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Frequently asked questions

Everything people ask us, in one place. The common questions link straight to their full answers across the site; the operational ones are answered right here. Still stuck? Email info@giveradar.com and a human reads it.

Think a charity might be fake? How to spot the warning signs and where to report it. Is your donation tax-deductible? Recognized statuses by country, and what to check first.

About GiveRadar

What GiveRadar is, who runs it, and how it stays free and neutral.

What is GiveRadar, and is it legitimate?About GiveRadar Is GiveRadar free, and how does it make money?About GiveRadar Can charities pay to improve their score or ranking?Methodology Who is behind GiveRadar?About the founder

How it works and the data

Where the charity data comes from, what we publish, and how current it is.

How does GiveRadar work?How it works Where does the charity data come from?Data sources How often is the data updated, and what fields are there?Data sources Can I cite GiveRadar in research or journalism?Data sources

Scores, red flags and ratings

How the integrity assessment is built, and what a red flag or a score change means.

How does the integrity assessment work?Methodology Why does a charity have a red flag?Methodology Why did a charity's score change?Methodology Can I trust the integrity assessment?Methodology

Checking a charity and giving

How to research a charity before you give, and what makes a donation deductible.

How do I check a charity before donating?Charity checker Is my donation tax-deductible?Tax-deductible charities How do I spot or report a fake charity?Charity fraud guide What should I check before giving?Due diligence checklist

US nonprofit lookups

Find US organizations by status, EIN, or their latest tax filing.

How do I look up a 501(c)(3) organization?501(c)(3) lookup How do I find a nonprofit's EIN?EIN lookup How do I find a nonprofit's Form 990?Form 990 lookup

For charities and nonprofits

Why your organization is listed, and how to claim, correct, and improve your profile.

Why is my charity already on GiveRadar?For nonprofits My charity's data is wrong. How do I fix it?For nonprofits How do I claim my charity and raise its score?For nonprofits What if my charity is not on GiveRadar?Add a charity

Grantmakers, journalists and more

How GiveRadar works for the people who use it professionally.

Using GiveRadar for grantee due diligenceFor grantmakers Researching charities and executive pay for a storyFor journalists Building on GiveRadar with the API or an AI agentFor developers For governments and charity registriesFor governments

API, data and comparisons

Programmatic access, bulk datasets, the MCP server, and how we compare to other tools.

Does GiveRadar have an API, and what does it cost?Charity data API Can I export or download charity data in bulk?Charity dataset Is there an MCP server for AI agents?Charity MCP server How does GiveRadar compare to Candid, Charity Navigator, or ProPublica?How we compare

Privacy and your account

What data GiveRadar keeps about you, and how accounts and alerts work.

Is my email shared if I create an account?Privacy policy What data does GiveRadar keep about me?Privacy policy How do watchlists and change alerts work?For donors
Answered here

The operational questions

Why does GiveRadar's financial data differ from my annual report or Form 990?

Usually one of three reasons: fiscal-year alignment (GiveRadar shows the latest filing with real activity, which may be a year behind your newest report), publication lag (registries and the IRS publish filings months after they are submitted), or currency (figures stay in the original filing currency). Verified owners can add newer figures and documents from their edit page, and owner-added data is labeled self-reported until the official filing arrives.

What does "verified" mean on a charity profile?

Verified means an authorized representative of the organization claimed the profile and confirmed their identity, so the description and contact details are maintained by the charity itself. It is a signal of active ownership, not a GiveRadar endorsement, and official data such as financials, filings, and the score's inputs stays official either way.

Can I leave a review of a charity?

Yes. Donors, volunteers, employees, and beneficiaries can leave a review with a 1 to 5 star rating. Reviews require email verification before they are published, and they never affect a charity's integrity assessment.

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Question not here?

Email us and a human reads it. Questions we hear more than once get added to this page.

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