Online Tools for Reviewing Charities
Carrying out further due diligence into charities online
The following websites can help you to carry out further due diligence on your charity of choice. We recommend checking the charity's most recent published accounts before approaching the charity.
The Charity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is established by law as the regulator and registrar of charities in England and Wales. Their aim is to provide the best possible regulation of these charities in order to increase charities' efficiency and effectiveness and public confidence and trust in them.
The Register of Charities holds comprehensive information about every registered charity in England and Wales, including their accounts.
The Office of the Scottish Charity Register (OSCR)
OSCR is the independent regulator and registrar of Scottish Charities. Their vision is for a flourishing charity sector in which the public has confidence, underpinned by OSCR's effective delivery of its regulatory role.
The Scottish Charity Register holds information about every registered charity in Scotland, including basic financial details although not a link to full accounts.
Intelligent Giving
Intelligent Giving is a not-for-profit organisation that measures the transparency of over 500 charities' annual reports. While the annual report is only one part of a charity's work, a good score denotes that at least one level of the organisation is professional.
Profile pages are free to view and include smiley faces and a percentage rate to indicate a good score. Other indicators include the existence of an ethical investment policy.
Guidestar UK
Guidestar UK displays comprehensive information about every charity - from the largest national charity to the thousands of small charities that are active in every community. GuideStar UK is a member of GuideStar Alliance.
We have been supported by HM Treasury, the Home Office, the Charity Commission and grant making trusts in the UK and US and by private donations. The site is free to use.
Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB)
The FRSB handle public complaints about how their charity members' raise money as well as offering the public a "mark of reassurance" to look for when giving to charities in the future.
Over 700 charities, including many of the UK's biggest, have already joined the scheme, membership of which is voluntary, and in doing so have agreed to adhere to a strict set of codes and a Fundraising Promise committing them to treat the public with respect, fairness, honesty and clarity in all their money raising activities. They must also sign up to an independent, robust and transparent complaints process.