Science Museum Oklahoma Earns Coveted 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator
November 19, 2020
Science Museum Oklahoma’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the fourth year SMO has earned this top distinction, placing it in the top 20 percent of nonprofits across the nation reviewed by Charity Navigator.
Since 2002, using objective 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 operate in accordance with industry best practices and whether they are open with their donors and stakeholders. On June 1, 2016, they upgraded their methodology for rating each charity’s’ financial health, further substantiating the financial health of their four star charities.
“Science Museum Oklahoma’s exceptional 4-star rating sets it apart from its peers and demonstrates its trustworthiness to the public,” according to Michael Thatcher, President & CEO of Charity Navigator. “Only a quarter of charities rated by Charity Navigator receive the distinction of our 4-star rating. This adds Science Museum Oklahoma to a preeminent group of charities working to overcome our world’s most pressing challenges. Based on its 4-star rating, people can trust that their donations are going to a financially responsible and ethical charity when they decide to support the museum.”
“It is important for us to earn our donors’ trust, using their gifts wisely to transform how people learn about and experience science,” said Sherry Marshall, president and CEO of Science Museum Oklahoma. “Our 4-star Charity Navigator rating demonstrates to supporters our efficiency, good governance, and financial accountability, all of which allows us to serve our community through innovative programs and exhibits.”
SMO’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on www.charitynavigator.org.