 out of 100 score, which includes a perfect score of 100 within the Culture & Community beacon where
Constituent Feedback resides.

At Pace Center for Girls, we understand that, for girls to change their lives, they and their families must have a voice in shaping their present and futures.  This is why during the past 35 years, we have elevated the voices of more than 40,000 girls.  Providing year-round academic and social services through a gender responsive, trauma-informed, and strength-based lens, Pace has used feedback to change the life trajectories of girls who are likely to have experienced risk factors associated with delinquency and adverse childhood experiences. 

The Benefits of Donating Appreciated Stock

Opportunity may be knocking louder and harder than ever before for committed nonprofit organizations and the generous donors who are their lifeblood. Since bottoming out at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic on March 23, 2020, U.S. markets have staged a relentless rebound, with the S&P 500 ripping off a one-year advance of 76 percent, and the NASDAQ soaring a stunning 95 percent over the same period. For investors, that has resulted in hundreds of billions of dollars in as-yet-unrealized capital gains. Now, a substantial increase in the capital gains tax rate for top earners appears likely to happen. 

How Pride Month Helps Me Feel Seen

I vividly remember my first Pride march. It was my first summer in New York, and I really did not know what to expect. Through friends, I had gathered together a group of fellow queer folks, and we decided to attend a full weekend of activities planned by the official NYC Pride. To this day, that weekend ranks as one of my favorite and most special weekends.

A Nonprofit’s Quick Guide to Mobile Giving Campaigns

There’s no doubt that we live in a mobile-obsessed era. About 81% of Americans own a smartphone of some kind, and studies show that American adults spend about 3.5 hours per day on their phones.

To nonprofit fundraising professionals, these numbers mean one thing: without a strategy for mobile giving, you’re missing out on a major fundraising opportunity. By pursuing mobile-giving campaigns, you can boost your visibility and your funding by providing supporters with a highly convenient donation channel on a device they use all the time. 

Analyzing MacKenzie Scott's Giving: Observations and Hopes

Six billion dollars. 

In and out of philanthropic circles, MacKenzie Scott’s $6 billion gift in 2020 has caused quite a stir — and that’s putting it mildly. Divided among a reported 500 organizations, the novelist and philanthropist’s generosity in 2020 was directed to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), tribal and community colleges, as well as organizations committed to social and human services, equity, climate change, and democracy. 

Meet the Team: My Nonprofit Journey - Tyler Stahl

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 24! 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 Tyler Stahl, and I am a Front End Web Developer at Charity Navigator.  In tech jargon, “front end” refers to everything viewable by you, the user of Charity Navigator’s web services, while “back end” refers to the databases, rating calculations and infrastructure that power the front end. This means that I manage our website, from star rating pages, to the Giving Basket, to charity search results. Over the past year, I am proud to have helped bring the vision of the new Encompass Rating System to your screens, extending ratings to tens of thousands of previously unrated organizations.

Planning NOW for the Estate Tax Overhaul

The recently proposed “For the 99.5% Act” would bring dramatic changes to gift and estate taxes while proposals in both houses of Congress and the White House would impose immediate income taxation on gifted and inherited gains. 

Corporate Matching Gifts: Get Started as a Small Nonprofit

As a small nonprofit organization, you’re already doing good work to help your surrounding community. But sometimes the financial resources you need for continued success aren’t readily available.

Raising the funds you need to continue your programs, cover overhead costs, and serve your constituents and mission isn’t always easy. But there’s one source of revenue that you might not have already tapped into: corporate matching gifts.

Donating your Time, Talent, and Treasure to Charities You Love

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 focused on supporting charities through three key areas, commonly known as time, talent, and treasure. As I shared before in my previous Charity Navigator blog, I prefer to invest deeply in organizations to compound my impact. Below, you’ll find some of the reasons I choose to invest my time and talent in addition to my treasure, and why you should consider this as well.

Constituent Feedback: The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

At Charity Navigator, we recognize the importance of Constituent Feedback, a practice whereby a nonprofit collects feedback from its beneficiaries and then utilizes what it learns in its decision-making process. In February 2021, we shared in a co-authored blog post, our intent to showcase nonprofits and their constituent feedback practices within their Charity Navigator profiles. 

Today, we are pleased to feature one such organization -- the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, an Encompass rated organization with an overall 100 out of 100 score, which includes a perfect score of 100 within the Culture & Community
beacon where Constituent Feedback resides.

The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) is the only nationally-based organization solely focused on finding effective solutions for ending veteran homelessness and plays the role of convener and advocate for member organizations. Our membership consists of a variety of organizations, from large multi-state agencies all the way down to smaller community-based providers.

Helping Veterans in Good Times and Bad: Three Funder Lessons from the Pandemic

Over a year ago, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19

a pandemic. Today, during Military Appreciation Month, we are honored to share a

first-hand account of what innovation and adaptation look like during a pandemic,

and a subsequent economic crisis, from Call of Duty Endowment.

While honoring our nation’s veterans during Military Appreciation Month is wonderful, ensuring the economic well-being of veterans is paramount. The most impactful action we can take to support veterans, especially now, is to help them find employment. If we can be successful in getting veterans back to work, so many of the other challenges exacerbated by the pandemic will be ameliorated, such as accessing quality medical care.

5 Things to Know Before Filing Your Form 990

As we dive deeper into 2021, you’re probably still working toward those ambitious goals you set at the beginning of the year. You may have even kept your New Year's resolution thus far! However, there’s one upcoming event that very few people look forward to during a new year, and that’s tax season. 

Mental Health Matters More Than Ever Before

Over a year ago, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19

a pandemic. During our long period lockdown, an unfortunate consequence has been 

a rise in the need for mental health care and intervention. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We are honored to share a first-hand

account of what innovation and adaptation look like during a pandemic, 

and a subsequent economic crisis, from the 

National Alliance on Mental Illness in New York City (NAMI-NYC), 

a Charity Navigator 4-Star rated nonprofit.

On Thursday March 12, 2020, as the world around us was coming to a grinding halt, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) NYC made the decision to close our offices, for an indefinite period of time. For nearly 40 years, our doors have remained open, through snowstorms and hurricane aftermaths, on Saturdays and even on Christmas Day, but this was different.

Meet the Team: My Nonprofit Journey - Marisa Andreazza

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 24! 

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 Marisa Andreazza, and I have been a part of the Charity Navigator team for a little over two years. Prior to joining Charity Navigator, I was able to get a taste of the nonprofit sector by volunteering and by working as an intern as I completed my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. As an intern for organizations in the environmental space, I assisted with a bit of everything –from working on targeted advocacy campaigns, to helping with non-profit administration.

Midwest Food Bank: Putting people first, and leading with their volunteers

Many great nonprofits are built on incredible volunteer programs. Not only do volunteers deliver operational efficiencies (free labor!) but they are also the best donors (per Fidelity Charitable, volunteers donate 10x more over their lifetimes and over 60% of donors volunteered last year).

Great volunteer programs share a number of attributes, including…

• Engaging a cross-section of the local community (ages, court-ordered volunteers, organized groups, companies and more)
• High number of return volunteers
• Hiring policies that consider current volunteers

But more than that, great volunteer programs have great volunteer managers and great volunteers. Today, we at Golden, introduce you to two.

Emerson College Students Create a Diverse Book Campaign for Boston Public Schools While Studying Charity Navigator's DEI Goals

Charity Navigator is committed to promoting a more equitable social sector by encouraging both nonprofits and donors to consider aspects of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in their decision-making. 

Our multifaceted approach includes evolving our ratings to assess key measures of equity, generating Hot Topics to help donors support organizations founded by diverse leaders dedicated to bridging inequities, and partnering with nonprofits to better tell the story of the unmet and often misunderstood needs that uniquely impact underserved communities. 

We’re proud to highlight On The Same Page, a campaign run by Professor Cathryn Edelstein and students enrolled in the Nonprofit Communication Management Program at Emerson College. Through the campaign, they have spearheaded an effort to provide diverse literature to Boston Public schools.

How does it feel to seldom see your identity represented in a story you read? What does it mean to your self-esteem if someone with your skin color, your family’s background, your disability, or someone that speaks your language is missing from the literature in your school’s library?  Plain and simple, “I - and my experiences - don’t matter.”