CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (May 15, 2025)—The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has again received top ratings from major independent charity watchdog groups, including the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, Candid (formerly Guidestar) and Charity Navigator. UCS has been repeatedly recognized and honored for its effective governance, financial transparency, and high standards for accountability by several independent and trusted oversight organizations.
“These ratings demonstrate that donors can give with confidence,” says UCS President Gretchen Goldman. “UCS prioritizes responsible stewardship of our supporters’ donations, which directly enables us to carry out our mission. It is gratifying to be recognized for our accountability to and transparency with our donors, whose trust is precious to us.”
“People around the country trust UCS for our commitment to promoting scientific integrity, conducting and releasing rigorous research, and grounding our work in evidence,” says UCS Board Chair Anne Kapuscinski, who also serves as the director of the Coastal Science and Policy Program and a professor of environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “That integrity and rigor extend to how we manage our resources and conduct our work.”
UCS is funded by individual donors and foundations, and does not accept corporate or government grants. This longstanding policy has helped UCS maintain its strong commitments to scientific independence for more than 55 years.
“As a member-supported nonprofit, we truly depend on our donors to keep us working for a healthier planet and safer world,” says Goldman. “And we’re proud to maximize the impact of every donation: 85 cents of every dollar we receive goes to our work defending science, fighting climate change, and working for safer and more sustainable ways to feed, power, and transport ourselves, with the remaining 15 percent spent on the critical administrative infrastructure and fundraising that support our programs.”
UCS has received high ratings from the following watchdog organizations:
- Charity Navigator, the largest and most trusted organization that evaluates charities and nonprofits like UCS in the United States, has recognized UCS as a “Four-Star Charity” for seven consecutive ratings, with a 99 percent score in the past year based on a weighed scale measuring the areas of “Accountability & Finance,” “Impact & Measurement,” “Leadership & Adaptability,” and “Culture & Community.” Four stars is Charity Navigator’s highest rating; only 60 nonprofits out of more than 200,000 have achieved its 96 percent or higher score.
- Candid (formerly Guidestar)—which provides comprehensive data and insights about the social sector—has given UCS a Platinum Transparency Seal for 2025, for our commitment to financial accountability and transparency. This designation is only awarded to the top 15 percent of participating nonprofits.
- The Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance provided UCS with accreditation for meeting 20 holistic charity standards of board oversight, finances, results reporting, and fundraising appeals. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance is a comprehensive charity evaluator, assisting donors in making sound giving decisions; this ranking signifies UCS is “a well-run nonprofit organization deserving of donor trust.”
- CharityWatch—an independent charity watchdog that has rated charities for more than 30 years—recognized UCS as an A-rated non-profit based on in-depth evaluations of the organization’s financial reporting, including audited financial statements, tax forms, annual reports, state filings, and other documents.
- And finally, UCS is also a vetted EarthShare Nonprofit Partner thanks to our commitment to financial transparency and demonstration of impact to our donors. As a trusted EarthShare member, UCS is featured in a broad range of Workplace Giving programs, including the Combined Federal Campaign, the country’s largest workplace giving campaign, reaching federal and military employees and retirees worldwide.
For more information on how UCS responsibly deploys its resources, please refer to our Annual Report and tax forms, and/or reach out to us at [email protected] or 800-666-8276.