CRI Received a 100% ‘Four-Star Charity’ Rating – Here’s Why That Matters 

When people seek out nonprofits with missions that align with their values, it can be initially challenging to determine if any given institution is trustworthy. Information about an organization’s equitable use of funds, donor acquisition strategies, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is not always readily available on their website. This is where charity ratings demonstrate their value. 

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) has been a trusted nonprofit for the last 70 years. Charity ratings can help donors distinguish a reputable nonprofit from a suspect one when they are researching organizations they would like to financially support. Charity rating entities such as the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance, GuideStar, and Charity Navigator are among the most well-known nonprofit assessors. These ratings institutions assess a wide variety of factors to help potential donors decide if they would like to support them.  

Among the variables are governance, finance, fundraising, overall effectiveness, programmatic information, and more. Nonprofits can receive updated ratings from reviewing organizations on an annual basis. The ratings’ true value is their ability to help donors discern who to trust, and for nonprofits to illuminate their trustworthiness from an unbiased source. 

CRI is proud to demonstrate our trustworthiness through our track record of high marks from nonprofit assessors – particularly in recent years. Consumer Reports listed CRI among its Best Charities for Your Donations from 2017-2019. In 2019 and 2020, Consumer Reports also named CRI among its Great Nonprofits Top-Rated List. In 2019, CRI earned a spot in Parade’s curated list of charities for Giving Tuesday.  

More recently, Charity Navigator gave CRI a 100% rating – a 4% increase from last year – and continued to call us a Four-Star Charity. 

“We are proud to announce that we continue to earn high marks from several charity auditors,” says CRI CEO and Director of Scientific Affairs Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, PhD. “The 100% rating from Charity Navigator gives further confidence to our current and prospective donors that their gifts will be used responsibly to support research aimed at delivering life-improving and a potentially life-saving discoveries and treatments.”  

CRI is proud of its history of receiving high marks for trustworthiness, good governance, and efficient use of donations. Through our strategic programs, CRI is leading global efforts to bring new immune-based treatments to patients sooner. Our focus on immunotherapy – which is applicable in the treatment of almost all types of cancer – means our donors are making an impact in the lives of more cancer patients.  

We are proud to have one of the lowest overhead expense ratios among nonprofit organizations. Historically, between 85 and 90 cents of every dollar donated to us goes to our research and medical education programs. Our reputation from objective sources is part of what helps donors and partners seek us out and assist in our mission to create a world immune to cancer.