News and Knowledge

Charity Navigator, America’s largest charity watchdog organization, awarded OAR its coveted four-star rating in its latest ratings announced June 1. This is the sixth time that OAR has earned this top distinction. OAR earned the coveted rating as a result of its strong financial health, sound fiscal responsibility, and commitment to accountability and transparency in its efforts to serve the autism community across the nation.

Charity Navigator and other organizations like it allow donors to make reliable and informed giving decisions. Its four-star rating signifies that the charity “exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its cause.”

In 2011, Charity Navigator updated its evaluation metrics to focus more on accountability and transparency, which accounts for 50 percent of a charity’s overall rating. The June 1 ratings came as a result of further upgrades to its methodology for rating each charity’s’ financial health. According to Charity Navigator, “These enhancements further substantiate the financial health of our four-star charities.”

“Charity Navigator’s four-star rating is the gold standard,” says Mike Maloney, OAR’s executive director. “It tells our supporters and the outside world that OAR is an organization you can trust. Internally, it affirms to our board leaders and my staff team that we continue to do things the right way. We’re most proud of that.”

You can check OAR’s fiscal health by looking at its most recent financial statements (scroll to the bottom of the page).