American Kidney Fund Earns Perfect Score and 24th Consecutive 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator

ROCKVILLE, Md. (Dec. 3, 2024) — The American Kidney Fund (AKF) is proud to announce the organization has achieved a perfect 100% score and 4-star rating — its 24th consecutive top rating — from Charity Navigator, a testament to AKF's sustained excellence in serving a community of millions affected by kidney disease. 

Charity Navigator, the leading independent evaluator of nonprofits, assesses organizations across four key domains: Impact and Measurement, Accountability and Finance, Culture and Community and Leadership and Adaptability. AKF, which invests 97 cents of every donated dollar in programs, is the leading national kidney organization recognized by Charity Navigator in all four domains. Charity Navigator assigns the highest weight to the Impact and Measurement beacon, which estimates the impact a charity has on the lives of those it serves and whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.

"Kidney disease in the United States is an urgent health issue that demands the utmost care and attention. We take our responsibility to the millions of people affected by kidney disease very seriously, and the continued affirmation of our effectiveness and impact is a testament to our commitment to the community we serve, and to all of our donors and supporters," said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF President and CEO. 

A 4-star rating designates AKF as an official "Give with Confidence" charity, indicating that AKF uses its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator's criteria. Since 2001, Charity Navigator has rated more than 230,000 charities, providing the public with free access to data, tools, and resources to guide philanthropic decision-making. 

"We are delighted to provide the American Kidney Fund with third-party accreditation that validates their operational excellence," said Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator. "The Four-Star Rating is the highest possible rating an organization can achieve. We are eager to see the good work that AKF is able to accomplish in the years ahead."

AKF also holds a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, formerly known as GuideStar. This distinction is given to organizations that meet the highest standards of transparency and accountability.