Spot one before you give
Worst charities to donate to
There is no honest blacklist of the "worst" charities, and you should distrust any site that claims one. But there are clear warning signs that a charity may not use your donation well. Here is how to spot them, and how to check any charity for free before you give.
Why we will not name a "worst charities" list
It is tempting to publish a ranked blacklist, but doing it fairly is almost impossible. A charity can look bad on paper for reasons that are not its fault: a recent filing we have not ingested yet, or a legitimately high-cost program. Labeling a specific organization the "worst" from incomplete data would smear charities that may be doing real good.
So instead of a name-and-shame list, GiveRadar gives you the signals and the underlying numbers for every charity, and lets you judge for yourself. That is more useful anyway: the charity you are actually considering is the one that matters.
The warning signs that actually matter
Little of the money reaches programs
If a large share of spending goes to administration and fundraising instead of programs, less of your donation reaches the cause. A common benchmark is spending at least 65 percent on programs, though context matters. See the program, admin, and fundraising split on each charity, and on the where donations go page.
Executive pay that is high for its size
Leaders deserve fair pay, but compensation that is out of line with a charity's budget is worth questioning. GiveRadar raises a high executive pay red flag and shows the filed figures, so you can see the number yourself.
Filings that are old or missing
An active, well-run charity files regularly. A long gap since the last filing raises a stale filings red flag and can mean an organization is dormant or no longer reporting. Recent, complete filings are a good sign.
Bare-minimum disclosure
Charities that share little beyond the legal minimum, with no financials, leadership, or contact detail, are harder to trust. GiveRadar raises a bare-minimum disclosure red flag so thin transparency does not slip past you.
One red flag is a reason to look closer, not an automatic disqualification. We deliberately do not penalize charities for things outside their control, such as revenue swings or news coverage.
Check any charity before you give
Charity checker
Look up any charity and see its Integrity Assessment, red flags, and financials at a glance.
501(c)(3) lookup
Confirm a US nonprofit is registered and tax-exempt by name or EIN before donating.
Where your donation goes
See how much of spending reaches programs versus admin and fundraising for well-known charities.
How we score
Read how the Integrity Assessment and red flags are calculated, and what they do and do not mean.
Give with confidence
Research any of 7.9 million+ charities across 100+ countries. Check the Integrity Assessment, the red flags, and the financials before you give a cent.