national charity verification system?

[SnDvls]

I know there is a way to check if a charity is legit or not, but can't seem to remember the way to do it. Anyone have any ideas?

[albionmoonlight]

First, you can check to see if it is a 501(c)(3) organization. If it is not, that is a pretty good sign that it is not legit.

If it is, then there is still a chance that it is not "legit." I'm not really sure if there is a way to check beyond that. Keeping a list like that would be hard. One person's "legit" is another person's "waste of money" or "mismanaged fund."

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

http://apps.irs.gov/app/pub78 - IRS' database of 501c(3) charities.

[sovereignstar]

The Human Fund. Money for people.

[SnDvls]

this is what I was looking for...thanks albino & farrah

[Grammaticus]

I've found this site helpful

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

[SnDvls]

dola- I've already checked how their charity works and it seems that 84% goes to fundraising and only 13% to the cause.

seems rather high to me so I don't think I'll be sending them any money I just needed to see if they were even legit so I could at least explain it to my wife...who had all but mailed the check when I told her I wanted more info first.

[SnDvls]

I've found this site helpful

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

that's the one that told me about the funding.

[albionmoonlight]

this is what I was looking for...thanks albino & farrah

In my defense, I have been trying to get more sun this summer.

[SnDvls]

In my defense, I have been trying to get more sun this summer.


oops soory my bad:eek: albion fingers got crossed up :D

[Grammaticus]

Here are two more sites that are good for evaluating charities. I see two ways for determining if they are legit. The first, are they legally classified as a non-profit with the appropriate tax status? Two, do they use funds effectively and towards the ends they advertise?

http://www.guidestar.org/

http://www.charitywatch.org/