The Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City Rated #1 as Top "Slam-Dunk" Charity by Charity Navigator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 2007
www.nyc.gov/fund

The Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City was rated #1 by Charity Navigator in its list of Top Ten "Slam-Dunk Charities," out of over 5,000 non-profit organizations evaluated across the country. The 4-star rating was based on overall organizational efficiency and capacity as well as fiscal management. Each of the ten charities selected also has a donor privacy policy in place to ensure that donor information is not shared for mailing-list appeals.

"The Mayor's Fund mobilizes the private sector to enhance the quality of life for New Yorkers in all five boroughs," said Mayor's Fund Board Chair Rob Speyer. "It is an honor to be able to support the work of Mayor Bloomberg and innovative public programs within his administration."

The Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City serves as the umbrella non-profit organization for the City of New York, and is reliant on individuals, foundations, and corporations. Current public projects supported by the Mayor's Fund include the Family Justice Initiative, an innovative program serving victims of domestic violence; the NYC GirlsREACH and BoysREACH internship program pairing high school students with professional role models to prepare them for college and career success; and Safe Haven, a pilot program targeted towards chronically street homeless individuals.

"Our contributors understand the impact they can have by partnering with the City on meaningful public projects," said Mayor's Fund President Megan Sheekey. "Charity Navigator's recognition of our organization is a great reward."

Charity Navigator, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is the nation's largest evaluator of charities. It's rating system examines two broad areas of a charity's financial health-how responsibly it functions day to day, as well as how well positioned it is to sustain its programs over time. Each charity is then awarded an overall rating, ranging from zero to four stars. To help prevent donors from becoming victims of mailing-list appeals, each charity's commitment to keeping donors' personal information confidential is assessed. Charity Navigator's website, cited by Esquire Magazine as one of "41 Ways to Save the World," was used by more than four million donors last year.

The Fund for Public Schools, which works closely with the Mayor's Fund to support NYC public schools, was rated #3 in Charity Navigator's Top Ten List of "Slam-Dunk Charities."

CONTACT:
Melissa Ferguson
(212) 788-7760