Vet News: Fisher House Foundation Receives 4-Star Rating Under New Rating System

Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator, recently implemented an updated and enhanced financial rating system, and Fisher House Foundation not only retained its 4-star rating for the 12^th year in a row, it’s overall score went from 96.87 to 99.37 out of 100.

 “The Foundation’s coveted 4-star rating puts it in a very select group of high-performing charities,” said Michael Thatcher, President and CEO, Charity Navigator.  “Out of the thousands of nonprofits Charity Navigator evaluates, only one in four earn 4 stars—a rating that demands rigor, responsibility and commitment to openness.  Fisher House supporters should feel confident that their hard-earned dollars as being used efficiently and responsibly.”

Since 2002, using objective, data-driven analysis, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a 4-star rating. In 2011, Charity Navigator added 17 metrics, focused on governance and ethical practices as well as measures of openness, to its ratings methodology.  These “Accountability & Transparency” metrics, which account for 50 percent of a charity’s overall rating, reveal which charities have “best practices” that minimize the chance of unethical activities and whether they freely share basic information about their organization with their donors and other stakeholders.

“Fisher House Foundation is dedicated to those we are privileged to serve – our nation’s military, Veterans and their families,” said Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO, Fisher House Foundation.  “I remain humbled and awed every day by the generosity of those who have supported the Foundation.  We not only appreciate their support, we vow to continue to be fiscally responsible with every dollar they donate.”

Today, there are 70 Fisher Houses across the country, in Germany and the United Kingdom.  More than 277,000 families have been provided 6.5 million nights of lodging, saving them more than $320 million since the program began in 1990. 

Additionally, Fisher House Foundation’s Hero Miles program has provided nearly 61,000 airline tickets that allow families to help heal together.  $16 million in scholarships have been given to military and Veteran family members and the Foundation has sponsored national and international wounded warrior athletic competitions to celebrate the return to health of disabled military and Veterans.