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

Of the over five-hundred charities currently rated by AIP, only a select number qualify for our listing of Top-Rated charities based on our rigorous analysis. Groups included on the Top-Rated list generally spend 75% or more of their budgets on programs, spend $25 or less to raise $100 in public support, do not hold excessive assets in reserve, and receive "open-book" status for disclosure of basic financial information and documents to AIP. Please see the Criteria section of the website for more information on AIP's rating criteria and methodology.

Each mission category below lists Top-Rated charities that receive high grades from AIP. Top-Rated charities generally fall within the A- to A+ grade range. AIP may include on the Top-Rated list charities with grades of B or B+ in categories where no charities receive an A- or higher rating. We do so for the purpose of providing donors with the letter grade rating of at least one highly rated group in each category.

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

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ABORTION & FAMILY PLANNING
AIP GRADE
Center for Reproductive Rights        A–
EngenderHealth        A
Guttmacher Institute        A–
International Planned Parenthood Federation - Western Hemisphere        A
Pathfinder International        A+
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Educational Fund        A
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AFRICAN-AMERICAN
AIP GRADE
Africa-America Institute        B+
NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund        A–
National Urban League        A
UNCF/The College Fund        A
Back to Index
AIDS
AIP GRADE
American Social Health Association        B+
Bailey House (formerly AIDS Resource Center)        B+
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation        A–
Foundation for AIDS Research (formerly AMFAR)        B+
Gay Men's Health Crisis        A–
Back to Index 
AMERICAN INDIAN
AIP GRADE
American Indian College Fund        A-
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ANIMAL PROTECTION
AIP GRADE
American Humane Association        A–
Associated Humane Societies        A–
Bat Conservation International        B+
Best Friends Animal Society        A–
DELTA Rescue        A
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International        A
Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee        A
Farm Sanctuary        B+
Humane Farming Association        A–
Jane Goodall Institute        A–
   
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ASIA & ASIAN-AMERICAN
AIP GRADE
Asia Foundation        A
Asia Society        B+
Asian-American Legal Defense and Education Fund        A
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BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED
AIP GRADE
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind        A
Helen Keller International/Childsight        A
Helen Keller Services for the Blind        A–
Lighthouse International (frmly NY Assn for the Blind)        B+
National Federation of the Blind        A
ORBIS International/Project ORBIS International        B+
Prevent Blindness America/National Society to Prevent Blindness        A–
Back to Index 
CANCER
AIP GRADE
Breast Cancer Fund        A–
Breast Cancer Research Foundation        A+
Cancer Care        B+
Cancer Research Institute        A
CureSearch/National Childhood Cancer Foundation        B+
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center        A
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation        A+
National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund        A
Prevent Cancer Foundation        A–
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (ALSAC)        B+
Susan G. Komen for the Cure        B+
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CHILD PROTECTION
AIP GRADE
American Humane Association        A–
Child Find of America        A+
Childhelp        B+
Children's Defense Fund        A
Children's Health Fund        A
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
       B+    
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children        B+      
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CHILD SPONSORSHIP
AIP GRADE
ChildFund International (formerly Christian Children's Fund)        A–
Children Incorporated        A–
Christian Foundation for Children and Aging        A+
       A
Pearl S. Buck International        A
Plan USA (formerly Childreach)        A–
Save the Children        A
World Vision        A–
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CIVIL RIGHTS & ADVOCACY
AIP GRADE
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)        B+
Center for Constitutional Rights        A-
National Right to Work Legal Defense & Education Foundation        B+
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CONSUMER PROTECTION & LEGAL AID
AIP GRADE
Action on Smoking and Health        A
Public Citizen Foundation        A
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CRIME & FIRE PREVENTION
AIP GRADE
Fortune Society        A–
Prison Fellowship Ministries        B
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DISABLED
AIP GRADE
Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation        B+
Back to Index 
DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE 
AIP GRADE
Drug Policy Alliance        B+
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ENVIRONMENT
AIP GRADE
African Wildlife Foundation        B+
Alaska Conservation Foundation        A–
American Forests        A–
Chesapeake Bay Foundation        B+
Conservation Fund        A+
Conservation International Foundation        A
Ducks Unlimited        A–
Earth Island Institute        A
EarthJustice (formerly Sierra Club Legal Defense)        B+
Environmental Defense        B+
Greenpeace Fund, Inc.        A–
Izaak Walton League of America        A
Keep America Beautiful-N.O.        B+
National Arbor Day Foundation        B+
Natural Resources Defense Council        B+
Nature Conservancy        A–
Rainforest Action Network        A
Rainforest Alliance        A
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation        A+
Sierra Club Foundation        A
Student Conservation Association        B+
Trout Unlimited        A–
Trust for Public Land         A+
World Resources Institute        A
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GUN CONTROL (PRO/CON)  
AIP GRADE
National Rifle Association Foundation        A
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HEALTH – GENERAL
AIP GRADE
American Brain Tumor Association        A
American Kidney Fund        A+
American Liver Foundation        A–
American Lung Association        B+
American Parkinson Disease Association        B+
City of Hope/Beckman Research Institute        A–
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America        A–
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation        A–
Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation        A
Diabetes Research Institute Foundation        A
Epilepsy Foundation & Research Foundation        A–
First Candle/SIDS Alliance        B+
Huntington's Disease Society of America        A–
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International        A
Lupus Research Institute        A+
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research        A
Muscular Dystrophy Association        A–
National Hemophilia Foundation – N.O.        A–
National Jewish Health        A-
National Kidney Foundation        B+
National Organization for Rare Disorders        A+
Parkinson's Disease Foundation        A–
PKD Foundation        B+
Salk Institute for Biological Studies        A–
Back to Index
HISPANIC
AIP GRADE
Hispanic Scholarship Fund        A
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HOMELESSNESS & HOUSING
AIP GRADE
Bowery Residents' Committee        A
Center for Community Change        A
Coalition for the Homeless        B+
Habitat for Humanity International - N.O.        A–
National Alliance to End Homelessness        A+
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HUMAN RIGHTS
AIP GRADE
Center for Victims of Torture        A–
Human Rights First (formerly Lawyers Committee for Human Rights)        A
Human Rights Watch        A–
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HUMAN SERVICES
AIP GRADE
American Red Cross        A–
Farm Aid        A
Gifts in Kind International        A–
Salvation Army – Central Territory        A
Salvation Army – Eastern Territory        A
Salvation Army – Southern Territory        A–
Salvation Army – Western Territory        A–
YMCA of the United States – N.O.        A
Back to Index 
HUNGER
AIP GRADE
Action Against Hunger - USA        A
Bread for the World        B+
Bread for the World Institute        A
Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest)        A
Food Bank for New York City (formerly Food for Survival)        A–
Food for the Hungry        A–
Freedom from Hunger        A–
Global Hunger Project        A
Back to Index
INTERNATIONAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT
AIP GRADE
Accion International        B+
Africare        A+
American Friends Service Committee        A–
American Near East Refugee Aid        A
American Refugee Committee        A
AmeriCares        A
Brother's Brother Foundation        B+
CARE        A
Catholic Relief Services        A
Church World Service        A
Doctors Without Borders - USA        A
FINCA International        B+
Grameen Foundation USA        A
Heifer Project International        A–
HealthRight International (formerly Doctors of the World - USA)        A
International Medical Corps        A+
International Rescue Committee        A+
Interplast        A-
Lutheran World Relief        A
Medical Teams International        B+
Mennonite Central Committee        A
Mercy Corps        A
Operation USA        A
Oxfam-America        A-
Project Concern International        A
Samaritan's Purse        B+
Save the Children        A
Seva Foundation        A–
TechnoServe        A
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)        A+
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants/Immigration and Refugee Services of America        A–
United States Fund for UNICEF        A
World Concern (Program of Crista Ministries)        A
World Neighbors        B+
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JEWISH & ISRAEL
AIP GRADE
American Jewish Committee        A
American Jewish World Service        A
Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith & Foundation        B+
Hadassah        A
Jewish National Fund        A
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger        A
New Israel Fund & Signing Anew        A
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LITERACY
AIP GRADE
Proliteracy Worldwide        A–
Reading is Fundamental        A–
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MENTAL HEALTH & RETARDATION
AIP GRADE
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention        A
Mental Health America (formerly National Mental Health Association)        A
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD)        A+
Back to Index 
PEACE & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
AIP GRADE
Africa Action        B+
International Peace Institute        A
Union of Concerned Scientists        A
William J. Clinton Foundation        A
Back to Index
POPULATION PLANNING
AIP GRADE
PCI - Media Impact        B+
Population Action International        A–
Population Council        A
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PUBLIC POLICY
AIP GRADE
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research        A–
Common Cause Education Fund        A+
Heritage Foundation        B+
National Trust for Historic Preservation        B+
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SENIOR CITIZENS
AIP GRADE
National Council on Aging        A+
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TERMINALLY OR CHRONICALLY ILL
AIP GRADE
Compassion & Choices        A-
Sunshine Foundation        A
Back to Index 
VETERANS & MILITARY AIP GRADE
Armed Services YMCA of the USA        A–
Fisher House Foundation        A+
Homes For Our Troops        A
Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund        A+
National Military Family Association        A
Operation Homefront - N.O.        B+
Back to Index
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
AIP GRADE
Catalyst        A
Global Fund for Women        A
Women for Women International        A
Back to Index 
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
AIP GRADE
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America – N.O.        A+
Camp Fire USA-N.O.        B+
Girl Scouts of the USA – N.O.        A–
Girls, Inc. - N.O.        A–
J.A. Worldwide - N.O. (formerly Junior Achievement)        A–
National 4-H Council        A–
Scholarship America        A+
Back to Index
YOUTH – RESIDENTIAL CARE
AIP GRADE
Cedars Home for Children Foundation        A
Childhelp        B+
   
       
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