Conservancy of Southwest Florida earns highest rating from Charity Navigator for third year

NAPLES, Fla. - Jan. 2, 2018 - PRLog -- The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is proud to announce that for a third consecutive year, the organization has earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities. This is the highest honor Charity Navigator bestows upon charitable organizations demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. This award further underscores the Conservancy of Southwest Florida's exceptional running. Charity Navigator has evaluated 1.5 million American charities, and of those less than one in five have received four-star evaluations, for at least three consecutive years.

Historically, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a four-star rating. In 2002, Charity Navigator began using objective, data-driven analysis. In 2011, 17 metrics were added to its ratings methodology, in addition to a focus on governance, ethical practices and measures of openness. These "Accountability & Transparency" metrics, which account for 50 percent of a charity's overall rating, reveal which charities implement "best practices" that minimize the chance of unethical activities and whether basic organizational information is shared freely with donors and other stakeholders.

"In receiving a four-star rating, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida has proven its commitment to adhere to sector best practices and execute its mission in a financially efficient manner," said Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator. "The organization has also shown that it exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its area of work. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets the Conservancy of Southwest Florida apart from its peers. Patrons and supporters should feel well-assured knowing that donations are being used most efficiently and accounted for with great transparency."

"We are proud to earn this esteemed four-star rating from Charity Navigator for a third consecutive year, and delighted to share this news with our community," said Rob Moher, president and CEO of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. "Receiving this top honor from the nation's leading charity evaluator, reflects our commitment to allocate contributions wisely. It also assures our supporters of the transparency we strive for as we continue working to protect Southwest Florida's unique natural environment and quality of life, both now and well into the future."

For more information about Charity Navigator, visit www.CharityNavigator.org. For more information about the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, call 239-262-0304 or visit www.Conservancy.org.

About Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator,www.charitynavigator.org, is the largest charity evaluator in America and its website attracts more visitors than all other charity rating groups combined. The organization helps guide intelligent giving by evaluating the Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency of more than 8,000 charities. Charity Navigator accepts no advertising or donations from the organizations it evaluates, ensuring unbiased evaluations, nor does it charge the public for this trusted data. As a result, Charity Navigator, a 501 (c) (3) public charity itself, depends on support from individuals, corporations and foundations that believe it provides a much-needed service to America's charitable givers. Charity Navigator, can be reached directly by telephone at (201) 818-1288, or by mail at 139 Harristown Road, Suite 101, Glen Rock, N.J., 07452.

About the Conservancy of Southwest Florida:

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is a not-for-profit environmental protection organization with a 50-year history focused on the issues impacting the water, land wildlife and future of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The Conservancy accomplishes this mission through the combined efforts of its experts in the areas of environmental science, policy, education and wildlife rehabilitation. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, world-class Nature Center (http://www.conservancy.org/nature-center) and von Arx Wildlife Hospital (http://www.conservancy.org/von-Arx-Wildlife-Hospital) are headquartered in Naples, Florida, 1495 Smith Preserve Way (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Smith+Preserve+Way/@26.166139,-81.7899354,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x88dae1edf6906625:0xaff332d727c8252d), south of the Naples Zoo off Goodlette-Frank Road. Learn more about the Conservancy's work and how to support (http://www.conservancy.org/support-us) the quality of life in Southwest Florida www.conservancy.org.