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  • Form 990s | Charities

    Form 990s | Charities

    ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
    Look up Form 990s on non-profit organizations. Search by state an type of organization as well.

    Guidestar.org

    990 Finder
    The Foundation Center and GuideStar combine their data so journalists can find the most recent Forms 990s from charities and foundations.

    Charity Watch
    Look up compensation for foundation officials, state-by-state regulatory agency and more

    Charity Watch: Resources for Donors and Journalists

    Charity Watch: State Charity Regulators
    Find who is regulating charities in your state as it varies by government agency. Includes contact information. Also available at the National Association of State Charity Officials.

    IRS Tax-Exempt Organization Search

    National Center for Charitable Statistics
    Part of the Urban Institute, this site has some older data on charitable giving.

    Charity Intelligence Canada
    Similar to the US’s Charity Watch.

    The Journalist’s Resource: Where to Find Public Records, Data on Charities

    The Journalist’s Resource: How to Read a Form 990

    The Journalist’s Resource: Covering Nonprofits: Questions, Answers and Tips for Following the Money

    National Charities Information Bureau
    One of the better sites for digging up Form 990s.

    Council of Better Business Bureaus’ Wise Giving Alliance (Give.org)

    Charity Navigator
    Another good charity evaluation site. Allows you to search alphabetically and by region.

    Internet Nonprofit Center
    Several tools for reporters covering nonprofits; good 990s database.

    National Association of Attorneys General
    This site has links to state attorney general’s offices.

    National Freedom of Information Coalition

    National Center for Charitable Statistics
    Database of 990 information from the IRS Master File.

    National Fraud Information Center
    Established by the National Consumers League.

    CauseIQ
    Search this huge database of nonprofit organizations. The org also has tools to help nonprofit organizations if your newsroom is a nonprofit.

    National Freedom of Information Coalition

    Philanthropy.com
    An online newspaper for non-profit organizations. Some helpful research and databases. A must-read for reporters covering charities.

    National Charities Information Bureau
    A good site for tracking spending and income from charities.

    FTC Charity Checklist

    Maryland Comptroller’s Office
    The Maryland Comptroller’s office has a database of unresolved tax liabilities. Great for tracking promising business types and politicians. Several other states have similar databases.

    Foundation Center

    Council on Foundations

    Philanthropy News Network

    IRS.gov: Public Disclosure and Availability of Exempt Organization Returns and Applications: Public Disclosure Overview
    An exempt organization must make available for public inspection its annual information return (e.g., Form 990, Form 990-EZ). Returns must be available for a three-year period beginning with the due date of the return (including any extension of time for filing) or, if later, the date it is actually filed.


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