Top-Rated Nonprofits in District of Columbia 2026
District of Columbia has 57 nonprofits with $12.5B in combined revenue. The top-rated organization is Rfe Rl Inc with an Efficiency Score of 86/100.
District of Columbia has 57 nonprofits in the IRS Form 990 dataset ranked here by efficiency score. The LakeQuality nonprofit efficiency rubric combines program-spending ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), and CEO compensation ratio (10%) into a 0-100 composite.
Reading the ranking: top of the list typically combines strong program-spending discipline (the highest-weighted factor) with stable multi-year revenue and reasonable executive compensation. Large hospital and university systems often appear near the top in any state — their scale lets them keep program ratios high while still investing in infrastructure. Each nonprofit links to its full Form 990 profile. For donors trying to choose between organizations, the efficiency grade is a useful triage — but the underlying program-spending ratio, the multi-year revenue trend, and the comp ratio matter more than the composite letter on any individual decision.
Top 20 of 57 Nonprofits in District of Columbia
| # | Organization | Category | Revenue | CEO Pay | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rfe Rl Inc | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $170.9M | $0 | A (86) |
| 2 | Friendship Public Charter School | Education | $146.9M | $0 | A (86) |
| 3 | The Recycling Partnership Inc | Environment & Animals | $37.1M | $0 | A (86) |
| 4 | National Public Radio Inc | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $302.5M | $0 | A (85) |
| 5 | Paintcare Inc | Environment & Animals | $78.8M | $0 | A (85) |
| 6 | Open Technology Fund | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $38.0M | $0 | A (85) |
| 7 | African Wildlife Foundation | Environment & Animals | $33.7M | $0 | A (85) |
| 8 | Gallaudet University | Education | $239.4M | $0 | A (83) |
| 9 | Partnership Project Inc | Environment & Animals | $41.1M | $0 | A (83) |
| 10 | Kipp Dc Public Charter Schools | Education | $212.6M | $0 | A (82) |
| 11 | Jane Goodall Institute For Wildlife Research Education & Conservation | Environment & Animals | $27.4M | $0 | A (82) |
| 12 | Clasp | Environment & Animals | $26.3M | $0 | A (82) |
| 13 | American Humane Association | Environment & Animals | $25.9M | $0 | A (82) |
| 14 | Earthshare | Environment & Animals | $8.8M | $0 | A (82) |
| 15 | Association Of American Medical Colleges | Education | $281.5M | $0 | A (81) |
| 16 | Windward Fund | Environment & Animals | $212.4M | $0 | A (81) |
| 17 | Oceana Inc | Environment & Animals | $46.5M | $0 | A (81) |
| 18 | Defenders Of Wildlife | Environment & Animals | $35.9M | $0 | A (81) |
| 19 | American Forests | Environment & Animals | $24.3M | $0 | A (81) |
| 20 | Urban Land Institute | Environment & Animals | $95.6M | $0 | A (80) |
Nonprofit financial data for District of Columbia is sourced from IRS Form 990 filings, which all tax-exempt organizations must file annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rfe Rl Inc is the top-rated nonprofit in District of Columbia with an Efficiency Score of 86/100 (Grade A) and $170.9M in annual revenue.
District of Columbia has 57 nonprofits in our database with a combined $12.5B in total revenue.
The Efficiency Score (0-100, A-F) measures nonprofit effectiveness based on program expense ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), and CEO compensation ratio (10%). Higher scores indicate more efficient organizations.
Efficiency Score: program expense ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), CEO compensation ratio (10%).