For a variety of reasons, we have a different set of expectations from nonprofits relative to for-profit businesses with regards to transparency and information disclosure.  Some of it is legal and regulatory — as required to qualify as a nonprofit organization (for example a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization).  Some of it is a societal expectation for a nonprofit to be more transparent.  If a donor is making a contribution to a charitable cause, oftentimes there is a sense of (legitimate) entitlement to more information.

At Charity Blossom,  want to surface as much information as possible.

For this reason, we provide a forum and meeting place for nonprofits, donors, and other constituents to provide information, opinions, and insight into nonprofits.  Our goal is to be a valuable community resource of information about charities and nonprofits.

Form 990s at Your Finger Tips

In furthering this goal, we’ve decided to publish the Form 990 for all charities and nonprofits.  Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax, is submitted by tax-exempt and non-profit organizations to provide the Internal Revenue Service with annual financial information. This form is roughly equivalent to the Form 1040 that an individual files with the federal government. 

Form 990 contains a plethora of information.  Find out about donations made, how money is spent, salaries of key executives and other pertinent financial information.

While this information is  available from the IRS (for a fee) and some websites expose some of it, it is still difficult to get to.  Our goal is to make this public information easily accessible and as inexpensively as possible (currently, free!).  Just going to Charity Blossom and search for a nonprofit.  If we have the Form 990 for it, you can easily view it.

Form 990 in Bulk

While getting access to individual Form 990s for specific organizations is interesting and informatiive (for example, many have checked out the 990s of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation during a recent controversy), many have requested getting this information in bulk.  In other words getting access to all Form 900s for all organizations.  We’ve found while this information is “free” from the IRS, it still costs a few thousands of dollars for “media and processing” fees.  Further, it comes in an unmanageable set of about 200 DVDs.  Other companies provide this data at around $30,000/year) in a format that might not be very suitable for consumption.

At Charity Blossom, we can provide this information at a much more affordable level in a much more palatable form — a big USB disk.  Check it out.

We’re shining more light on nonprofits and charities.