Support the sector
This guide is free and independent. If it helped you, a good way to say thanks is to put your own time, money, or voice behind the nonprofits in your community. Here is how to do that carefully.
Listing a site here is not an endorsement. We don't recommend any specific charity. These links go to directories run by other people. We are not paid by any of them, and we do not rank them. Always check any organization yourself before you give.
Find and check a charity
- Charity Navigator (opens in a new tab): A website that helps people look up and evaluate charities, with its rating method explained. Last checked 2026-10-07
- Candid (includes GuideStar profiles) (opens in a new tab): A nonprofit that lets you search about 1.9 million organizations by name, EIN, or keyword. Last checked 2026-10-07
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (opens in a new tab): The IRS tool for checking whether a U.S. organization is tax-exempt, searchable by name or EIN. Last checked 2026-10-07
Give your time
- VolunteerMatch (now part of Idealist) (opens in a new tab): VolunteerMatch merged into Idealist; this page explains the change and how to search for volunteer roles. Last checked 2026-10-07
- Idealist (opens in a new tab): A listing site for volunteer, internship, and job opportunities you can search by keyword and distance. Last checked 2026-10-07
- Community Foundation Locator (Council on Foundations) (opens in a new tab): A locator for finding community foundations in your area by choosing a U.S. state or territory. Last checked 2026-10-07
- Find Your Local United Way (opens in a new tab): United Way's own page for finding a local chapter by country, state, or ZIP code, and nearby volunteer options. Last checked 2026-10-07
Give money wisely
Spotting a scam charity
Be careful if you notice any of these:
- Pressure to give right now, or a story that says the chance will vanish.
- A request to pay with gift cards, a wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
- A name that sounds a lot like a well-known charity, but is not quite the same.
- No way to verify the organization. Look it up in the directories above before you give.
Why recurring gifts help
A small gift that repeats each month lets an organization count on that money. Knowing what is coming in makes it easier to plan staff, programs, and rent, which a one-time gift can't do as well.
What the “overhead” number does and doesn't tell you
Overhead is the share of spending that goes to running the organization instead of a specific program. A very low number does not prove a charity is good, because it can mean the group is not paying for things it needs, like good bookkeeping or training. A high number does not prove it is bad. It only tells you how money was split. Ask about results too.
Give a voice
- Share good work you see, with friends, on social media, and in reviews.
- Show up at local meetings where decisions about your community are made.
- Ask an organization how it measures its results, and what it learns from them.
- Tell your elected officials what matters to you. A short, personal note counts.