Subject Guides » Charity

When making a decision about where to donate for a cause, how do you find out how effectively charitable organizations use the dollars they receive?

Charities are required to file financial and other information with the federal government. Several watchdog agencies use this information to rate charities. Below are links to ratings lists and criteria.

General

GuideStar
http://www2.guidestar.org/
Analyzes and indexes nonprofit data from the IRS to help donors make informed decisions about giving.

Charity Navigator
http://www.charitynavigator.org/
America's largest independent charity evaluator

Network for Good
http://www.networkforgood.org/
Independent reports and evaluations of charitable organizations

Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance
http://www.bbb.org/us/charity/
Extensive information to make informed donations

Haiti

Haiti: Some Ways to Help
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/01/haiti_earthquake_how_to_help_a.html
From National Public Radio

List of Charitable Organizations working in Haiti
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/index.haiti.html
from CNN

The New York Times: How to Help
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/haiti-disaster-relief-how-to-contribute/

Tips for Safe and Efficient Donating
http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/tips-for-safe-and-efficient-giving-to-help-haiti/
from the New York Times