How to Check a Charity Before You Donate

A donation request can feel urgent, especially after a disaster, medical emergency, conflict, or viral social media post. That urgency is exactly why it is worth slowing down. A real charity should make it easy to confirm who it is, where your money goes, and whether your gift is tax deductible.

Use this checklist before you donate through a website, text message, phone call, crowdfunding campaign, social media post, or door-to-door appeal.

Start With the Exact Name

Write down the charity’s full legal name, website, mailing address, and Employer Identification Number if it provides one. Similar names are common, and scammers often use wording that sounds close to a known charity.

Search for the organization yourself instead of following a link from an unexpected message. The FTC’s charity guidance warns donors to research before giving and to be cautious of pressure tactics, vague names, and requests that arrive immediately after news events.

If the appeal names a local chapter, project, or fundraiser, confirm whether the national organization recognizes it. A logo on a page is not proof that the page is controlled by the charity.

Check Tax Status in the IRS Tool

For U.S. donations, use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to check the organization’s federal tax-exempt status, public filings, and whether it is listed as eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions.

Tax-exempt does not always mean tax deductible for you. The IRS tool helps separate recognized organizations from names that only look official. It also shows filings such as Form 990 records, which can help you understand the organization’s programs, revenue, expenses, and leadership.

If you cannot find the organization, search by EIN if available. Names can be abbreviated, punctuated differently, or registered under a parent organization.

Look for State Charity Registration

Many charities that solicit donations must register with one or more state charity offices. The National Association of State Charity Officials maintains a state charity offices directory that can help you find the relevant regulator.

State registration is not a quality rating, and requirements vary. Still, it can help confirm whether an organization is known to the regulator in a place where it is asking for money.

If a caller claims that registration is unnecessary, ask for the charity’s legal name, registration details, and written information. A legitimate fundraiser should not need your payment before answering basic questions.

Compare Independent Evaluations

Use charity research services as another layer, not as your only check. BBB Wise Giving Alliance publishes reports through Give.org based on its charity accountability standards. Charity Navigator and Candid’s GuideStar also provide nonprofit profiles and financial information for many organizations.

Look for consistency: the charity name, EIN, website, program description, and leadership should match across the charity’s site, IRS data, state records, and evaluator profiles. A mismatch does not always prove fraud, but it is a reason to pause and ask the organization directly.

Inspect the Donation Page

Before entering card details, make sure the page belongs to the charity or to a clearly identified fundraising platform. The FTC’s advice on crowdfunding and fundraising platforms recommends checking fees, how quickly money reaches the charity, what happens if a campaign misses its goal, and whether the platform reviews campaigns before they go live.

If you want the charity to receive money quickly, compare the platform route with donating directly through the charity’s official website. Platform convenience can be useful, but it can also add processing steps, fees, or delays.

For text-to-donate appeals, confirm the short code or number on the charity’s own website before sending money. For social media fundraisers, check whether the campaign is run by the charity, by a supporter, or by someone claiming to represent a beneficiary.

Reject Risky Payment Requests

Be wary if someone asks for cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or payment apps to a personal account. The FTC says safer donation methods include credit card or check, and that donors should keep records and review statements for unexpected recurring charges.

Do not give your bank password, one-time verification code, Social Security number, or remote device access to anyone asking for a donation. A charity may need contact and payment information, but it should not need credentials that control your accounts.

If a caller pressures you to give immediately, hang up and contact the charity through a number you find independently.

Ask What the Donation Actually Supports

Ask whether your donation is unrestricted or limited to a specific program. If the appeal is tied to a disaster, ask how much will support current relief, whether the charity already works in the affected area, and whether local partners are involved.

Be careful with statements such as “100% goes to victims” unless the charity explains who pays payment processing, platform fees, fundraising costs, and administration. Low overhead alone is not proof of impact, but unclear money flow is a warning sign.

For in-kind donations such as clothing, food, or supplies, confirm that the charity wants those items and can distribute them. Sometimes money is more useful than goods that require sorting, storage, or transport.

Keep a Donation Record

Save the charity name, EIN if available, date, amount, payment method, receipt, campaign page, and any restriction you placed on the gift. For tax purposes, keep the acknowledgment the charity provides and check IRS rules before assuming the gift is deductible.

Review your card or bank statement after donating. Make sure the amount is correct and that you were not signed up for a recurring gift unless you chose one.

Report Suspicious Appeals

If you think a charity appeal is fake, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report to your state charity regulator or attorney general.

If you paid by card, contact your card issuer quickly. If you sent money through a payment app, wire service, or cryptocurrency platform, report the transaction through that provider’s fraud process even if recovery is uncertain.

The strongest donation habit is simple: choose the charity first, then choose the payment route. When you control the research and start from official records, it is much harder for a fake appeal to steer your money somewhere else.