March 8, 2018
Only four percent of nonprofits receive top rating seven times running
Only four percent of nonprofits receive top rating seven times running
LA JOLLA—For the seventh consecutive time, the Salk Institute’s strong financial health and continuing commitment to accountability and transparency have earned a coveted 4-star (out of 4 stars) rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity and nonprofit evaluator. Receiving the highest ranking for seven consecutive ratings puts Salk in a distinguished class of nonprofits—only four percent of nonprofits evaluated achieve that status, indicating that the Salk Institute outperforms most other charities in America in this regard.
“We are proud to announce Salk Institute for Biological Studies has earned our seventh consecutive 4-star rating,” says Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator. “This is our highest possible rating and indicates that the Salk Institute adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way. This exceptional designation sets Salk Institute apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.”
With the nonprofit sector continuing to expand and well over 1.5 million American charities to choose from, savvy donors are seeking quantifiable results from the charities they support. Charity Navigator’s data-driven analysis of the charitable sector has been celebrated by Forbes, Business Week and others.
“Private philanthropy makes possible the cutting-edge, life-changing science for which Salk is renowned,” says Salk Institute Interim President Rusty Gage. “We are grateful for the generosity of our donors and deeply committed to being strong stewards of our resources, making this independent recognition truly gratifying.”
Since 2002, Charity Navigator has used objective analysis to award only the most fiscally responsible organizations a 4-star rating: only a quarter of charities rated receive this distinction. In 2011, Charity Navigator added 17 metrics, focused on governance and ethical practices as well as measures of openness, to its ratings methodology. These Accountability and Transparency metrics, which account for 50 percent of a charity’s overall rating, reveal which charities operate in accordance with industry best practices and whether they are open with their donors and stakeholders.
“It’s important for our donors to feel confident that we’re using their donations wisely to accomplish our mission of bettering human health and furthering scientific breakthroughs,” says Salk Institute’s Vice President of External Relations Rebecca Newman. “Our 4-star Charity Navigator rating broadly demonstrates our continuing good governance and financial accountability.”
Since its inception, the Salk Institute has strived to make bold and ambitious endeavors in pursuing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. From cancer and diabetes to Alzheimer’s and autism, Salk scientists are making biomedical advances that will help everyone live longer, healthier lives. And for a planet stressed by drought and climate change, Salk researchers are discovering how to make plants—especially food crops—live longer, healthier lives too. Through the generosity of philanthropy, the Institute is able to continue to support its unique collaborative infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies and world-class talents.
About Charity Navigator:
Charity Navigator is the largest, independent, expert charity evaluator in America and its website attracts more visitors than all other charity rating groups combined. The organization helps guide intelligent giving by evaluating the Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency of 8,000 charities. Charity Navigator accepts no advertising or donations from the organizations it evaluates, ensuring unbiased evaluations, nor does it charge the public for this trusted data. As a result, Charity Navigator, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization itself, depends on support from individuals, corporations and foundations that believe it provides a much-needed service to America’s charitable givers. Charity Navigator, can be reached directly by telephone at (201) 818-1288, or by mail at 139 Harristown Road, Suite 101, Glen Rock, N.J., 07452.
About the Salk Institute for Biological Studies:
Every cure has a starting point. The Salk Institute embodies Jonas Salk’s mission to dare to make dreams into reality. Its internationally renowned and award-winning scientists explore the very foundations of life, seeking new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology and more. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature and fearless in the face of any challenge. Be it cancer or Alzheimer’s, aging or diabetes, Salk is where cures begin. Learn more at: salk.edu.
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