The Japan Center for NPO Evaluation (JCNE) is a public interest incorporated foundation that evaluates and certifies private public-interest organizations and their activities and promotes information disclosure, helping strengthen their organizational foundations and improve transparency. Its purpose is to provide objective and reliable information to beneficiaries, supporters, government, grant-making foundations and companies, and thereby contribute to creating a better civil society.
It was established on April 1, 2016. Believing that Japan, like other countries, needs a mechanism in which a third party evaluates and certifies how organizations are run and discloses the results, it was created with the support of a diverse range of private-sector organizations. It launched the Good Governance certification system in July 2018, and since April 2025 it has run the "Good Giving Mark," a certification mark system intended to let donors give with confidence.
In a press release on October 1, 2026, it announced that three more organizations had obtained the Good Giving Mark, bringing the cumulative number of certified organizations to 44. Its website provides information on checking certified organizations, applications for nonprofits, and grant programs that use evaluation results.
Key points
- The "Good Giving Mark," a certification mark aiming for a society where donors can give with confidence
- As of October 1, 2026, a cumulative total of 44 certified organizations
- A member of CMW, an international network of certification bodies from 20 countries
Why this organization deserves attention
When considering donating or volunteering, a major concern is which organization can be trusted. JCNE supports both supporters and the organizations they support by evaluating and certifying how organizations are run from a third-party standpoint and making that information public.
Based on the idea that the value of NPOs lies in their diversity, it also values both measuring and growing against sound standards and respecting diverse values. Its logo is said to express this thinking.
Editor's comment
Even when you want to donate, anyone can feel unsure where to entrust your gift. JCNE's certification mark is one signpost that quietly stands by such hesitation.
Why not check on the official website whether an organization you care about has been certified?