Top-Rated Nonprofits That Help People Get Jobs

March 2010

Last month, GuideStar's partner GreatNonprofits released a list of top-rated nonprofits that provide job training or placement based on user-reviews. This first-ever list shows the breadth of nonprofits stepping up to address the growing need for jobs in this economy. Government and individual funders looking to support organizations that are effectively helping people get jobs can browse the list by ratings and location, and read reviews of nonprofits that are truly having an impact—or those that are not.

The ratings were posted during the 2010 Job Training and Placement Awards, hosted by GreatNonprofits, Goodwill Industries International, the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services, and GuideStar. Ratings were submitted by members of the public who have volunteered, donated, or been served by the nonprofits. There are over 40 top nonprofits on the final list.

"I may have been a late blossomer, but because Goodwill® believed in ME when I couldn't believe in myself and took out the time to teach me how to be a responsible person and that life could actually be GOOD, we now thrive as a family," wrote one reviewer about Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs. "We even own our own home, and how can you thank someone enough for saving your life and the life of your children, to not repeat the lifestyle that you yourself went thru, thinking there were no other options?"

Sandee Kastrul, the president and co-founder of Inner-City Computer Stars in Chicago, Illinois, one of the top-rated charities, says, "Since we have participated in the campaign, we have been delighted by the responses of our alums, our participants, our employers and volunteers. What a wonderful way to give and receive feedback in order to strengthen our program and increase our impact."

"Our rankings have been top-rated," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "This verification is one that gives people first-hand knowledge of their local, reputable and trustworthy organizations that are worthy of their time, service, financial donations, or donated goods."

Donors can us this list to find great nonprofits to support with their giving and volunteering.

About the 2010 Job Training and Placement Awards

Over the course of the Job Training and Placement Awards, more than 116,000 people visited the GreatNonprofits Web site, and close to 1,000 reviews were posted about more than 100 nonprofits providing job training or placement in their communities.

Reviews appear on the GreatNonprofits Web site as well as GuideStar. Nonprofits with 10 or more positive reviews are included on the GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Job Training and Placement Nonprofits list. Reviews submissions took place from January 1 to January 31, 2010.

Recipients of the 2010 Job Training and Placement Awards

D.C. Central Kitchen, Washington, D.C.
Jewish Family Services, Columbus, Ohio
NextStep Recycling, Eugene, Ore.
Jobs Ministry Southwest, Inc., Richmond, Tex.
So Others Might Eat, Washington, D.C.
Project Quest Inc., San Antonio, Tex.
Inner-City Computer Stars Foundation, Chicago, Ill.
COTS, Petaluma, Calif.
Urban Ed Inc., Washington, D.C.
All Our Kin Inc., New Haven, Conn.
Transitional Programs for Women, Spokane, Wash.
Fair Chance, Washington, D.C.
Delancey Street Foundation, San Francisco, Calif.
Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana, Inc., Shreveport, La.
Curry without Worry, San Francisco, Calif.
Goodwill Industries of Central Arizona, Phoenix, Ariz.
Lighthouse Central Florida, Inc., Orlando, Fla.
Jacobs Ladder Job Center, Inc., Charlotte, N.C.
Byte Back, Washington, D.C.
Oasis Compassion Agency, Inc., Greenacres, Fla.
Innvision the Way Home, San Jose, Calif.
Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Isles, Inc., Trenton, N.J.
Coro Center for Civic Leadership, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Jobs for Life, Raleigh, N.C.
Jevs Human Services, Philadelphia, Pa.
Goodwill Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.
Disciples for Christ Community Outreach, Inc., Rochester, N.Y.
Do-All, Inc., Bay City, Mich.
Goodwill Industries of Denver, Denver, Colo.
Offender Aid and Restoration of Arlington County, Inc., Arlington, Va.
Center for Youth Development through Law, Berkeley, Calif.
Homeward Bound of Marin, Novato, Calif.
California Technological Care, Rio Vista, Calif.
Goodwill Bridgepointe Services, Inc., Clarksville, Ind.
Workforce Central Florida, Orlando, Fla.
Employement & Community Options, San Diego, Calif.
Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries Rehabilitation Center, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio
Jewish Vocational and Career Counseling Service, San Francisco, Calif.
Advance Memphis, Memphis, Tenn.
YouthBuild USA, Inc., Somerville, Mass.
Womens Entrepreneurship Initiative, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Bountiful Harvest Ministries, Inc., Alexandria, Ind.
Goodwill Industries of San Antonio, San Antonio, Tex.
Panzou Project Inc., North Miami Beach, Fla.
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, Charlotte, N.C.

GreatNonprofits is a Web site where people who have firsthand knowledge of a nonprofit—board members, volunteers, donors, recipients of services—can tell others about their experiences with the organization.

2010 GreatNonprofits Veterans Choice Campaign

Which nonprofits are serving the needs of our veterans and their families?

GreatNonprofits and GuideStar, in partnership with the Silver Star Families of America and the Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, want to hear about the great nonprofits serving the many and complex needs our veterans in today's world.

Veterans Organizations

Ask your stakeholders to share their experiences with you by writing reviews. A stakeholder can be a member of your board, volunteer, donor, recipient of your services—any uncompensated individual who has firsthand experience with your organization. The deadline for submitting reviews for this campaign is March 31, 2010.

Reviews can benefit your organization in several ways:

Increased fund-raising exposure
Every organization that gathers 10 or more positive reviews during the month of March will be included on the GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Veterans Nonprofits list.
Improved community engagement
Reviews give you a great opportunity to interact with your stakeholders.
Powerful, authentic stories of impact
You can use comments provided in reviews in your internal and external communications. Reviews are a repository of great experiences that you can share with the public.

See the resources below for more information about nonprofit reviews.

Stakeholders

Tell us about your experience with specific veterans organizations. How are they having an impact? Which ones are great? Which ones need some improvement? Your participation in this campaign helps identify and recognize the top-rated veterans nonprofits. If you have personal experience with a veterans nonprofit and are not employed by that organization, you can write a review.

The deadline for submitting reviews for the Veterans Choice Campaign is March 31, 2010. But don't feel that you can't write reviews after that, or that you can only write reviews about veterans organization. Give us your feedback about any charity that you have personal experience with. See the resources below to learn more about nonprofit reviews.

More Information

Review FAQs
Tips for writing reviews
Benefits to nonprofits
Policies for posting reviews