United Way Gets Coveted Perfect Score

Fort Myers, FL (February 4, 2019) United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Okeechobee has received not only a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator, but a perfect overall score of 100.  Charity Navigator is one of the most utilized evaluators of charities used to guide intelligent giving.

Since 2002, using objective analysis, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a 4-star rating. According to Charity Navigator’s Perfect 100 website page, “The exceptional charities on this list execute their missions in a fiscally responsible way while adhering to good governance and other best practices.” United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Okeechobee has earned a perfect score for Financial Health, Accountability and Transparency.  Less than one percent of the thousands of charities Charity Navigator rates have earned the perfect score.

Charity Navigator helps donors by providing an unbiased, objective, numbers-based rating system, assessing over 9,000 charities.  Ratings are designed to show how efficiently they believe a charity will use donors’ support.  “United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Okeechobee’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.

“We are extremely pleased to have received 4-stars for the 7th year in a row from Charity Navigator, and to have a perfect score of 100% for financial health, accountability and transparency. The United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Okeechobee is committed to donors’ gifts being used in the most effective and efficient manner possible to help children, seniors, veterans, and families in our community,” said Cliff Smith, President of the United Way.

The money raised by the United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Okeechobee stays in our community.  Charity Navigator calculates the average expenses of a charity over its three most recent fiscal years. United Way’s three-year average is 91.1 cents of donations going to 96 United Way Partner Agencies and over 245 programs and initiatives that benefit our residents.  According to the United Way’s 2017 IRS 990, 2.4% was spent on administration, 5.4% on fundraising, and 92.2% on programs and initiatives.

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