Lafayette Earns Top Rating from Charity Navigator

For the fifth consecutive year, Lafayette has been awarded four stars – the highest rating – in an evaluation of more than 8,000 charities by Charity Navigator. It is one of only four of the nation’s most highly rated liberal arts colleges to earn the top mark in each of the last five years.

Called “the first and best stop for would-be donors” by Kiplinger’s, Charity Navigator evaluates charities on their performance in two areas, (1) financial health and (2) accountability and transparency, in order to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace.

Among the nation’s top 40 liberal arts college as currently ranked by U.S. News & World Report, only Lafayette, Carleton, Davidson, and Oberlin have been awarded a four-star rating in each of the last five years.

“This exceptional designation differentiates Lafayette from its peers,” says John Dugan, chairman of Charity Navigator. In fact, he says, “Lafayette College outperforms most other charities in America. Only four percent of all the charities we rate have received at least five consecutive four-star evaluations.”

Founded in 2001, Charity Navigator evaluates universities, graduate schools, technological institutes, private elementary and secondary schools, and other programs and services in addition to private liberal arts colleges. It also evaluates charities in sectors other than education, including animals, arts/culture/humanities, community development, environment, health, human and civil rights, human services, international, and religion.

“I’m pleased that Lafayette has received this recognition,” says Kim Spang, vice president for development and college relations. “It’s a testimony to how we use the support that our generous donors provide and to our strong commitment to good governance, best practices, and openness with information.”

In November, Lafayette launched the public phase of the most ambitious fundraising effort in its history. The Live Connected, Lead Change campaign seeks to raise $400 million in support for three overarching objectives: strengthening the connections between liberal arts and engineering, fostering innovative teaching and learning, and building a campus community that creates lifelong connections among students and gives them the intellectual and social skills they need to succeed.