What is the difference between GiveRadar and WikiCharities?

Both are open nonprofit databases, but they differ on geographic coverage and verification methodology. WikiCharities, founded by Dr. Angie Holzer in 2011 (originally as Given Tree, rebranded WikiCharities in 2016, public web launch January 2021), covers approximately 2.1 million nonprofits across the United States and Canada and is expanding into Latin America. WikiCharities verifies organizations through a 70-question self-reported profile that earns a Validation Seal. GiveRadar covers 7 million+ charities across 65+ countries sourced from 50+ official government registries, with an automatic Integrity Assessment from 0 to 100 calculated without requiring the charity to opt in. WikiCharities is deeper on self-reported organizational narratives; GiveRadar is broader internationally and registry-verified.

Is GiveRadar a WikiCharities alternative?

Yes, especially for international research. WikiCharities's main coverage is the United States and Canada (about 2.1 million nonprofits) with regional expansion underway. GiveRadar covers 65+ countries today, including the UK, Germany, France, Brazil, Australia, Japan, and dozens more. For US-only or Canada-only research where you want the depth of a 70-question self-reported profile and a Validation Seal, WikiCharities is a strong choice. For cross-border research, programmatic API access, sanctions screening, or news monitoring per charity, GiveRadar fills the gap.

What is the WikiCharities Validation Seal?

WikiCharities offers a Validation Seal earned by completing a 70-question profile covering board of directors, contact information, financials, programs, and impact. Validated nonprofits display the seal on their WikiCharities profile and are eligible to post projects on the platform. WikiCharities introduced a 1 USD validation program in April 2024 to make the seal accessible to small organizations through partner sponsorship. It is conceptually similar to Candid's Seals of Transparency: voluntary, self-reported disclosure rewarded with a public marker. GiveRadar uses a different approach, computing an automatic Integrity Assessment from 0 to 100 from registry-filed data without requiring the charity to opt in or fill out a questionnaire.

Does WikiCharities cover non-US charities?

Currently WikiCharities's main database covers the United States and Canada. Latin America regional advisory expansion launched in January 2026, with plans to cover additional regions over time. As of mid-2026, full international coverage on WikiCharities is still building. GiveRadar covers 65+ countries today through their official government charity registries (the IRS in the US, the Charity Commission for England and Wales, ACNC in Australia, CRA in Canada, BZSt in Germany, and so on), so for any non-US/Canada charity, GiveRadar is the more complete option.

Does WikiCharities have an API like GiveRadar?

WikiCharities does not currently publish a documented public API. The platform is web-first, with searchable maps, profile pages, and a peer-reviewed Journal of Nonprofit Innovation through their Brigham Young University partnership. GiveRadar publishes a public REST API with a free 100-request-per-day tier, a Pro tier at 99 USD per month for 10,000 daily requests, and Enterprise pricing for unlimited use. The OpenAPI specification is publicly available without registration. For programmatic nonprofit research, GiveRadar's API is the available option.

Who runs WikiCharities and how is it funded?

WikiCharities is itself a US 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 90-0773724) led by founder and CEO Dr. Angie Holzer, who holds a doctorate in Organizational Learning and Leadership and built the platform out of her doctoral research on nonprofit collaboration challenges. The organization is funded by validation subscriptions, partner sponsorship of the 1 USD validation program, grants from local foundations, and partnerships with organizations like Brigham Young University (which co-publishes the Journal of Nonprofit Innovation), Storyline Intelligence, Venturefy, and Ballard Brief.

Should I use WikiCharities or GiveRadar to research a US charity?

Both work for US charity research; they surface different things. WikiCharities will show you what the charity has chosen to publish about itself across 70 questions if it has been validated, plus the seal as a transparency marker. GiveRadar will show you what is filed with the IRS (Form 990 financials, officer compensation, EIN, ruling date, NTEE classification) plus an automatic Integrity Assessment, red flags, sanctions screening, and per-charity news context. Many serious researchers cross-check both: voluntary self-disclosure on WikiCharities plus verified registry data on GiveRadar provides a fuller picture than either alone.

Does WikiCharities process donations?

WikiCharities does not directly process donations. Validated nonprofits can display direct PayPal donation links on their profile pages, with 100 percent of the donation passing through to the recipient charity. GiveRadar similarly does not process donations; profile pages link out to the charity's own donate page or known intermediaries (Every.org for US 501(c)(3)s, GlobalGiving for cross-border crowdfunding, the charity's direct website). Both platforms are research-and-discovery tools rather than payment processors.

Why might a researcher prefer GiveRadar over WikiCharities?

Three reasons. First, geographic coverage: GiveRadar's 65+ countries vastly exceeds WikiCharities's current US-Canada focus, which matters for cross-border due diligence and international grantmaking. Second, registry verification: GiveRadar's score inputs are entirely traceable to official government regulators, with no dependence on whether a charity opted into a self-reported questionnaire. Third, programmatic access: GiveRadar's free public API enables research scripts, dashboards, and integrations that WikiCharities's web-first model does not currently support. WikiCharities wins on self-reported narrative depth for US/Canada nonprofits that have completed validation.

Is there a free tier on WikiCharities?

Yes. Every nonprofit in the WikiCharities database has a free profile page; the basic browsing and search experience is free for all users. The Validation Seal and full transparency profile features require a paid subscription, with a 1 USD validation program (April 2024) making the seal accessible at very low cost. GiveRadar is similarly free for browsing and search; the API has a free 100-request-per-day tier, with paid tiers (Pro at 99 USD per month) for higher programmatic volume. Both platforms keep the donor-facing core product free.

What is the Journal of Nonprofit Innovation?

JoNI is a peer-reviewed academic journal co-published by WikiCharities and Brigham Young University, focused on nonprofit innovation research and reaching readers in 154 countries per WikiCharities's reporting. It adds an academic-research dimension to the WikiCharities platform that GiveRadar does not currently provide. GiveRadar publishes its own methodology and data lineage documentation under CC-BY 4.0, but does not run a peer-reviewed journal. For nonprofit-sector academic research and innovation case studies, JoNI is a notable resource.

Comparison

GiveRadar vs WikiCharities: an honest comparison

Two open nonprofit databases with very different philosophies. WikiCharities verifies through a 70-question self-reported profile and a Validation Seal, US-and-Canada-focused. GiveRadar verifies through 50+ official government registries across 65+ countries. Both are credible; the right one depends on your geography and your trust model.

Skip to verdict See full comparison

GiveRadar in one paragraph

A free global charity research database launched in 2026. Aggregates 7 million+ charities from 50+ official government registries across 65+ countries. Computes an Integrity Assessment from 0 to 100 automatically from registry-filed data, no charity opt-in required. Surfaces red flags, sanctions matches, and per-charity news. Free public web interface; free REST API tier; Pro at 99 USD per month; methodology and OpenAPI spec published openly.

WikiCharities in one paragraph

A US 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 90-0773724) founded in 2011 by Dr. Angie Holzer (originally as Given Tree, rebranded WikiCharities in 2016, web launch January 2021). Covers approximately 2.1 million US and Canadian nonprofits with free profile pages and a paid 70-question Validation Seal program (1 USD validation tier introduced April 2024). Co-publishes the Journal of Nonprofit Innovation with Brigham Young University. Latin America regional expansion launched January 2026.

The 30-second verdict

Use WikiCharities if your work is exclusively US or Canadian and you value voluntary self-disclosure narratives backed by a Validation Seal, plus academic-research integration through JoNI. Use GiveRadar if your work crosses borders, you want every score input traceable to an official government registry without depending on charity opt-in, or you need programmatic API access. Both platforms are credible; the difference comes down to geography and trust model.

Who they are

A bit of context on each platform before the side-by-side detail.

WikiCharities

WikiCharities was founded in 2011 by Dr. Angie Holzer, originally as "Given Tree" and rebranded as WikiCharities in 2016. The public web platform launched in January 2021 from Salt Lake City, Utah, growing out of Dr. Holzer's doctoral research on the challenges nonprofits face when trying to collaborate. The organization is itself a US 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 90-0773724).

Every nonprofit registered in the United States or Canada has a free profile page on WikiCharities, sourced from the IRS BMF and the CRA charity register: approximately 2.1 million organizations as of mid-2023. Validation is the platform's distinctive feature: nonprofits complete a 70-question self-reported profile covering board of directors, contact information, financials, programs, and impact, earning a Validation Seal that signals transparency to donors and grantmakers. A 1 USD validation tier introduced in April 2024 makes the seal accessible to small organizations.

WikiCharities publishes the peer-reviewed Journal of Nonprofit Innovation (JoNI) in partnership with Brigham Young University, reaching readers in 154 countries. Other partnerships include Storyline Intelligence, Venturefy, and Ballard Brief. Latin America regional expansion launched in January 2026 with plans for additional regions.

GiveRadar

GiveRadar launched in 2026 as a free global charity research database. Rather than asking nonprofits to fill out a profile, GiveRadar aggregates the existing public registries that already track the nonprofit sector in every country: the IRS in the United States, the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, the Canada Revenue Agency, France's RNA, Germany's BZSt, Brazil's Receita Federal, Japan's Hojin Bango, and 65+ country registries in total.

Every charity in the database receives an Integrity Assessment from 0 to 100 calculated automatically across five components: registration status, financial transparency, organizational transparency, third-party validation, and community signals. Charity opt-in is not required for the score. We surface automated red flags (high executive pay, low program spending, missing filings, sanctions matches) and per-charity news context through GDELT integration.

The platform is free for browsing and offers a free public REST API at 100 requests per day, scaling to 99 USD per month for Pro and custom Enterprise pricing. Methodology and OpenAPI specification are published openly under CC-BY 4.0. Charities can claim and edit their own GiveRadar profile after verification, but registry-sourced fields remain authoritative.

Side-by-side comparison

Every comparison below is sourced from each platform's own published documentation. Last reviewed June 2026.

Dimension	GiveRadar	WikiCharities
Geographic coverage	65+ countries; truly global	United States and Canada (Latin America launched Jan 2026; expanding)
Records covered	7 million+ charities	~2.1 million US and Canadian nonprofits
Verification model	Official government registry presence; automated Integrity Assessment 0-100	Self-reported 70-question profile; Validation Seal awarded by WikiCharities
Charity opt-in required	No; every charity in the registries is scored automatically	Yes; Validation Seal requires the nonprofit to complete the 70-question profile
Pricing	Free public web; free API tier (100 req/day); Pro 99 USD/month	Free profile pages for all; paid Validation Seal subscription; 1 USD validation tier introduced April 2024
Public API	REST + OpenAPI spec; self-service signup	No documented public API as of mid-2026
Per-charity score	Integrity Assessment 0-100 (5 components, automated)	Validation Seal (binary: validated or not); no numeric score
Red flags / news context	Yes (auto red flags + GDELT news + Open Sanctions screening)	Not a primary feature; transparency emphasis is on disclosed profile
Donations processed	No; profile pages link to external donate pages	No direct processing; validated nonprofits can show direct PayPal links
Methodology published	Yes, openly under CC-BY 4.0	Validation criteria documented (70 questions); platform-level policies published
Academic research output	No journal; methodology and data lineage published as documentation	Journal of Nonprofit Innovation (JoNI), peer-reviewed, partner with Brigham Young University
Founded	2026	2011 (as Given Tree); rebranded WikiCharities 2016; web launch January 2021
Founder	Matt Timmermans	Dr. Angie Holzer (CEO; doctorate in Organizational Learning and Leadership)
Legal status	Private platform (Timmermans Media OÜ, Estonia)	US 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 90-0773724)

When to use which

Both platforms are built with similar mission orientations. The right choice depends on geography, trust model, and integration needs.

Use WikiCharities when

• Your research is exclusively US or Canadian and you value voluntary self-disclosure
• You want a 70-question self-reported profile rather than registry-filed data
• Your nonprofit wants to earn the Validation Seal as a transparency marker
• You appreciate the academic-research dimension through JoNI
• You want a searchable map view of nonprofits by location and topic
• You support WikiCharities's mission and want to participate in their growing platform

Use GiveRadar when

• Your research crosses borders or focuses on charities outside the United States and Canada
• You want every input to the score traceable to a government regulator without requiring charity opt-in
• You need a programmatic REST API with public OpenAPI specification
• You want sanctions screening, news monitoring, and red flag detection per charity
• A numeric Integrity Assessment is more useful than a binary validation seal for your decision-making
• Your research extends to charities that have not opted in to a self-reported profile

Use both when

You are doing serious research on a US or Canadian charity. WikiCharities will tell you what the charity has chosen to disclose voluntarily through the 70-question profile (rich narrative depth where the seal exists). GiveRadar will tell you what the IRS or CRA has on file plus an automatic Integrity Assessment, red flags, and news context. Where the two agree, you have high confidence. Where the registry data and self-reported data diverge, you have a question worth asking before donating or granting.

What we have in common

Both platforms are openly mission-driven and share core principles about how nonprofit data should be accessible.

Open profile pages

Both platforms list every charity in their coverage with a free public-facing profile, regardless of whether the nonprofit has paid for premium features.

Charity self-claim

Verified nonprofits on either platform can claim and update their profile, adding richness to the registry-sourced or self-reported baseline.

Free for individual donors

Browsing, searching, and reading nonprofit profiles costs nothing on either platform; revenue comes from optional premium features.

Founder-led missions

Both platforms were started by founders with strong personal commitments to nonprofit transparency rather than as commercial spin-offs.

Honest about the limits

Where each platform falls short. We try to call out our own weaknesses as plainly as we call out anyone else's.

Where WikiCharities is weaker than GiveRadar

• Geographic coverage is currently US and Canada with regional expansion underway; GiveRadar already covers 65+ countries
• Validation Seal requires the nonprofit to opt in and complete a 70-question profile; unclaimed charities have no transparency signal beyond IRS recognition
• No documented public API as of mid-2026; programmatic research is not currently supported
• No automated red flag detection, sanctions screening, or news monitoring per charity
• Validation is binary (seal or no seal) rather than a numeric score capturing degrees of transparency

Where GiveRadar is weaker than WikiCharities

• WikiCharities has been operating since 2011 with an established Utah-based community and academic partnerships; GiveRadar is new (2026)
• The Validation Seal program incentivizes nonprofits to actively maintain detailed profiles in a way registry data cannot match
• The Journal of Nonprofit Innovation adds an academic-research dimension we do not have
• Self-reported impact narratives, board demographics, and program-level descriptions are richer on a validated WikiCharities profile than on a GiveRadar profile sourced purely from registry data
• WikiCharities is itself a US 501(c)(3); some institutional buyers prefer working with a fellow charity over a private platform

Search the world's charities

Search any of 7 million+ charities across 65+ countries, registry-sourced and free. Then verify against any other source you choose, including WikiCharities for US and Canadian self-disclosure narratives.

Search charities How we score Data sources

Primary sources

All figures sourced from each platform's own published documentation. GiveRadar figures are live counts from this platform.

This page is written and maintained by GiveRadar. We make no claim to neutrality: we built GiveRadar and we believe in it. We have tried to represent WikiCharities fairly. WikiCharities is a thoughtful platform built on real academic research into nonprofit collaboration, with a clear mission to elevate nonprofit transparency. The two platforms have similar values and overlap meaningfully; this page exists to help donors and grantmakers choose the right tool for their geography and trust model. If you spot an inaccuracy, email [email protected] and we will correct it.