Berea College has received a “Four-Star” rating by Charity Navigator, a national organization that monitors non-profit organizations that receive contributions from donors. A four-star rating, the highest possible, is based on an organization’s financial health, accountability and transparency. The higher an organization’s rating, the more confidence a donor can have the contribution will be used for its intended purpose, that overhead will be as low as possible, and that information about the organization — such as audited financial statements, donor privacy policies, and names of trustees — is readily accessible to prospective donors.
Berea officials point out that the College always maintained a high rating with Charity Navigator, but that some changes in technology have made it possible to make more information accessible and be more transparent than ever before, resulting in the “Four-Star” rating. Charity Navigator maintains a web site tracking thousands of charitable organizations and provides charts, graphs and other details that can inform prospective donors to make educated decisions about their philanthropic pursuits.
Berea College, which primarily serves students from low-income families in the southern Appalachian region, does not charge tuition. Instead, those educational costs are covered by contributions from individuals who support Berea’s mission of learning, labor and service. Without a revenue stream from tuition, contributions for Berea College are essential, therefore Berea strives to maintain the highest fund raising, educational and administrative standards.
For more information about Berea College’s mission, visit: http://legacy.berea.edu/about/mission/
To learn how to give to Berea College, visit: http://legacy.berea.edu/give-to-berea/
For more information about Charity Navigator’s scoring system, visit:
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1287#.VDgXzrd0zDc