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Top-Rated Charities
Top-rated charities according to AIP standards

The mission categories below list charities which get high grades from AIP for putting 75% or more towards program cost while generally spending $25 or less to raise $100. These groups also receive an “open book” credit from AIP for willingly sending the financial documents we request.

AIP also issues “C”, “D”, and “F” grades to charities in its Charity Rating Guide.

This list is subject to change depending on the information AIP receives concerning charitable organizations. As long as the charities maintain an “open book” status and score highly on AIP’s financial criteria, their names will appear on this list.

AIP encourages each donor to consider these factors and others, which you may feel are more significant, when making charitable giving decisions. AIP provides this information to help you make your own decision concerning which charity to support. The letter grades represent the opinion of AIP. Some organizations legitimately may account differently for their activities. Such organizations generally would receive higher grades based on their own criteria than on the criteria used by AIP.

When information is given only on the national headquarters and the charity does not include its affiliates in its financial statements, “N.O.” (National Office) appears after the group’s name.

Because many factors determine a worthy charity, we at the AIP suggest that you use the ratings on this page not as the sole determining factor in your decision, but rather as an aid. The Charity Rating Guide provides much more information that will aid you in your giving decisions. Also, contact the charity in which you’re interested to determine if their mission and philosophy match yours.

INDEX OF TOP-RATED CHARITIES
ABORTION & FAMILY PLANNING HISPANIC
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOMELESSNESS & HOUSING
AIDS HUMAN RIGHTS
AMERICAN INDIAN HUMAN SERVICES
ANIMAL PROTECTION HUNGER
ASIA & ASIAN-AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT
BLIND & VISUALLY-IMPAIRED JEWISH & ISRAEL
CANCER LITERACY
CHILD PROTECTION MENTAL HEALTH & RETARDATION
CHILD SPONSORSHIP PEACE & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
CIVIL RIGHTS & ADVOCACY POPULATION PLANNING
CONSUMER PROTECTION AND LEGAL AID PUBLIC POLICY
CRIME PREVENTION SENIOR CITIZENS
DISABLED TERMINALLY OR CHRONICALLY ILL
DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE VETERANS & MILITARY
ENVIRONMENT WOMEN’S RIGHTS
GUN CONTROL (PRO/CON) YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
HEALTH – GENERAL YOUTH – RESIDENTIAL CARE

Note: Links will open in a new window

ABORTION & FAMILY PLANNING
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
EngenderHealth
800-564-2872
  A
Guttmacher Institute
212-248-1111
  A–
International Planned Parenthood Federation - Western Hemisphere
212-248-6400
  A
National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund
202-626-8800
  A–
Pathfinder International
617-924-7200
  A+
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Educational Fund
202-628-7700
  A–
       
AFRICAN-AMERICAN
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Africa-America Institute
212-949-5666
  A–
NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund
212-965-2200
  A–
UNCF/The College Fund
800-331-2244
  A
Back to Index
AIDS
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
AIDS Research Alliance
310-358-2423
  A
American Social Health Association
919-361-8400
  A–
Bailey House (formerly AIDS Resource Center)
212-633-2500
  B+
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
888-499-4673
  B+
Foundation for AIDS Research (formerly AMFAR)
800-392-6327
  B+
Gay Men's Health Crisis
212-367-1000
  A–
San Francisco AIDS Foundation
800-367-2437
  B+
 
AMERICAN INDIAN
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
American Indian College Fund
303-426-8900
  A-
Back to Index
ANIMAL PROTECTION
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
American Humane Association
866-242-1877
  A–
Bat Conservation International
800-538-2287
  B+
DELTA Rescue
661-269-5054
  A
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
404-624-5881
  A–
Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee
931-796-6500
  A
Farm Sanctuary
607-583-2225
  B+
Friends of Animals
203-656-1522
  B+
Humane Farming Association
415-771-2253
  A–
Jane Goodall Institute
703-682-9220
  A–
Wildlife Conservation Society
718-220-5100
  A
 
ASIA & ASIAN-AMERICAN
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Asia Foundation
415-982-4640
  A
Asia Society
212-288-6400
  B+
Asian-American Legal Defense and Education Fund
212-966-5932
  A
Back to Index
BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
800-548-4337
  A
Helen Keller International/Childsight
877-535-5374
  A
Helen Keller Services for the Blind
718-522-2122
  A–
National Federation of the Blind
410-659-9314
  A–
Prevent Blindness America/National Society to Prevent Blindness
800-331-2020
  A–
       
CANCER
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Breast Cancer Fund
415-346-8223
  A–
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
646-497-2600
  A+
Cancer Research Institute
800-992-2623
  A
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
212-639-2000
  A
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
203-972-1250
  A+
National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund
202-296-7477
  A
Prevent Cancer Foundation
800-227-2732
  A–
Back to Index
CHILD PROTECTION
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
American Humane Association
866-242-1877
  A–
Child Find of America
800-426-5678
  A+
Children's Defense Fund
202-628-8787
  A
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
703-640-9433
  A–
       
CHILD SPONSORSHIP
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Children Incorporated
800-538-5381
  A–
Christian Children's Fund
800-776-6767
  A–
Christian Foundation for Children and Aging
800-875-6564
  A+
800-336-7676
  A
Pearl S. Buck International
800-220-2825
  A–
Plan USA (formerly Childreach)
800-556-7918
  A–
Save the Children
800-728-3843
  A
World Vision
888-511-6598
  A–
Back to Index
CIVIL RIGHTS & ADVOCACY
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Center for Constitutional Rights
212-614-6473
  A-
Interfaith Alliance Foundation
202-639-6370
  B+
National Right to Work Legal Defense & Education Foundation
800-336-3600
  B+
       

CONSUMER PROTECTION & LEGAL AID
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Action on Smoking and Health
202-659-4310
  A
Public Citizen Foundation
202-588-1000
  A
       
CRIME PREVENTION
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Prison Fellowship Ministries
703-478-0100
  B
Back to Index
DISABLED
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
800-225-0292
  A–
Salvation Army – Central Territory
847-294-2000
  A
Salvation Army – Eastern Territory
845-620-7200
  A
Salvation Army – Southern Territory
404-728-1300
  A–
Salvation Army – Western Territory
562-436-7000
  A
       
DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE 
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Phoenix House Foundation
212-595-5810
  B
Back to Index
ENVIRONMENT
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Alaska Conservation Foundation
907-276-1917
  A
American Farmland Trust
202-331-7300
  A–
American Forests
202-737-1944
  A–
Conservation Fund
703-525-6300
  A+
Conservation International Foundation
800-406-2306
  A
Earth Island Institute
415-788-3666
  A–
Greenpeace Fund, Inc.
202-462-1177
  A
Izaak Walton League of America
301-548-0150
  A–
Nature Conservancy
703-841-5300
  A–
Rainforest Alliance
888-693-2784
  A–
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
800-225-5355
  A–
Sierra Club Foundation
415-995-1780
  A
Trout Unlimited
703-522-0200
  A-
Trust for Public Land 
415-495-4014
  A
World Resources Institute
202-729-7600
  A
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GUN CONTROL (PRO/CON)  
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
National Rifle Association Foundation
703-267-1000
  A
Back to Index
HEALTH – GENERAL
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
American Brain Tumor Association
800-886-2282
  A
American Kidney Fund
800-638-8299
  A+
City of Hope/Beckman Research Institute
800-544-3541
  A–
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
800-932-2423
  A
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
800-344-4823
  A
Epilepsy Foundation
800-332-1000
  A–
First Candle/SIDS Alliance - N.O.
410-653-8226
  A–
Huntington's Disease Society of America
800-345-4372
  A–
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International
800-533-2873
  A
Lupus Foundation of America – N.O.
202-349-1155
  A
Lupus Research Institute
212-812-9881
  A
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
212-509-0995
  A
Muscular Dystrophy Association
800-344-4863
  A–
National Hemophilia Foundation – N.O.
212-328-3700
  A–
National Jewish Medical & Research Center
800-222-5864
  A-
National Kidney Foundation
800-622-9010
  A–
National Organization for Rare Disorders
203-744-0100
  A+
Parkinson's Disease Foundation
800-457-6676
  A–
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
858-453-4100
  A–
Back to Index
HISPANIC
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
877-473-4636
  A
       
HOMELESSNESS & HOUSING
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Bowery Residents' Committee
212-533-5700
  A
Center for Community Change
202-342-0567
  A
Coalition for the Homeless
212-964-5900
  B+
Habitat for Humanity International - N.O.
229-924-6935
  A–
National Alliance to End Homelessness
202-638-1526
  A
Back to Index
HUMAN RIGHTS
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Center for Victims of Torture
612-436-4800
  A–
Human Rights First (formerly Lawyers Committee for Human Rights)
212-845-5200
  A–
       
HUMAN SERVICES
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
American Red Cross
800-435-7669
  A+
Farm Aid
617-354-2922
  A–
Gifts in Kind International
703-836-2121
  A–
YMCA of the United States – N.O.
800-872-9622
  A
       
HUNGER
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Action Against Hunger - USA
877-777-1420
  A+
America's Second Harvest/Second Harvest
800-771-2303
  A
Bread for the World Institute
800-822-7323
  A–
Food Bank for New York City (formerly Food for Survival)
718-991-4300
  A–
Freedom from Hunger
800-708-2555
  A–
Global Hunger Project
212-251-9100
  A–
Back to Index
INTERNATIONAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Accion International
617-625-7080
  A–
Africare
202-462-3614
  A
American Friends Service Committee
215-241-7000
  A–
American Near East Refugee Aid
202-347-2558
  A
American Refugee Committee
612-872-7060
  A+
AmeriCares
800-486-4357
  A
Brother's Brother Foundation
412-321-3160
  A
CARE
800-422-7385
  A
Catholic Relief Services
410-625-2220
  A+
Church World Service
800-297-1516
  A
Direct Relief International
805-964-4767
  A
Doctors of the World – USA
212-226-9890
  A
Doctors Without Borders USA
212-679-6800
  A
FINCA International
202-682-1510
  A–
Grameen Foundation USA
202-628-3560
  A–
International Medical Corps
310-826-7800
  A+
International Rescue Committee
212-551-3000
  A
Interplast
650-962-0123
  A-
Lutheran World Relief
410-230-2700
  A
Mennonite Central Committee
888-563-4676
  A
Mercy Corps
800-292-3355
  A
Northwest Medical Teams International
800-959-4325
  A–
Operation USA
310-835-3455
  A
Oxfam-America
800-776-9326
  A-
Project Concern International
858-279-9690
  A
Save the Children
800-728-3843
  A
Seva Foundation
510-845-7382
  A–
TechnoServe
203-852-0377
  A
United States Fund for UNICEF
800-367-5437
  A
World Concern (Program of Crista Ministries)
800-755-5022
  A–
World Neighbors
800-242-6387
  A–
Back to Index
JEWISH & ISRAEL
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
American Jewish Committee
212-751-4000
  A
American Jewish World Service
800-889-7146
  A
Jewish National Fund
800-542-8733
  A
Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger
310-442-0020
  A
New Israel Fund & Signing Anew
888-988-3863
  A
       
LITERACY
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Proliteracy Worldwide
888-528-2224
  A–
Reading is Fundamental
877-743-7323
  A
Back to Index
MENTAL HEALTH & RETARDATION
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Mental Health America (formerly National Mental Health Association)
800-969-6642
  A
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD)
800-829-8289
  A+
       
PEACE & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Africa Action
202-546-7961
  B+
Union of Concerned Scientists
617-547-5552
  B+
William J. Clinton Foundation
501-371-9544
  A
Back to Index
POPULATION PLANNING
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Americans for UNFPA (formerly U.S. Committee for U.N. Population Fund)
646-649-9100
  A
PCI - Media Impact (formerly Population Communications International)
212-687-3366
  B+
Population Action International
202-659-1833
  A–
Population Council
212-339-0500
  A
       
PUBLIC POLICY
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
202-862-5800
  A
Common Cause Education Fund
202-833-1200
  A
Heritage Foundation
202-546-4400
  B+
National Trust for Historic Preservation
202-588-6000
  A–
Back to Index
TERMINALLY OR CHRONICALLY ILL
PHONE
AIP
GRADE
Compassion & Choices (formerly Hemlock Foundation for End of Life Choices)
303-639-1202
  A-
Sunshine Foundation
800-457-1976
  A–
       
VETERANS & MILITARY
Armed Services YMCA of the USA
703-313-9600
  A–
Fisher House Foundation
888-294-8560
  A+
Homes For Our Troops
508-823-3300
  A-
Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
800-340-4376
  A+