Best Charities to Donate To in 2026 (Ranked)

The best charities direct the vast majority of every dollar to programs. Using IRS 990 data from over 200 major nonprofits, we rank the most financially efficient organizations — where your donation goes the furthest.

Top 25 Most Efficient Charities

Rank	Nonprofit	Score	Grade	Program %
1	Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc	79/100	B	78%
2	Kaiser Foundation Hospitals	76/100	B	78%
3	Mass General Brigham Incorporated And Affiliates Group Rtn	85/100	A	78%
4	Cleveland Clinic Foundation	81/100	A	78%
5	Mayo Clinic Group Return	86/100	A	78%
6	Healthfirst Phsp Inc	78/100	B	78%
7	New York University	84/100	A	78%
8	Corewell Health	82/100	A	78%
9	The New York And Presbyterian Hospital	83/100	A	78%
10	Johns Hopkins University	75/100	B	78%
11	Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania	68/100	B	78%
12	Dignity Health	76/100	B	78%
13	Providence Health & Services Washington	77/100	B	78%
14	Ihc Health Services Inc	85/100	A	78%
15	Banner Health	86/100	A	78%
16	Northwestern Memorial Healthcare	87/100	A	78%
17	Nyu Langone Hospitals	87/100	A	78%
18	Bon Secours Mercy Health Inc	87/100	A	78%
19	Caresource Ohio Inc	73/100	B	78%
20	The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University	68/100	B	78%
21	The Cleveland Clinic Foundation	79/100	B	78%
22	Memorial Hermann Health System	86/100	A	78%
23	Hackensack Meridian Health Inc	83/100	A	78%
24	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	84/100	A	78%
25	Mayo Clinic	68/100	B	78%

What Makes These Charities Different

The top-rated charities share common traits: program spending ratios above 85%, reasonable executive compensation relative to revenue, consistent revenue growth, and adequate (but not excessive) reserves. They have found ways to fundraise efficiently and keep administrative costs low while delivering measurable impact.

Categories That Score Well

Certain nonprofit categories tend to have higher efficiency scores. Large disaster relief organizations, food banks, and direct service providers often score well because they have scaled operations, low per-unit costs, and strong brand recognition that reduces fundraising expense. Explore nonprofits by category on our homepage.

For the opposite end of the spectrum, see our worst charities analysis. For CEO pay data, see nonprofit CEO salary data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most efficient charity?

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc ranks #1 with an Efficiency Score of 79/100, spending 78% of expenses on programs.

How should I choose a charity to donate to?

Look for three things: (1) high program spending ratio (above 80%), (2) a mission that aligns with your values, and (3) evidence of impact (not just spending). Our Efficiency Score combines financial metrics from IRS 990 filings to provide a data-driven starting point.

What is a good Efficiency Score?

Scores of 80-100 (Grade A) indicate excellent financial efficiency. Scores of 60-79 (Grade B) are good. Below 60 warrants closer scrutiny. The score weights program spending (50%), revenue growth (20%), reserves (20%), and CEO compensation ratio (10%).

About This Data

All data from IRS Form 990 filings via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API. See our methodology.