American Lung Association Earns Coveted 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator

The American Lung Association’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating, with an overall score of 95.87 points out of 100, from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.

Since 2002, using objective analysis, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a 4-star rating. In 2011, Charity Navigator added 17 metrics, focused on governance and ethical practices as well as measures of openness, to its ratings methodology. These Accountability & Transparency metrics, which account for 50 percent of a charity’s overall rating, reveal which charities operate in accordance with industry best practices and whether they are open with their donors and stakeholders. According to Charity Navigator, a 4-star rating means that the organization “exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its cause.”

“It’s important our donors trust that we’re using their donations wisely to accomplish a world free of lung disease. Our new 4-star Charity Navigator rating and score represents the American Lung Association’s commitment to financial stability, accountability and transparency,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “This strong validation from Charity Navigator gives our donors confidence in our ability to fight lung disease with reliable stewardship.”

The Lung Association is the nation’s longest-standing public health organization and recognizable brand by 87 percent of Americans. On top of this distinction from Charity Navigator, market research shows that the Lung Association is a good steward of donor dollars, with 88 cents per every dollar going to mission work.

“The American Lung Association’s exceptional 4-star rating sets it apart from its peers and demonstrates its trustworthiness to the public,” according to Michael Thatcher, President & CEO of Charity Navigator. “Only a quarter of charities rated by Charity Navigator receive the distinction of our 4-star rating. This adds the American Lung Association to a preeminent group of charities working to overcome our world’s most pressing challenges. Based on its 4-star rating, people can trust that their donations are going to a financially responsible and ethical charity when they decide to support the American Lung Association.” 

The Lung Association’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on www.charitynavigator.org. More detailed information about the American Lung Association’s rating is available to Charity Navigator site visitors who become registered users, another free service.