On this episode, we’ll look at ways nonprofit employees can become super sleuths – detectives for their organization. Let’s say your organization has been asked to co-host an event with several new organizations with whom you’re unfamiliar. Or perhaps, your organization is drawing some unwanted opposition from an organization that is spreading misinformation about your mission and its work. On this episode, we’ll look at a variety of free, online tools you can use to learn about nonprofits, their leaders, and their funders as well as uncover bots spreading misinformation.

 

Attorneys for this episode

Victor Rivera Leslie Barnes Quyen Tu

 

Shownotes

·      What you can glean from public records

·      Where to look for news stories

·      What to find on nonprofit and opposition websites

·      Researching funders

·      Uncovering messengers of misinformation – Astroturfing

 

Resources

Planning for Politically Motivated Attacks – Rules of the Game podcast

Secrets of 990 Rules of the Game podcast

Form 990 for 501(c)(4)s Rules of the Game podcast

Free Access to the full version of Foundation Directory partner locations – for researching funders and the grants they have awarded.

Pro Publica’s Nonprofit Explorer

Candid – free search of foundations’ 990 PF returns. Search for other nonprofits’ 990 returns here.

IRS Exempt Organization Search – where you can search for determination letters, 990s (including the 990 postcard), revocations,

John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight piece on Astroturfing (August 2018)

National Secretaries of State – business services