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Dina Horwedel, Director of Public Education, American Indian College Fund
303-426-8900, dhorwedel@collegefund.org

Colleen R. Billiot, Public Education Coordinator, American Indian College Fund
720-214-2569, cbilliot@collegefund.org

Jul 1, 2024 | College Fund, Press Releases

American Indian College Fund Earns Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator

Denver, Colo., June 27, 2024—The American Indian College Fund is proud to announce that its strong financial health and ongoing accountability and transparency have earned it a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator. This rating designates the College Fund as an official “Give with Confidence” charity, indicating it is using its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator’s criteria. Charity Navigator is America’s largest and most-utilized independent charity evaluator. Since 2001, the organization has been an unbiased and trusted source of information for more than 11 million donors annually.

Charity Navigator analyzes nonprofit performance based on four key indicators, referred to as beacons. Currently, nonprofits can earn scores for the Impact and Results, Accountability and Finance, Culture and Community, and Leadership and Adaptability beacons.

“We are delighted to provide the American Indian College 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 the College Fund is able to accomplish in the years ahead.”

“Our Four-Star Charity Navigator is further validation that our supporters can trust our commitment to good governance and financial health,” said Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund. “We hope this rating will introduce our work to new supporters while also reinforcing to our current supporters that we are committed both to our mission to create greater access to a higher education for Native students sustainably and transparently.”

The American Indian College Fund’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on charitynavigator.org.

About the American Indian College Fund The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 34 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $17.4 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2022-23. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $319 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 34 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators and is one of the nation’s top 100 charities named to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

JournalistsThe American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.

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