Why Give to Big Brothers Big Sisters

Your donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will be put to immediate use in supporting the United States’ largest and most-effective youth-mentoring organization. Our network of more than 300 agencies supports more than 170,000 children annually.

We know that our mentoring programs change lives for the better, forever because we collect and analyze the data that tell that story. Your donation is an investment in the people, systems, and technology that allow us to create and support matches between children and caring adults. We hold ourselves accountable to our donors by regularly measuring the impact of our work.

Our belief in the impact of our work is the driving force behind Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. We seek to put children on a path to lifelong success and change the trajectories of their lives in positive ways. To achieve our mission, we commit to measure and be responsible for specific youth outcomes that focus on:

• educational achievement
• avoidance of risky behaviors (especially juvenile delinquency)
• higher self-esteem, confidence, and improved ability to relate to others

We define success based on measurable outcomes and scales. By working with our donors, mentors, children, families, and partners, we hope to drive collaboration to find solutions to the challenges facing our country’s youth.

By donating to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, you are joining our mission of positively affecting children in your community. Every day, we work tirelessly to change the perspectives of children and give them an opportunity to achieve great things. But without donations, we couldn’t offer our mentoring services.

Accountable from the start.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the most well-respected and well-recognized name in youth mentoring. You can see it in all the Littles out there that have become something bigger. And it’s also in the ratings and endorsements we’ve received from organizations that measure accountability. Take a look:

Great Nonprofits, a leading provider of reviews and ratings of nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S., has ranked Big Brothers Big Sisters of America as a top Children's and Families Nonprofit and awarded us a 5-star rating. View our rating >

The American Institute of Philanthropy includes Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in its list of Top-Rated Charities. In fact, we’re one of only two national youth-development organizations to receive AIP's top rating of A+. View our rating >

The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance has recognized Big Brothers Big Sisters of America as a top charity, meeting all Standards for Charitable Accountability including governance, fund raising practices, solicitations and spending. View our report >

Of the more than 1 million charities operating in the United States today, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded The Independent Charities Seal of Excellence. We are one of them. The award is given to Independent Charities of America members that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness.

These standards include those required by the U.S. Government for inclusion and participation in the Combined Federal Campaign, one of the most exclusive fund drives in the world. The campaign’s mission is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee focused, cost–efficient, and effective in providing federal employees the opportunity to improve quality of life for all.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is also proud to belong to the Children's Charities of America fundraising consortium. CCA is a nonprofit federation that pre-screens and certifies high-quality national charities working to protect and assist children in the U.S. and around the world.

In addition to these ratings and endorsements, Big Brothers Big Sisters was named a “gold star” charity by Forbes magazine.