Sources and methodology
Decira profiles are built from public records. Each fact shows where it came from and when we checked it, and anything an analyst concluded is labeled as judgment.
Where the information comes from
- Federal tax filings. Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, and the IRS registry of exempt organizations, including tax-exempt status and revocations.
- Funders' filed returns. The grants that foundations and other grantmakers report. This is how a profile shows who funds an organization.
- Federal audits. Single Audit reports filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse.
- State charity registrations.
- Government sanctions lists.
- Court records, where available.
- News coverage.
- What organizations publish themselves: their websites, annual reports and impact reports.
We don't collect information from individuals' personal websites or personal social media accounts. See People data.
Three levels
| Level | What it means |
|---|---|
| Registered | The organization is in the IRS registry. Its identity and tax-exempt status are confirmed. |
| Documented | Its filings have been read and organized: financial history, funders, programs and leadership, as filed. |
| Reviewed | An analyst has reviewed the evidence, checked screening and news results, and written a review. |
Facts and judgment
- Filed facts are shown as filed, with the form and year they came from. We don't change what an organization reported.
- Judgments are labeled. A review note, a confidence level or an assessment of news coverage is marked as Decira's review, with the date it was made.
- Decira informs funding decisions. It doesn't make them. The funder decides.
What a blank means
A blank can mean very different things, so we say which one it is:
- Answered from records: the answer is on file.
- Looked for, not found: we checked and it wasn't there.
- Not yet checked: we haven't looked yet.
- A question for the organization: only the organization can answer it.
- No source yet: we don't have a source for this today.
None of these is a finding about the organization. Less on record doesn't mean the organization did poorly.
Two dates on every fact
Each fact shows the period it covers and the date we checked it. Filings lag: a nonprofit files its Form 990 up to four and a half months after its year ends, or ten and a half with an extension. The most recent filing on record is often more than a year old.
Comparisons with peers
Where we compare an organization with peers, the peers are organizations doing similar work at a similar size. A comparison places a figure; it isn't a judgment that the figure is right or wrong.
More detail
Customers receive a detailed methodology document covering how each measure is calculated. To ask about anything on this page, email [email protected].
Last updated: October 15, 2026 · Questions: [email protected]