Run a GuideStar Charity Check

GuideStar is an online database where nonprofits can store core data regarding their organization in one place. This may include:

• The nonprofit’s Board of Directors roster.
• The organization’s current and past IRS 990s.
• An Audited Financial Statement.

Each participating nonprofit has a profile, which is a web page that allows funders and the general public to access the organization’s information. There is no cost for nonprofit organizations, and any nonprofit can update their profile for free. Maintaining an up-to-date GuideStar profile provides nonprofits the opportunity to connect with current and potential supporters.

Your Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM) live site integrates with GuideStar. A 501c3 due diligence via the GuideStar charity check can be completed within the site as part of the LOI or application review process; saving time and resources for nonprofits and funders alike.

Run a GuideStar Charity Check - Save to Organization History

To create an audit trail of historical charity checks completed for an organization, you must run the charity check from one of the following pages:

• Within a submitted form.
• The Request Summary page.
• The Organization Summary page.

1. Navigate to the Organization Summary page, the Request Summary page, or to a submitted form, and then click the Guidestar Charity Check tab.
   
   
2. Click Run Charity Check.
   
   
   • If you have previously run a charity check for this organization you will see the organization's profile and the date the most recent charity check was generated.
   • If you receive an error, verify that the organization has an EIN/ Tax ID number entered in the correct format (##-#######), then try running the charity check again.
3. Utilize the IRS Publication 78 and IRS Business Master File tabs to find more information about the organization.
   
   
4. You have the option to download the organization's GuideStar profile as a PDF.
   
   
5. To view historical charity checks that have been run for the organization, click View Charity Check Log.
   
   
   • Click the eye icon next to each charity check to find the details of that specific charity check.

Run a GuideStar Charity Check - Do Not Save to Organization History

The following method of running a GuideStar charity check will not save the charity check information to the organization's history. This method can also be used to run a charity check for an organization that is not registered in your site.

1. Click Search in the navigation menu at the top of the page, and then select GuideStar.
2. Enter the organization's EIN/ Tax ID and click Search. 
   • If you do not know the organization's EIN/ Tax ID number, enter the Organization Name, City, and State instead.
3. Find the organization in the list that populates, and click the Organization Name.
4. Click Run Charity Check.
   
   
5. A new window will populate with the organization details. The IRS Publication 78 and IRS Business Master File tabs can be used to find more information about the organization.
   
   
6. You have the option to download the organization's profile as a PDF. 

Import Organization from GuideStar

If you wish to add the organization you searched for from the GuideStar search page to your site, complete the following steps.

1. After searching on the GuideStar Search page, click Add Organization from the Organization Details pop up.
   
   
   • You can also click the plus (+) icon for the organization you want to add.
     
     
     
2. This will take you to the Add New Organization page where most fields will be pre-populated with the information from the organization's GuideStar profile.
   • If you attempt to add an organization that has an EIN/ Tax ID that already exists in your site, you will receive a duplicate organizations warning message.
3. Once you have completed the required organization fields, click Save.