Nonprofit Data Sources & Reference Sites
This document lists all nonprofit data sources and reference websites used by Open Navigator.
🏛️ Primary Data Source (Currently Implemented)
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer ⭐
Source: IRS Business Master File (BMF)
URL: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search-bulk-data-downloads
What It Contains:
- 43,726 nonprofit organizations (from 5 states with full IRS BMF data)
- IRS Form 990 data - Complete financial disclosures
- Revenue, expenses, assets, and liabilities
- Executive compensation
- Mission statements and program descriptions
- NTEE codes for categorization
Why We Use It:
"The IRS Business Master File provides the most authoritative, complete data on tax-exempt organizations directly from the IRS."
Coverage:
- ✅ Volume: 43,726 organizations from 5 states
- ✅ Free Access: Public domain data
- ✅ Data Quality: Direct from IRS filings
- ✅ Monthly Updates: Refreshed regularly
📊 Reference Sites (Future Integration)
These sites provide additional nonprofit evaluation and ratings. They are not currently integrated but are listed as important reference resources.
1. Charity Navigator - The "Star Rating" Site
Source: Charity Navigator
URL: https://www.charitynavigator.org/
API: Available for partners
Focus: Financial Health & Transparency
What It Provides:
- 4-star rating system (easy for citizens to understand)
- Financial accountability scores
- Transparency ratings
- Impact measurements for large nonprofits
- CEO compensation analysis
Coverage:
- ~200,000 rated charities
- Focus on larger organizations (>$1M annual revenue)
- Most popular among individual donors
Use Case for Open Navigator:
- Add "Charity Navigator Rating" badge to nonprofit profiles
- Filter high-performing nonprofits by star rating
- Show financial health scores alongside Form 990 data
2. Candid (GuideStar) - The "Volume" Leader
Source: Candid (formerly GuideStar)
URL: https://www.guidestar.org/ (now https://candid.org/)
API: Available for partners
Focus: Comprehensive Transparency Data
What It Provides:
- Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze Seals of Transparency
- Self-reported program data (beyond Form 990)
- Board composition and governance information
- Demographic data (staff diversity, equity practices)
- The industry standard for nonprofit verification
Coverage:
- 1.8M+ nonprofit profiles
- Most comprehensive volume
- Many nonprofits display "GuideStar Seals" on their websites
Use Case for Open Navigator:
- Verify nonprofit legitimacy with transparency seals
- Show governance and demographic data
- Link to detailed GuideStar profiles for more info
3. GiveWell - The "Impact" Authority
Source: GiveWell
URL: https://www.givewell.org/
API: No public API (data available on website)
Focus: Cost-Effectiveness & Evidence-Based Impact
What It Provides:
- Top Charity recommendations (highly selective)
- Cost-per-life-saved calculations
- Evidence-based impact assessments
- Program effectiveness research
- Most influential for "Effective Altruism" movement
Coverage:
- ~10-20 "Top Charities" at any time
- Focus on global health and poverty interventions
- Extremely rigorous evaluation standards
Use Case for Open Navigator:
- Highlight GiveWell-recommended charities
- Show cost-effectiveness metrics for top performers
- Filter by "evidence-based impact" certification
🔗 Additional Reference Resources
IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File (BMF)
Source: IRS
URL: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-business-master-file-extract-eo-bmf
What It Contains:
- Complete list of all tax-exempt organizations
- EIN (Employer Identification Number)
- NTEE codes (National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities)
- Subsection code (501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), etc.)
- Raw data (no ratings or analysis)
Use Case:
- Cross-reference EINs for data accuracy
- Classify nonprofits by NTEE code (education, health, environment, etc.)
National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS)
Source: Urban Institute
URL: https://nccs.urban.org/
What It Contains:
- Research on nonprofit sector trends
- Data tools and visualization dashboards
- Policy analysis and reports
Use Case:
- Background research on nonprofit sector
- Trend analysis for advocacy strategies
� Grant Research & Fundraising Platforms
These platforms help nonprofits find grant opportunities and manage fundraising. They're built on open-source principles or community-funded models to keep data accessible.
Grantmakers.io ⭐ - "The Gold Standard for Free Grant Research"
Source: Community-supported open-source project
URL: https://www.grantmakers.io/
Cost: 100% FREE, no login required
What It Provides:
- Lightning-fast search through IRS 990-PF data (private foundation tax returns)
- Foundation giving histories - See who funded what organizations
- Grantee databases - Find all grants made to specific nonprofits
- Geographic targeting - Search by state, city, or region
- Year-over-year trends - Track foundation giving patterns
- No barriers - Zero account creation, API keys, or paywalls
Coverage:
- ✅ 75,000+ grantmaking foundations filing Form 990-PF
- ✅ Millions of grant records searchable instantly
- ✅ Full foundation financials - Assets, officers, giving patterns
- ✅ Historical data - Multi-year foundation trends
Why It's Special:
"Grantmakers.io is the gold standard for 'free as in freedom.' It's community-supported to remain accessible forever, with no login walls or premium tiers."
Use Cases:
- Grant Prospecting: Find foundations that funded similar organizations in your area
- Relationship Research: Identify foundations supporting oral health, public health, civic engagement
- Competitive Analysis: See which nonprofits are getting grants in your field
- Foundation Vetting: Review foundation assets and giving patterns before applying
Example Searches:
- Foundations that funded "fluoridation" or "oral health" projects
- Grantmakers in Massachusetts supporting health policy advocacy
- Foundations with >$10M assets funding civic engagement
- All grants made by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Alabama nonprofits
Zeffy ⭐ - "100% Free Fundraising with AI Grant Matching"
Source: Zeffy, Inc.
URL: https://www.zeffy.com/
Cost: 100% FREE for nonprofits (donor-covered fees model)
What It Provides:
- 100% free fundraising platform (no platform fees, ever)
- AI-powered grant matching - Machine learning matches your mission to opportunities
- Grant alerts - Email notifications for new matching grants
- All-in-one tools - Donations, events, memberships, grant discovery in one system
- North America coverage - U.S. and Canadian grant databases
Why It's Unique: Traditional fundraising platforms charge 3-5% fees on donations. Zeffy's donor-covered model means 100% of donations go to your organization, making it ideal for grassroots oral health advocacy groups.
Grant Discovery Features:
- Mission-based matching: Upload your mission, get matched grants
- Federal grants: Monitors Grants.gov for opportunities
- Foundation grants: Tracks private foundation RFPs
- Corporate giving: Alerts for corporate philanthropy programs
- Local grants: Community foundation and regional funder opportunities
Use Cases for Open Navigator:
- Nonprofit fundraising: Zero-cost donation processing for organizations
- Grant prospecting: AI helps match oral health nonprofits to relevant grants
- Event fundraising: Free ticketing for fundraising galas, community events
- Membership management: Track supporters, volunteers, members at no cost
Community Foundations - "Local Grants Often Overlooked"
Source: Council on Foundations
Locator: https://www.cof.org/community-foundation-locator
Coverage: 700+ community foundations across the U.S.
What They Are: Community foundations are public charities that pool donations from individuals, families, and businesses to support local nonprofits through competitive grants, scholarships, and donor-advised funds.
Why They Matter:
- 🏘️ Local focus: Prioritize organizations in their specific region
- 💵 Accessible grants: $500-$50,000 range, ideal for grassroots groups
- 🤝 Relationship-based: Know local issues and local leaders
- 📋 Simpler applications: Less bureaucratic than federal grants
- ⚡ Faster decisions: Quarterly or rolling deadlines
- 🎯 Mission alignment: Support community health, civic engagement, education
Examples:
| Foundation | Region | Website | Grant Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Alabama Community Foundation | Birmingham, AL | https://www.cacfbirmingham.org/ | Health, education, civic engagement |
| Boston Foundation | Boston, MA | https://www.tbf.org/ | Health, housing, civic participation |
| Community Foundation of Greater Memphis | Memphis, TN | https://www.cfgm.org/ | Health, youth, community engagement |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | San Francisco Bay | https://www.siliconvalleycf.org/ | Health, education, environment |
| Seattle Foundation | Seattle, WA | https://www.seattlefoundation.org/ | Racial equity, community health |
How to Find Your Local Community Foundation:
- Council on Foundations Directory: https://www.cof.org/community-foundation-locator
- Candid Foundation Finder: https://candid.org/find-us/foundation-finder
- Google Search: "[Your City] Community Foundation"
Grant Opportunities:
- Competitive grants: Open RFPs for nonprofits in specific focus areas
- Capacity building: Support for operations, staffing, strategic planning
- Donor-advised funds: Individuals/families make grants through the foundation
- Fiscal sponsorship: Some sponsor projects for groups without 501(c)(3) status
For Oral Health Advocacy: Many community foundations have health equity or preventive health focus areas that align perfectly with fluoridation advocacy, dental access programs, and oral health education. They're often the best first step for local grassroots campaigns.
�📈 Integration Roadmap
Phase 1: ✅ Implemented
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (3M+ orgs via API)
- Basic search by location and name
- Form 990 financial data display
Phase 2: 🔄 In Progress
- Create nonprofit profile pages with financial summaries
- Add "words vs money" accountability analysis
- Show executive compensation comparisons
Phase 3: 📋 Planned
- Integrate Charity Navigator API for star ratings
- Add transparency seal badges from Candid/GuideStar
- Display GiveWell recommendations for top charities
Phase 4: 🔮 Future
- Real-time API integrations with all reference sites
- Unified nonprofit scoring system
- Automated alerts for rating changes
🎯 How to Use These Resources
For Individual Users:
- Start with ProPublica - See the raw financial data (Form 990)
- Check Charity Navigator - Get the 4-star rating for financial health
- Verify with Candid - Confirm transparency seal status
- Look for GiveWell - If seeking highest-impact charities
For Advocates:
- Use ProPublica data to find inconsistencies ("words vs money")
- Reference Charity Navigator ratings in advocacy materials
- Cite GuideStar seals as proof of transparency
- Highlight GiveWell recommendations for evidence-based giving
For Researchers:
- Download raw data from IRS BMF
- Use NCCS for sector-wide analysis
- Cross-reference multiple sources for data validation
📞 Contact & Support
ProPublica API Support:
- Email: data@propublica.org
- Documentation: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/api
Charity Navigator:
- Partnership inquiries: https://www.charitynavigator.org/about-us/contact/
Candid (GuideStar):
- API access: https://www.guidestar.org/api
GiveWell:
- General inquiries: info@givewell.org
✅ Data Quality & Updates
- ProPublica: Updated annually when new Form 990s are filed with IRS
- Charity Navigator: Ratings updated quarterly
- Candid: Self-reported data updated by nonprofits continuously
- GiveWell: Top Charity list updated annually (November/December)
All data sources listed are free and publicly accessible. API access may require partnership agreements for commercial use.