Operation Hat Trick Earns GuideStar’s Highest Seal of Transparency - Platinum Seal Allows Donors to Focus on Progress and Results

HAMPTON, NH (May 16, 2022) - Operation Hat Trick (OHT), an innovative non-profit supporting the recovery of wounded service members and veterans, has earned a 2022 Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition offered by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information. By sharing metrics that highlight progress Operation Hat Trick is making toward its mission, the organization is helping donors move beyond simplistic ways of nonprofit evaluation such as overhead ratios.

"OHT has a long-held belief in being transparent about our work,” said Dot Sheehan, Founder and CEO of OHT, “We are excited to convey our organization’s results in a user-friendly and highly visual manner. By updating our GuideStar Nonprofit Profile to earn a Platinum Seal, we can now share a wealth of up-to-date organizational metrics with our supporters as well as GuideStar's immense online audience, which includes donors, our peers, and the media."

About Operation Hat Trick

Operation Hat Trick is recognized by GuideStar as a Platinum seal of transparency organization for its responsible (https:/learn.guidestar.org/platinum). Dedicated to Nate Hardy and Mike Koch, two Navy SEALs who were killed in Iraq in 2008 and are buried side by side at Arlington National Cemetery, OHT never forgets their sacrifice.

OHT is differentiated from other veteran-focused nonprofits by its innovative operating model. OHT pioneered the first national philanthropic co-branded cause marketing retail apparel licensing program. Rather than relying on donations to raise money, OHT receives a royalty on every product purchase of co-branded apparel and merchandise in conjunction with over 500 supporting American colleges and universities, as well as many NHL, NBA and MiLB teams. Its products are also available via online retailers such as Fanatics, Amazon and national retailers including Cracker Barrel, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Kohl’s, Lids, Scheels and more.

Support and learn more about Operation Hat Trick by visiting operationhattrick.org.

About GuideStar Nonprofit Profiles

The GuideStar database contains a profile for every tax-exempt nonprofit registered with the IRS. GuideStar encourages every nonprofit to claim and update its profile at no cost to the organization. Updating allows nonprofits to share a wealth of up-to-date information with the more than 10 million people who visit GuideStar to learn more about nonprofit organizations each year. Updating also allows nonprofits to share information with the more than 200 philanthropic websites and applications that are powered by GuideStar data. To reach a given participation level, organizations need to complete all required fields for that participation level. The GuideStar participation levels, acknowledged as symbols of transparency in the nonprofit sector, are displayed on all updated participants' profiles in the GuideStar database.

GuideStar, guidestar.org, is the world’s largest source of nonprofit information, connecting people and organizations with data on 2.7 million current and formerly IRS-recognized nonprofits. Each year, more than 10 million people, including individual donors, nonprofit leaders, grantmakers, government officials, academic researchers, and the media, use GuideStar data to make intelligent decisions about the social sector.

In addition, users see GuideStar data on more than 200 philanthropic websites and applications like AmazonSmile, Facebook, and Network for Good. Foundation Center and GuideStar joined forces to become Candid, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Find out more at candid.org and on Twitter @CandidDotOrg.