Mission:
To simplify research on U.S. nonprofit organizations by aggregating ratings and reviews from the nation's top charity watchdogs in a single location.

Background:
Launched in January 2014 by the Tampa Bay Times in partnership with the Center for Investigative Reporting, Charity Checker compiles ratings and reviews of thousands of nonprofit organizations from the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, and GreatNonprofits, with supplemental data provided by GuideStar and state charity regulators. Most of the data is updated every two weeks, the information from GuideStar on a quarterly basis, and state regulatory actions annually.

Outstanding Web Features:
Visitors to the site can search nonprofits by keyword or category and view ratings from Charity Navigator (based on financial performance and accountability measures) and GreatNonprofits (based on reviews submitted by the charity's clients, donors, volunteers, and others), as well as whether it meets the BBB Wise Giving Alliance's twenty Standards for Charity Accountability and GuideStar's seven standards for transparency. Ratings are plotted on a color-coded spectrum to show where the nonprofit stands with respect to other organizations, and users can click through to the organization's page on Charity Navigator, GreatNonprofits, or GuideStar for more details.