GuideStar Honors Life for Relief and Development (LIFE) with Platinum Seal of Transparency
- ajoyce140
- May 2
- 3 min read
We are proud to announce that Life for Relief and Development (LIFE) has been awarded the Platinum Seal of Transparency by GuideStar, a service of Candid and the most widely adopted source of nonprofit information in the United States. This high level of recognition shows LIFE’s commitment to openness, integrity, and accountability in all of its operations.
What Is the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency?
Candid, formed from the merger of Foundation Center and GuideStar, launched the GuideStar Seals of Transparency in 2013 to give nonprofits a way to publicly share accurate, meaningful, and goal-focused information beyond what’s available in IRS filings. This includes details on an organization’s goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress toward results.
More than 75,000 nonprofits have earned a GuideStar Seal, making it the most widely adopted symbol of transparency in the U.S. nonprofit sector. However, fewer than 5% of the 1.7 million registered nonprofits in the U.S. have earned a Seal at any level and only 15% of Seal holders have achieved the Platinum level.
The four tiers of Seals include:
● Bronze – Basic information and visibility
● Silver – Program and branding insights
● Gold – Financials and leadership data
● Platinum – Impact-focused metrics and organizational effectiveness
To reach the Platinum level, an organization must first earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold Seals, each requiring further levels of disclosure.
Why This Matters
In a crowded nonprofit landscape, transparency builds trust. Donors and grant makers want to know that their support is being used properly. By achieving the Platinum Seal, LIFE has shown that it tracks its outcomes and is also willing to hold itself publicly accountable to those outcomes. This recognition sets LIFE apart as an organization that values clarity and communication as much as compassion and service.
In addition to this, holding a Seal has shown to have incredible benefits. Seal holders receive more grant money than organizations without Seals. They make up 19% of nonprofits that get grants but receive 32% of the total grant funding. About 66% of Seal holders get most of their income from donations, which shows that donors are more likely to support transparent organizations.
Only about 23% of typical public charities (those with more than $200,000 in revenue and that depend on donation), have a Seal. This makes earning one even more special. Organizations with a Seal have seen a 53% increase in donations, showing that transparency helps them grow and continue their work.
What Was Required
To earn the Platinum Seal, LIFE submitted detailed information about our:
● Mission and vision
● Goals and strategies
● Impact and outcomes
● Leadership and governance
● Finances and funding sources
We also answered more questions that donors and funders increasingly ask, such as: Who do we serve? What are our measurable goals? How do we evaluate success? This level of openness allows LIFE to stand out as a responsible steward of public support.
Looking Ahead
We remain dedicated to maintaining full disclosure of our work and performance to the public. Thank you to all of our donors and partners who make this work possible, you have our promise to continue earning your trust, every step of the way.
We invite you to view our GuideStar profile to explore our strategy, impact, and financial stewardship in more detail:
Contribute to a charity you can trust. Give to LIFE today.
Or call 1(800)-827-3543 and speak with a LIFE team member.
