Worst Charities to Donate To

By financial efficiency, the "worst" charities are those with the weakest financial structure — thin operating reserves, volatile or declining revenue, or officer compensation that runs high relative to revenue. The ranking below lists the 50 lowest-scoring US nonprofits on our Efficiency Score, drawn entirely from public IRS Form 990 filings. A low score reflects financial stewardship, not a fraud finding — read each organization's detail page before deciding.

Low Efficiency Scores typically result from a combination of thin operating reserves, high officer compensation relative to revenue, or declining/erratic revenue trends. The score does not include a program-spending ratio, which our data source does not provide. Some organizations face legitimate challenges — new nonprofits investing in infrastructure or those in capital-intensive fields may score lower temporarily.

Not necessarily. A low Efficiency Score indicates a weaker financial structure, not fraud. Some organizations simply carry thin reserves or volatile revenue. However, persistently low scores combined with high officer pay should raise donor questions.

Review the specific factors behind the score on the organization's detail page — reserves, revenue trend, and officer-comp ratio. Consider whether the organization is in a growth phase or truly fragile, and compare it with similar organizations in the same category using our category rankings.