How to verify a charity before donating
A five-minute checklist: confirm the EIN, tax-deductible status, finances and leadership before you give.
Published July 7, 2026 · CharityIndex editorial team
The checklist
- Confirm it exists. Search the exact name or EIN here — every IRS-registered organization is in the directory. No match is a red flag.
- Check deductibility. Only organizations with deductible status (most 501(c)(3)s) make your gift tax-deductible; the badge on each profile shows it.
- Scan the finances. Multi-year revenue and expense trends, reserves, and the expense split tell you if the organization is stable and mission-focused.
- Look at leadership pay in context: compare against organizations of similar size, not headlines.
- Keep the EIN from the profile for your donation receipt and tax records.
Watch out for sound-alike names — copycat organizations imitate famous charities. Matching the EIN eliminates the ambiguity.