International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Awarded 10th Consecutive 4-Star Rating by Charity Navigator

IAVI Continues to Rank among Top 1% of Charities Nationwide

NEW YORK, June 6, 2011—For the 10th consecutive year, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) has been awarded a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent evaluator of charities. This rating indicates that IAVI consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way, with nearly 90 percent of the organization’s finances going exclusively toward ensuring the development of a safe, effective, preventive AIDS vaccine for use throughout the world. Less than one percent of the charities rated by Charity Navigator have received 10 consecutive four-star evaluations.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from Charity Navigator for the 10th year in a row,” said Dianne Stewart, Vice President of Resource Mobilization at IAVI. “IAVI greatly values our generous donors and the support they provide the organization. We are fully committed to the safe-keeping and responsible use of all donor funds.” 

Charity Navigator works to guide responsible giving by providing essential information and evaluating the financial health of more than 5,000 charities. Ratings are based on a rigorous assessment of how efficiently charities use their support today, and how these organizations grow their services over time. The appraisal process examines four specific performance categories: evaluation of program, administration expenses, fundraising expenses and overall fundraising efficiency.

To date, IAVI and its partners have developed 18 vaccine candidates, and conducted 11 early-stage human trials in 11 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. IAVI partners also have conducted clinical trials of other HIV prevention interventions, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the administration of antiretroviral drugs prior to HIV exposure. In addition, through collaborations with research centers around the world, IAVI conducts epidemiological clinical research to inform HIV vaccine design. 

IAVI’s scientific efforts, though historically focused on the clinical assessment of candidate AIDS vaccines created by outside organizations, now encompass the design of novel candidate vaccines as well as translational research. Today, IAVI is directly involved in every step of the AIDS vaccine development pipeline. The organization currently operates laboratories in New York, California and London to support each aspect of this work, and earlier this year announced it will expand its network to include a fourth laboratory in India—an endeavor made possible through a partnership with the Indian government. IAVI has established a network of 11 research centers in sub-Saharan Africa to clinically assess AIDS vaccine candidates and ensure a potential vaccine is appropriate for use among those that need it most.

To view IAVI’s Charity Navigator rating page, please click here.