How GiveRadar works

We aggregate charity data from official government sources, run structured integrity checks, and surface red flags, so you can make informed decisions in seconds.

From raw data to actionable insights

Four steps turn scattered government records into a clear picture of any charity.

1

We collect data from official sources

Our system imports charity data from government registries, tax authorities, and open data portals worldwide. This includes registration records, financial filings (like IRS Form 990 in the US or annual returns in the UK), officer appointments, and more. We currently track over 7 million+ organizations across 65+ countries from 50+ official government sources.

2

We enrich and normalize

Raw registry data is often incomplete. A charity might have financial data in one database, officer names in another, and no website listed anywhere. GiveRadar cross-references multiple sources to build the most complete picture possible, while tracking the provenance of every data point so users know where each piece of information came from.

Cross-registry matching Website discovery Email extraction Financial parsing Provenance tracking
3

We run structured integrity checks

Every charity in our coverage receives a structured integrity assessment based on what the official data actually tells us. We measure operational transparency, financial health, and governance quality: things like registration status, filing compliance, overhead ratios, and disclosed compensation. We are honest that this is an operational integrity signal, not an impact measurement.

4

We surface red flags

GiveRadar automatically detects potential concerns so you do not have to dig through filings yourself:

  • High executive pay relative to budget
  • Low program spending (too much going to administration)
  • Missing or late financial filings
  • Declining revenue or governance concerns
  • Sanctions matches or regulatory warnings
  • Missing or stale contact information

We are extending GiveRadar with AI

GiveRadar is building the next generation of charity discovery and research infrastructure. We are working on three things:

AI translation of underserved languages

Most charity registries in non-English-speaking countries (Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, and others) store data in original scripts. We are translating this data into English while preserving meaning and context, so that small local charities become findable to international donors for the first time.

AI-assisted research context

For each charity, we are building a research layer that identifies the problem and intervention the charity works on, synthesizes what the scientific literature says about effectiveness, and honestly flags evidence strength as strong, limited, or absent. Critically, we do not produce confident impact scores for charities that lack the data to support them. Where evidence is sparse, we say so clearly.

An open, AI-readable interface

We are releasing our methodology documentation, data schemas, and research outputs under recognized open licenses (CC-BY 4.0 for documentation, MIT or Apache 2.0 for reference code), so that AI assistants, researchers, and developers can build compatible systems while sustainable commercial access funds the ongoing work.

This work is informed by conversations with leading Dutch sector experts, including Goede Doelen Nederland, Stichting Effectief Doneren, and Kenniscentrum Filantropie, who have reviewed and informed our approach.

What makes our data reliable

All data on GiveRadar comes from official public sources: government registries, tax authorities, and regulatory filings. We do not accept payments from charities to improve their assessments.

Provenance tracking

Every data point on a charity profile shows where it came from, so you can verify it at the source.

Correction and takedown process

Any organization that believes information about them is inaccurate can request a correction through a public process. Disputes are reviewed by our team with input from sector partners where relevant.

Data minimization

We collect only the data we need and never share personally identifiable information about donors or users.

Honesty about limits

Where we do not have enough data to make a confident assessment, we say so.

Frequently asked questions

How often is the data updated?
We import new data continuously. Financial filings are typically updated annually when charities submit their tax returns. Registration data and contact information are updated more frequently.
Can I trust the integrity assessment?
The integrity assessment is calculated algorithmically from publicly available data. It is a useful starting point for research but should not be the sole basis for donation decisions. It measures operational basics like registration, transparency, and financial health, not the actual impact or effectiveness of a charity's programs. We always recommend verifying important information directly with the charity and, for impact-focused giving, consulting specialized effective-giving resources like GiveWell.
My charity's data is wrong. How do I fix it?
Find your charity on GiveRadar and click "Claim" to verify your identity. Once verified, you can update your profile with correct information. You can also submit a public correction request if you believe something is factually wrong.
How does GiveRadar compare to Candid (GuideStar) or other nonprofit databases?
GiveRadar sits in a broader ecosystem of nonprofit data and giving platforms, each answering a different question. Candid (formerly GuideStar) curates US nonprofit profiles. Charity Navigator rates US 501(c)(3)s with the Encompass Rating. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer surfaces Form 990 filings. GlobalGiving runs a crowdfunding platform plus the Atlas B2B database. Every.org is a zero-fee donation platform. GiveWell does cost-effectiveness research. Benevity, Pledge, and CAF America serve enterprise CSR and cross-border giving. IATI is the open data standard for aid transparency. Read the side-by-side honest comparisons of GiveRadar against all of these platforms.
What AI does GiveRadar use, and where?
Today we use AI for data normalization, entity matching across registries, and summarization of public filings. We are actively developing AI translation and AI-assisted research context features, with a commitment to transparency about AI-generated content: any AI-generated descriptions or research summaries are clearly labeled and include source provenance. Read more about our responsible AI approach on our methodology page.

Try it yourself

Search any charity in the world and see the full profile in seconds.