(June 8, 2007) In an interview for CNBC-TV's show "Street Signs," which aired this past Monday, American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) president Daniel Borochoff was asked which cancer charities his organization, a leading national charity watchdog group, considers the “best of the best.”

Mr. Borochoff, whose agency grades charities on a scale from “F” to “A+” by reviewing their public financial statements, told CNBC-TV that donors should be cautious when choosing which cancer charity to donate to, as many spend more on salaries and fundraising than they spend on actual programs.

“The cancer area has a lot of “F” [graded charities],” Mr. Borochoff warned, “and you've got to be careful [when choosing which one to donate to].”

According to Mr. Borochoff, the charity watchdog group considers charities that spend 70 percent or more on programs “good,” while those that spend less than that and more on overhead expenses are ranked lower.

Charities with an “A” grade or higher, he added, are considered the “best of the best,” when it comes to spending the most donor dollar on actual programs.

The Cancer Research Institute has consistently received an “A” grade or higher from the American Institute of Philanthropy, and traditionally devotes between 85 and 90 percent of donations to its cancer research and other science and medical programs.

Among the thousands of U.S. cancer charities, Cancer Research Institute is one of only eight ranking high enough to make AIP's list of “Top Rated Charities” on its website, and is the only top-rated cancer charity dedicated exclusively to harnessing the power of the immune system to treat, control, and prevent cancer.

CRI Executive Director Jill O'Donnell-Tormey says her organization strives to keep overhead expenses to a minimum. “Donors want as much of their money to go to cancer research as possible; that's why they choose to give to CRI. They can look at ratings from watchdog organizations like the American Institute of Philanthropy, see that CRI consistently ranks at the top of the scorecard, and feel secure knowing their gift is going to have the most impact.”