Charity Rating Services

The three main services that rate charities -- Charity Navigator, Charity Watch and Give Wisely (a service of the Better Business Bureau) -- are very helpful in flagging charities that may have problems, such as not spending enough on their programs.  They also tell you how transparent and financially accountable a charity is.  However, these services, especially Charity Navigator, have been criticized by many in the charity world for using criteria that are too narrow and don't really tell you much about whether a charity is actually effective.  When you study individual charities, it is often very difficult to tell the difference between a 3-star and 4-star charity.  Please see our article on How to Check Out a Charity for more information.