Propublica Nonprofits How To Search Find Key Info

Leo Migdal

-Dec 9, 2025, 11:13 AM

propublica nonprofits how to search find key info

Browse millions of annual returns filed by tax-exempt organizations with ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer. See details like executive compensation, revenue, expenses and more. Search for an organization or a person, or search the full text of filings. Looking for filings for political nonprofits? Try the 527 Explorer. Most-viewed nonprofits, measured by unique visitors to an organization’s pages in the past seven days.

Total nonprofit revenue is based on the most recently reported earnings for organizations headquartered in the state. Highest salary is based on figures those organizations disclosed in their tax filings. Nonprofit Explorer includes summary data for nonprofit tax returns and full Form 990 documents, in both PDF and digital formats. Hey guys! Ever wondered how to really dig into a nonprofit's financials and operations? Well, you've come to the right place.

We're going to break down everything you need to know about using ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer, a seriously awesome tool for researching nonprofits. It’s like having a superpower for due diligence, whether you're a donor, a grant-maker, or just plain curious. Let's dive in and see how to make the most of it! Okay, so first things first, what is this Nonprofit Explorer thing anyway? ProPublica, known for its stellar investigative journalism, has created this online tool that basically opens up the books on over 2.5 million tax-exempt organizations. Think of it as a giant database filled with Form 990 filings – those annual reports that nonprofits are required to submit to the IRS.

But it’s not just a pile of documents; ProPublica has made it searchable and user-friendly, which is a total game-changer. With ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer, you can easily access a wealth of information, including financial data, executive compensation, program expenses, and even a nonprofit's mission statement. This level of transparency is crucial for making informed decisions about where your donations go, ensuring accountability, and understanding the nonprofit landscape. Whether you're a potential donor wanting to ensure your money is well-spent, a researcher studying the nonprofit sector, or a journalist investigating organizational practices, ProPublica's tool provides invaluable insights. The platform also allows you to compare different nonprofits, track trends, and identify potential red flags, making it an indispensable resource for anyone involved in or interested in the nonprofit world. The accessibility and comprehensiveness of the Nonprofit Explorer empower individuals and organizations to make data-driven decisions, fostering a more transparent and accountable nonprofit sector.

So, if you're serious about understanding nonprofits, this is the place to start. Now, you might be thinking, “Why should I bother with ProPublica when there are other ways to research nonprofits?” Great question! The main advantage of ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer is its accessibility and the sheer volume of information it compiles in one place. Forget sifting through endless IRS websites or paying for expensive data services. ProPublica puts it all at your fingertips – and for free! It's like having a treasure trove of nonprofit data, without the Indiana Jones-style adventure to find it.

The user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate, search, and compare different organizations. You can quickly find key financial metrics, leadership details, and program information, saving you valuable time and effort. Beyond just convenience, ProPublica's commitment to investigative journalism means they're not just throwing data at you; they're also providing context and analysis. They often highlight trends, issues, and potential problems within the nonprofit sector, which can help you see the bigger picture. This dual approach of providing data and insightful reporting makes ProPublica a standout resource for anyone serious about understanding the nonprofit world. Plus, the ability to track changes over time and compare similar organizations side-by-side gives you a comprehensive view that you simply can't get from other sources.

So, if you’re looking for a reliable, comprehensive, and free way to research nonprofits, ProPublica is your go-to tool. Trust me, once you start using it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it! Alright, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: how do you actually use this magical tool? Searching for nonprofits on ProPublica is surprisingly straightforward. The search bar is your best friend here. You can search by organization name, keyword, city, state, or even EIN (Employer Identification Number).

It's like having a super-powered Google just for nonprofits! Once you type in your search term, ProPublica will pull up a list of organizations that match. From there, you can click on any listing to dive deeper into their profile. ProPublica’s search functionality is designed to be intuitive, so even if you’re not a data whiz, you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for. The platform also offers advanced search options, allowing you to filter results by specific criteria such as revenue, expenses, or program area. This level of detail is incredibly useful if you're trying to narrow down your search to organizations that fit your particular interests or needs.

For example, if you’re looking for animal welfare nonprofits in a specific city, you can easily filter your search to find exactly that. The key is to play around with the search terms and filters to see what results you get. ProPublica's search algorithm is quite sophisticated, so it's worth trying different variations of your search query to ensure you're not missing any relevant organizations. And remember, the more specific you can be with your search terms, the better your results will be. So go ahead, give it a try – you might be surprised at what you discover! Once you've found the nonprofit you're interested in, clicking on their listing opens up a treasure trove of information.

The nonprofit profiles on ProPublica are incredibly detailed, providing a comprehensive overview of the organization's financials, leadership, and activities. Think of it as a deep dive into the nonprofit's inner workings. At a glance, you can see key information such as the organization's mission statement, contact details, and website. But the real gold lies in the financial data. ProPublica presents information from the nonprofit's Form 990 in an easy-to-understand format, including revenue, expenses, assets, and liabilities. You can see how much money the organization brought in, where it spent its money, and how its finances have changed over time.

This is crucial for assessing the nonprofit's financial health and stability. The profiles also provide information on the nonprofit's leadership, including the names and compensation of key executives and board members. This can help you understand who is in charge and whether they are being fairly compensated. Additionally, you can see details about the nonprofit's programs and activities, giving you a sense of what the organization actually does and how it carries out its mission. ProPublica also includes links to the nonprofit's original Form 990 filings, so you can always go back to the source documents if you want even more detail. Understanding these nonprofit profiles is key to making informed decisions about whether to donate, volunteer, or partner with an organization.

It's all about having the information you need to ensure your involvement is making a real difference. ProPublica provides an application programming interface (API) to the search engine and database that powers Nonprofit Explorer. The Nonprofit Explorer API uses a RESTful style. See individual methods below for permitted requests. The Nonprofit Explorer API only accepts GET requests. All requests begin with https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/api/v2

The Nonprofit Explorer API responses are available in the json format. Responses are also available as jsonp by passing in a callback parameter. The format of the JSON/JSONP response may sometimes be modified with the output parameter. (See the /search.json endpoint parameters, below.) The online search tool allows you to search for an organization's tax exempt status and filings in the following data bases: You can choose from a number of data sets in the dropdown list:

The information on the organizations are produced from computer records and is subject to certain limitations, particularly in the format and arrangement of the entries. Note: If you are not getting the result you want, try sorting by city, state or zip. To narrow your search, use the date format MM-DD-YYYY or select a data range on the calendar. Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) Thank you for your interest in republishing this story. You are free to republish it so long as you do the following:

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. During the year’s busiest season of charitable giving, donors may wonder whether the nonprofits they are considering donating to are going to be good stewards of their money. ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer already allows users to thoroughly research charities, and now we’re adding more features to help you understand the financial health of organizations. Starting Monday, you can search for organizations that have reported a significant theft, as well as those that have had auditors flag serious financial issues. Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

Thank you for your interest in republishing this story. You are free to republish it so long as you do the following: ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. On Friday, we updated our Nonprofit Explorer database in two big ways. First, we’ve added the ability to view key employees and officers right on an organization’s page.

Second, we’ve updated and extracted a ton of fresh data beyond our normal tax filing updates, adding millions of new employee records and tens of thousands of new audits. Now, on an organization’s page on Nonprofit Explorer, you’ll notice a new section below each entity’s financial information for each fiscal year. In that section, you’ll find up to 25 key employees and officers of the organization, along with each person’s role and compensation. Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) Thank you for your interest in republishing this story. You are free to republish it so long as you do the following:

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