Nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) status comprise a significant portion of the economy but do not pay taxes. As with private companies, locating information about them can be difficult. Here are some tips and resources for researching them:
The only financial information available is the IRS Form 990, which all nonprofits must make available. Most nonprofits make this available on their website but some may require you to visit in person.
For state charities, most must register with the Secretary of State. Use a search engine to search for the state name and “secretary of state”.
CitizenAudit.org is currently the only freely available full-text searchable database of full digitized nonprofit financials, with PDFs of the 990 forms back to about 2002.
The mission of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits is to build thriving communities by helping nonprofits succeed. Through a powerful mix of advocacy, solutions for nonprofit effectiveness, and insight building tools, GCN provides nonprofits, board members and donors with the tools they need to strengthen organizations that make a difference on important causes throughout Georgia.
