GuideStar
 |
|
| Founded | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Arthur "Buzz" Schmidt |
| Type | Non-profit Organization |
| 54-1774039 | |
| Focus | Nonprofit Information |
| Location | |
| Origins | Williamsburg, VA |
|
Area served
|
United States |
| Product | Nonprofit Analysis Solutions |
|
Key people
|
Jacob Harold, Evan Paul, James Dobrzeniecki, Debra Snider, Mizmun Kusairi, Adrian Bordone |
|
Revenue
|
10,676,538 |
|
Employees
|
83 |
| Slogan | Better data for better decisions for a better world. |
| Mission | To revolutionize philanthropy by providing information that advances transparency, enables users to make better decisions, and encourages charitable giving. |
| Website | www |
|
Formerly called
|
Philanthropic Research. Inc/ |
GuideStar USA, Inc. is an information service specializing in reporting on U.S. nonprofit companies. In 2010, their database contained over 5 million IRS Forms 990 on 1.9 million organizations.
GuideStar was one of the first central sources of information on U.S. nonprofits. According to the company, GuideStar was founded in Williamsburg, Virginia, in September 1994 and received tax-exempt status in 1996, the same year the company began posting nonprofit organizations' financial reports to the World Wide Web.
GuideStar's operations include data digitization, database management and development, nonprofit services, web site operations and research. GuideStar also serves to verify that a recipient organization is established and that donated funds go where the donor intended for individuals looking to give in the wake of disasters or during the holiday season. Those interested in reviewing a nonprofit's recent Forms 990 can register at GuideStar.org and download them for free, however most other information is available for a fee.
GuideStar, formerly known as Philanthropic Research, Inc., was founded in Williamsburg, Virginia, in September 1994 by Arthur "Buzz" Schmidt as a company dedicated to making charitable giving more efficient by providing easily accessible nonprofit information. GuideStar officially received tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) public charity in 1996. In July 1996, GuideStar published the GuideStar Directory of American Charities, a CD and printed index that presented full reports on 35,000 charities and partial reports on 7,000 other charities. That fall, GuideStar officially launched its website, allowing it to update the data more frequently and provide more extensive information. GuideStar proceeded to post information on all 501(c)(3) nonprofits listed in the IRS Business Master File, and by December 1997, the database held information on more than 600,000 nonprofits. From there, in 1998, GuideStar provided digitized 990 data on its Web site’s individual public charities pages. In October 1999, GuideStar began posting 501(c)(3) public charities’ annual information returns, known as IRS Forms 990 and 990-EZ. In 2001, GuideStar was known as the nation's premier nonprofit database, at the time offering financial information on more than 850,000 organizations.
In February 2002, former PBS Chief Operating Officer Robert G. Ottenhoff took on Schmidt's role as president, and Schmidt became Chairman of GuideStar's board.
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Wikipedia