How to research a charity before you give
Build a practical research process around mission, identity, historical financial records, and the questions that still need verification.
Read the fieldnoteGood giving starts with good context
Every charity,scored, sizedand explorable.
A clearer starting point for people who give on purpose. Explore 8,408 charity profiles by mission, location, and organization size—with historical scores and financial details in one place.
Historical collection: May 2019 · Rating details mostly from 2017. Source & context
- Charity profiles
- 8,408
- Cause categories
- 11
- Locations
- 53
- Source fields
- 23
Every profile23 source fields
Explore the collection8,408 charities
Missions. Numbers. A fuller picture.The catalogThousands of missions.
Browse all charities ↗Thousands of missions.
One place to start.
Go beyond a name. Every profile brings together the full mission description, EIN, classification, historical scores, and expense breakdown.
| Organization | Source category | State | Total expenses | Overall score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct ReliefEIN 95-1831116 | International | CA | $1,008,907,873Large | 100.00 |
| Feeding AmericaEIN 36-3673599 | Human Services | IL | $2,826,138,224Large | 94.28 |
| American Red CrossEIN 53-0196605 | Human Services | DC | $3,142,984,060Large | 88.71 |
| charity: waterEIN 22-3936753 | International | NY | $35,902,241Large | 91.16 |
| The Nature ConservancyEIN 53-0242652 | Environment | VA | $829,488,331Large | 84.06 |
| 1000 Friends of OregonEIN 93-0642086 | Environment | OR | $917,313Small | 91.94 |
A selection from 8,408 complete source records.Open the full directory ↗
Find your focus
All 37 subcategories ↗Start with what matters.
Eleven source categories. Thirty-seven more specific subcategories. Follow the work that speaks to you.
Animals
Animal welfare, wildlife conservation, zoos, and aquariums.
454charities ↗
Arts, Culture, Humanities
Performing arts, museums, media, and cultural preservation.
1,218charities ↗
Community Development
Community foundations, housing, United Ways, and Jewish federations.
803charities ↗
Education
Learning opportunities, scholarships, and education services.
667charities ↗
Environment
Environmental protection, conservation, gardens, and natural spaces.
429charities ↗
Health
Medical research, treatment, prevention, and patient support.
847charities ↗
Human Services
Food access, family services, housing support, and youth development.
2,379charities ↗
Human and Civil Rights
Organizations classified as advocacy and education in the source.
346charities ↗
International
Development, relief supplies, peace, security, and international affairs.
610charities ↗
Religion
Religious activities, media, and broadcasting.
450charities ↗
Research and Public Policy
Social policy research and non-medical science and technology.
205charities ↗
Organization sizeDifferent scales.
How size is defined ↗Different scales.
More context.
The source groups charities by total expenses—not by revenue, staffing, or legal structure.
Collection overviewSource-backed counts
8,408Organizations
53Locations
37Subcategories
California992 records
New York963 records
Texas465 records
From data to understandingA directory that shows
Read the collection insights
A directory that shows
its working.
Clear definitions and inspectable source values make a large collection easier to use thoughtfully.
01
Every organization, distinctly identified
Unique EIN-based profiles keep similarly named charities separate.
02
Readable figures. Original values.
Financial panels for a quick read; all 23 source fields for a closer look.
03
Context that travels with the record
Source dates, missing-value handling, and definitions stay visible.
Donor data, without the mysteryUnderstand the record.
Understand the record.
Build on clear definitions.
Explore how charity reference data fits into donor software, CRM workflows, and a well-defined publishing model.
This site publishes static research pages. It does not provide authenticated API access or process donations.
Record illustration · not an API endpoint
{
"ein": "95-1831116",
"name": "Direct Relief",
"category": "International",
"state": "CA",
"size": "big",
"score": 100.0
}Values from the historical source record. All published records are complete HTML pages.
Thoughtful givingLead with purpose.
Lead with purpose.
Follow with questions.
A historical rating is one part of a research process. Match the mission, read the financial context, and identify what needs current verification.
Your giving research guideDonor Fieldnotes
All 10 fieldnotes ↗Read deeper. Give thoughtfully.
Practical guides to charity research, nonprofit financial records, and better donor-data design.
Charity Navigator scores: read the number, keep the context
Understand the three historical score fields, compare source scores thoughtfully, and distinguish navigation bands from a current rating.
Read the fieldnote
Program, fundraising, and administrative expenses explained
Read expense totals, ratios, and fundraising efficiency without confusing financial composition with program outcomes.
Read the fieldnoteA little clarityGood questions
Good questions
come first.
What this collection contains—and how to use it.
How many charities are included?
There are 8,408 records, each with a unique EIN and a full individual profile. Every row in the supplied collection is included.
Are these current Charity Navigator ratings?
No. The source describes a May 2019 collection with rating details mostly from 2017. Profiles preserve that historical context; individual rating dates are not provided.
Can I browse without searching or signing in?
Yes. Use cause, subcategory, location, size, score-band, and alphabetical pages. Every record and browse list is already rendered in HTML.
What information is shown on a profile?
All 23 source fields, including mission text, EIN, classification, three scores, revenue, expenses, expense ratios, and recorded leadership information. Missing source values remain distinguishable from zeroes.
Can I donate or request an API key here?
This is a static research publication. It does not process gifts, verify current eligibility, offer user accounts, or provide an authenticated API. The donor-system pages explain related concepts.
Your next research question starts here.
Follow a cause, explore a place, or find an organization by name.