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Non-Profit Rating Agencies – Navigate Your Way to the Donors You Desire

No matter what your opinion is about the groups that rate non-profit organizations, the fact is that more and more donors are using these services when choosing where they make their philanthropic contributions.

There are several ratings organizations, all of which have different approaches and aim to reach different audiences. Charity Navigator, which rates 5,500 organizations, is the largest rating group by far. They are slowly changing their rating method from a calculation based purely on efficiency to one that also includes effectiveness.

Here’s a good article which sums up the rating groups and their approaches:

And consider these suggestions to help your non-profit prepare for a future where measuring matters even more:

• Feel out your closest funders for evaluation support. Foundations and even some individuals who support your organization should have an interest in helping you measure your effectiveness. Have a conversation to explore their willingness to fund a study of one of your signature programs.
• Make sure measurement is on the agenda in strategic planning and technology discussions. Approaching these types of conversations with a measurement mindset will help your organization commit resources and acquire tools to help track your impact.
• Build a strong partnership between development and your program department. By working together, you can ensure that your organization is collecting information that is useful to staff and funders alike.