Good giving starts with a quick check. Here is how to verify any American charity, including this one, using free public tools in about five minutes.
Verifying a charity is not a sign of distrust. It is simply good practice, and reputable organizations welcome it. The steps below work for any US nonprofit, and we have included our own details so you can practice on us.
Step 1: Find the EIN
Every registered US charity has an Employer Identification Number, a unique federal ID. Ours is 45-5531363. If an organization will not tell you its EIN or legal name, treat that as a red flag.
Step 2: Look it up with the IRS
The IRS runs a free public database called Tax Exempt Organization Search. Enter the EIN or the legal name and you can confirm:
- That the organization is recognized as tax exempt.
- Whether contributions are tax deductible.
- Which annual filings the organization has on record.
For us, you should find Charity for All recognized under section 501(c)(3), classified as a public charity under 170(b)(1)(A)(vi).
Step 3: Match the details
Compare what you find in the IRS records with what the organization publishes on its own site. The legal name, EIN, and status should line up exactly. On our financials page, we publish all of it in one place specifically so this comparison is easy.
Step 4: Understand the filing type
Not every charity files the same form. Small organizations with gross receipts of not more than $50,000 file the Form 990-N, a short electronic notice. Larger organizations file the fuller Form 990 with detailed schedules. Neither is inherently better; what matters is that the filing matches the organization’s stated size. We file the 990-N, which is consistent with being a small, lean charity.
Step 5: Ask questions
A trustworthy charity answers questions from donors. If anything is unclear after your own check, contact us and a real person will respond. That responsiveness is itself part of what you are verifying.