OT find financial info on a charity

Chris Jones · Aug 19, 2009

All this WWW at our fingertips and I can"t seem to find anywhere I can get the financial info on a charity I give to. It"s a very small group I"ve supported well for years so I don"t want to ask them as I think that would be taken as a sign of mistrust. Maybe mistrust isn"t the right word but I think you know what I mean. I just don"t think they are doing well now and want to evaluate things a bit. Do I give more or the same or is it a lost cause. Does anyone know how to get info?

Matt from CT · Aug 19, 2009

Here you go.

The "Form 990" should be free once you register, that's the tax form they file with the IRS to keep their tax exempt non-profit status.
http://www2.guidestar.org/

Anonymous-0 · Aug 19, 2009

If you can't find anything about them on Google, that's a bad sign in itself. I think if they treat such a normal request as a sign of mistrust, that you need to reconsider giving anything to them. There are numerous charity rating organizations out there.

Your church might be your best charity vehicle. Most of them put designated donations into the actual charity effort, and absorb the fundraising and administrative costs.

thurlow · Aug 19, 2009

Don't have a link, but they (charity ratings) are out there; someone posted a link earlier this week.........on Tales or KL. The thing I always look at is the percentage taken for administration and/or fund-raising; if 70 or 80% doesn't go for the stated purpose (charity), I pass.

Steve in IL · Aug 19, 2009

Try:

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

Anonymous-0 · Aug 19, 2009

Doesn't seem like you should have to ask for that info. If they are above boards they will put it out there.

Gun guru · Aug 19, 2009

One Key thing is to see what the charity gives to the poor or the cause and what they keep for themselves through "administrative costs"

A friend of mine was giving to a veterans association until he found out that the veterans only got 20% of the money donated.

(be careful with charities)
(the same goes for churches, cars for the poor,
food for the children, etc.)

Chris Jones · Aug 19, 2009

Thanks, that's what I wanted.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 20, 2009

Check out if they live in mansions and you may have an answer.

OT find financial info on a charity

Chris Jones

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Matt from CT

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Anonymous-0

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thurlow

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Steve in IL

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Anonymous-0

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Gun guru

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Chris Jones

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Anonymous-0

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