Another Four Star Rating for MDIBL

For the third year in a row, MDIBL has been awarded four stars – the highest possible rating – by Charity Navigator, the largest charity-rating organization in the U.S. The Lab also appears on one of Charity Navigator’s popular Top Ten lists as one of “Ten Charities Expanding in a Hurry.” “Expect to hear about these 10 charities long into the future,” their website says, “they are growing dramatically” and have the financial means “to sustain a similar rate of growth for years to come.”

A four-star rating from Charity Navigator is considered “exceptional” and means an organization “exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its cause [area of activity].” Ratings are based on two broad areas of a charity's financial health: organizational efficiency and organizational capacity. They take into consideration how much a non-profit spends on fundraising, program expenses, and administrative expenses. They also look at the average annual growth of operating revenue and programs and service, and assess working capital.

Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) is “America’s premier charity evaluator” and appraises the financial health of over 5,000 of the largest charities in the U.S. It “works to guide intelligent giving” and does not charge either its users or the non-profits it rates. Esquire magazine calls visiting its site “one of 41 ways to improve the world,” and Mother Jones calls Charity Navigator “the Consumer Reports of the philanthropy world.” We are proud that our robust and healthy growth has attracted their attention and, once again, their highest rating.

If you have any questions about making a gift to MDIBL, please contact the Office of Development and Public Affairs (207-288-3147). All inquiries are confidential.