Not all charities are equal. Before choosing to donate to an organization, it's wise to research first how your charitable investment will be spent. A good place to look is at an organization's IRS form 990. It's a financial document all nonprofit organizations are required to file with federal and state agencies who monitor charity activity. All the information you need to know about how an organization spends donor contributions can be found easily and quickly. You can view ours here.

There are also a number of online resources to help make the process easier. Charity "watchdogs" like the American Institute of Philanthropy, GuideStar, and the Better Business Bureau, all publish reports on annual charity spending. It's an easy way to check how much an organization spends on its programs versus overhead expenses, and can help you gauge a charity's financial health.

CRI consistently receives exemplary marks from these and other watchdog groups: 

• The Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, which offers the most comprehensive analysis of U.S. charities, says Cancer Research Institute exceeds or meets all of its 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. 
• The American Institute of Philanthropy gives CRI an 'A' grade--CRI is one out of only a handful of cancer charities to receive this distinction, and is the only highly-rated charity dedicated to cancer immunology.
• Charity Navigator says CRI exceeds or meets industry standards and performs as well as or better than most other cancer charities. Also, Charity Navigator reports that compared to other health, medical research, and New York charities, CRI spends on average 8 percentage points more on its mission and programs (see chart below).

The trust our donors place in us is our most valuable asset. When you give to CRI, you can be sure your charitable investment will be spent wisely and will make the most impact possible in our efforts to conquer cancer.