How To Verify A Charity Before Giving This Thanksgiving
Learn to check IRS status, state registration, and Form 990 spending before your Thanksgiving gift.
To verify a charity before giving this Thanksgiving, search its legal name or nine-digit EIN in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and confirm registration with your state regulator. Then check its Form 990, watchdog reports, and written solicitation details before you donate. An EIN is the charity's nine-digit tax ID.
It identifies the exact legal entity behind a familiar fundraising name. Use it when names sound alike or a local drive uses a national theme.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 02, 2026.
Confirm tax-exempt status with the IRS
The Internal Revenue Service states that donors can search a charity's legal name or EIN in the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool to see Pub. 78 eligibility, revocations, determination letters, and Form 990 filings. This check shows whether a gift can qualify as deductible.
It also flags revoked status that a solicitation may omit. A Form 990 adds spending and governance detail. It shows revenue, program versus overhead spending, executive pay, governance practices, and mission activity.
Compare the mission description with what the appeal promises for Thanksgiving meals, shelter, or deliveries.
What do outside reviews show?
The Federal Trade Commission advises searching the charity's exact name plus "complaint," "review," or "rating" in its Before Giving to a Charity guidance. That search surfaces donor feedback, press coverage, and regulator warnings. Read dates and specifics, not only star counts.
BBB Wise Giving Alliance reports cover nationally soliciting charities and measure them against 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. The standards address governance, finances, results, and fundraising. Reports appear on Give.org, which does not rank charities.
Is it registered to ask in your state?
Most states require a charity to register before it solicits. The Federal Trade Commission points donors to state charity regulators and the National Association of State Charity Officials for office listings. Check both the charity and any paid fundraiser named in the appeal.
Ask for the written solicitation details. Get the legal name, EIN, state registration, program purpose, and how to obtain financial records. Keep the letter, mailer, text, or email with the amount and date.
How should you pay and what should you avoid?
The Federal Trade Commission flags risky payment requests in its August 2026 consumer alert. It urges donors to pay by check or credit card. It also urges donors to confirm a text-to-donate number on the charity's own site.
- Pay by check or credit card so you have a clear record.
- Pause when asked for a gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, cash, or payment app.
- Confirm text-to-donate numbers and links on the charity's own site.
- Do not let a caller rush you or keep you on the line while you pay.
What if a small fundraiser has no rating?
New, small, or local Thanksgiving efforts often lack a watchdog rating. IRS data can also lag behind recent filings or status changes. Absence from a rating site alone does not resolve the question.
Cross-check IRS status, state registration, and written details together. Look for a street address, board members, past meal counts, partner pantry names, and a receipt policy. If something seems wrong, report it to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the state charity regulator found through nasconet.org.