> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/osint-tools/guide-star.md).
# GuideStar
| **GuideStar** | **Quick Overview** |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| URL | |
| What it does | Searches registered nonprofit organisations, providing access to charity profiles, financial information, IRS filings, leadership details and organisational transparency data. |
| How to use it | Search by charity name, Employer Identification Number (EIN), location or keyword to review an organisation's registration, finances, governance and activities. |
| Cost | Partially Free. Basic info is free, with premium subscriptions. |
| Account required | Yes (free registration required for many features). |
| Cookies | Standard authentication, analytics, functional and advertising cookies. |
| Ownership | Owned and operated by Candid, based in New York. |
| Use in Reporting | Useful for verifying nonprofit organisations, assessing financial health, identifying key personnel and supporting due diligence investigations involving charities and nonprofit entities. |
### What does GuideStar do?
GuideStar is one of the largest databases of nonprofit organisations, primarily covering organisations registered in the U.S. It compiles publicly available regulatory filings, financial statements and organisational information into searchable profiles.
You can use the platform to examine a charity's mission, programmes, governance structure, executive leadership, board members, revenues, expenditure, grants and tax filings.
**The lowdown:** It simplifies access to information that would otherwise require searching multiple regulatory databases and IRS records.
### How to Use:
**1. Search for the organisation using its name, EIN, location or keywords. Confirm you've selected the correct organisation before reviewing its profile.**
**2. Review financial information, IRS Form 990 filings, leadership, board members, programmes and organisational history. Pay particular attention to revenue sources, major grants and governance arrangements.**
**3. Cross-reference findings with IRS records, state charity regulators, corporate registries, organisation websites and other OSINT resources to verify information and build additional context.**
### Cost
* [ ] Free
* [x] Partially Free
* [ ] Paid
Basic information is free, with premium subscriptions offering enhanced data and analytics.
## Data Processing
### Account Required:
* [x] Yes
* [ ] No
Free registration required for many features.
### Cookies:
The site uses functional, analytics and advertising cookies to support authentication, user preferences, site performance, engagement measurement and advertising effectiveness. Examples include session analytics (s\_tp, s\_tslv), advertising identifiers (lms\_ads, UserMatchHistory) and interface management (sdui\_ver).
### Use in Reporting
GuideStar can support reporting by:
* Verifying nonprofit registration.
* Assessing organisational legitimacy.
* Reviewing financial performance.
* Identifying directors, trustees and executives.
* Supporting due diligence on charities and foundations.
* Providing evidence of governance and financial transparency.
Various media sources and news publications regularly cite GuideStar’s statistics, including The Chronicle of Philanthropy and [The New York Times. ](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/us/31charity.html)
| **Capabilities** | **Limitations** |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Searches thousands of registered nonprofit organisations from a single platform. | Primarily focused on U.S. nonprofit organisations. |
| Provides access to IRS Form 990 filings and financial disclosures. | Some financial information and analytical tools require a paid subscription. |
| Identifies leadership teams, board members, and key executives. | Data quality depends on regulatory filings and organisational reporting. |
| Reveals income, expenditure, grants, and programme spending. | Information may not reflect the organisation’s most recent activities due to filing schedules. |
| Assesses organisational transparency and governance. | Doesn’t cover private companies or commercial businesses. |
### Summary
GuideStar fits best during the analysis and verification stages of the OSINT workflow, enabling investigators to verify a non-profit’s legitimacy, understand its governance structure, and assess its financial position through official regulatory disclosures.
The platform is most effective when combined with corporate registries, sanctions databases, official charity regulators and open-source web research to build a comprehensive profile of a nonprofit organisation.
### Ownership
GuideStar is owned and operated by Candid, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York. Candid was formed in 2019 when GuideStar merged with the Foundation Center, bringing together two of the largest resources for information on nonprofits and philanthropy. The CEO is [Ann Mei Chang](https://www.linkedin.com/in/annmei/) although she has recently announced her retirement and a replacement is expected soon.
### Ethical Considerations
* Financial data should always be interpreted within the context of the organisation's mission and reporting requirements.
* Delays between financial years and published filings may affect the currency of information.
* Executive compensation or expenditure figures should not be viewed in isolation without considering organisational size and activities.
* Verify significant findings against original IRS Form 990 filings and official regulatory records.
* Avoid drawing conclusions about organisational conduct based solely on financial metrics.
### Related Tools:
* IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search
* Charity Navigator
* ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
* [OpenCorporates](/osint-tools/opencorporates.md)
* [Companies House](/osint-tools/companies-house.md)
#### Sources