American Battlefield Trust Earns Coveted 4-Star Rating From Charity Watchdog Group

(Washington, D.C.) – Strong financial health and a commitment to accountability and transparency have earned the American Battlefield Trust a 4-star rating — the highest possible evaluation — from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.

This is the ninth consecutive year that the Trust earned this top distinction.  Since 2002, Charity Navigator has awarded a 4-star rating to only the most fiscally responsible and ethical organizations out of the 9,000 nonprofits it analyzes annually.

The nine consecutive awards put the Trust among the Top 180 charities in America rated by Charity Navigator, which includes some of the largest and most respected nonprofits in the United States.

“Our members are the principal reason we have been able to save so many of America’s most hallowed battlegrounds from development,” noted Trust president James Lighthizer.  “Our pledge to them is to be careful stewards of their generous contributions.  Charity Navigator’s designation reflects our commitment to earning donor trust.”

The exceptional evaluation accorded the Trust demonstrates the battlefield preservation organization’s fidelity to the public, Charity Navigator and CEO Michael Thatcher said.  “Based on its rating, people can trust that their donations are going to a financially responsible and ethical charity when they decide to support the American Battlefield Trust,” he said.

“Only 2 percent of the charities we evaluate have received at least nine consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that American Battlefield Trust outperforms most other charities in America,” Thatcher said. “This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets American Battlefield Trust apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.”

“This [rating] indicates that your organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way,” he said. “Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that American Battlefield Trust exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work.”

The American Battlefield Trust will bring this efficiency, effectiveness and transparency to the table in helping the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.  In May, the Trust was selected by the U.S. Department of the Interior as the national nonprofit leader for the semiquincentennial commemoration.

Charity Navigator’s accountability and transparency metrics, which account for half of a charity’s rating, reveal which charities operate in accordance with industry best practices and whether they are open with their donors and stakeholders.  To find out more about its 4-star ranking of the Trust, visit www.charitynavigator.org.

Charity Navigator’s 2018 evaluation is only the most recent accolade acknowledging the accountability and integrity of the Trust.

The Trust also is recognized by Guidestar as an organization that seeks to meet the highest standards of public accountability and program effectiveness. Information about the American Battlefield Trust’s Platinum GuideStar Nonprofit Seal of Transparency is available at www.guidestar.org.

And the Trust is accredited by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, meeting its 20 standards on governance and oversight, measuring effectiveness, finances, and fundraising. See www.give.org.

The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today.  The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 50,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War.  Learn more at www.battlefields.org.