This guide provides starting points for verifying non-profit and charitable organizations outside the United States. Regulations vary significantly by country, and this list is not exhaustive.
Expand for Country-by-Country Resources
- Primary Registrar: Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
- Use the ACNC Charity Register to search for an organization's status, financial information, and regulatory history.
- Primary Registrar: Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) - Charities listing
- Search here to confirm an organization is a registered charity and view its annual T3010 information returns.
- Primary Registrar: Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern) - Register of Charitable Organizations
- Provides a central register for organizations granted tax-privileged status.
- Primary Registrar: Charities Regulator - Register of Charities
- Search the register to find information on charities operating in Ireland.
- Primary Registrar: While there is no single central database, many legitimate non-profits are registered as "Specified Nonprofit Corporations."
- NPO Portal: Cabinet Office's NPO portal (English)
- Membership Body: Japan Association of Charitable Organizations (JACO)
- Primary Registrar: Charities Services Register
- Search here for registered charities, their activities, and annual returns.
- England and Wales: GOV.UK - Find a charity
- Searches the register of the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
- Scotland: Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)
- Search the Scottish Charity Register.
- Northern Ireland: Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
- Search the register for charities in Northern Ireland.