ST MICHAELS, MD – The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned the non-profit museum yet another 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the fourth consecutive year CBMM has earned this top distinction.
Since 2002, 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.
“The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’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 CBMM 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 CBMM.”
“Stewardship is paramount to building trust with our donors and community. We are very proud of this fourth consecutive year of highest-ranking from Charity Navigator, demonstrating our transparency, accountability, and financial health,” said CBMM President Kristen Greenaway. “It’s important our donors trust that we’re using their donations wisely as we strive to preserve and explore the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and make this resource available to all.”
Charity Navigator 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. Information about charitable giving is available free of charge on charitynavigator.org.
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to preserving and exploring the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and making this resource available to all. Every aspect of fulfilling this mission is driven by CBMM’s values of relevance, authenticity, and stewardship, along with a commitment to providing engaging guest experiences and transformative educational programming, all while serving as a vital community partner. Charitable gifts to CBMM’s Annual Fund enable CBMM to educate and inspire the next generation of Chesapeake Bay stewards, and can be made online at cbmm.org/donate.
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~ Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Md.