Finding a Nonprofit Is Not the Same as Vetting One

What to know about nonprofit research, due diligence, and finding the right fit.

Lately, I have been asked if I use AI in my work, especially to recommend nonprofits.

The answer is yes, sometimes. But I do not rely on it.

I have tested AI many times against my own nonprofit research and have even had the opportunity to test a few tools built specifically for nonprofit search. So far, I have found them pretty subpar and, at times, fairly inaccurate.

As a connector and philanthropy translator (which I sometimes call myself), my job is not to already know every answer. How could anyone with 1.8 million nonprofits in the U.S.?

My job is to know how to find the answer and right match.

So yes, I may start by casting a very wide net around an issue area using Google, LLMs, GuideStar, Giving Compass and other philanthropic databases.

But it is not a “cold search” (did I just invent that term?).

Because by then, I have already spent time with the client understanding their values, the outcomes they hope to see, the populations and communities they care about, approaches to funding, and their giving budget.

That changes the search completely. Once I start vetting organizations, I need much more than what is available online.

A 990 may already be a year or two old. A website may be outdated. Some excellent nonprofits have small communications budgets, and ironically, donors often say they do not want to see too much money spent on marketing.

There are also things that are much harder to find in a search result: leadership changes, board dynamics, funding mix, community trust, changes in strategy, and how programs are evolving.

So next, I reach out to trusted partners across the nonprofit and philanthropic sector: peer funders, specialized philanthropic advisors, intermediary and collaborative funds, and community leaders who may know the organizations, leaders, or programs doing strong work in that area.

Once I narrow the list, I have very specific questions I ask nonprofits.

After years of working with nonprofits and funders, I know what I want to understand and when something needs more context rather than automatically being treated as a red flag.

I use a guided framework with questions around these categories: History & Mission, Programs & Services, Strategy, Leadership & Representation, Board Governance, Impact, Measurement & Learning, Financial Health, and Donor & Community Specific Lenses.

I also take to heart that nonprofits are the experts in their own work. I want to respect their time, knowledge and relationships.

So, be careful about asking Google or AI for the “top nonprofits” or “highest-rated organizations” in a particular issue area. Top according to whom? Rated based on what? Using what data? How current is it? Google favors SEO and backlinks. AI can only work with the information it can find and interpret.

Before searching for the “best” nonprofit, first understand what matters to you and what you actually want your philanthropy to support.

AI can make the first part of research faster.

It does not replace human judgment, context, relationships, care, or actual due diligence.

Want COR Philanthropic Strategies to help you vet past or new nonprofits? Reach out to jaimi@corphilanthropy.com