Where to Find a Nonprofit's 990 Form and How to Leverage It

As a nonprofit professional, you’re familiar with the yearly maintenance that ensures your organization’s continued success: filing Form 990 with the IRS. Without submitting this form accurately and on time, you jeopardize your 501(c)(3) status—and, as a result, essential revenue and credibility. Because Form 990 is a public document, anyone can see gaps in your records, impacting supporter acquisition and retention. 

With so much at stake, your nonprofit’s team should prioritize correctly filing Form 990 by your unique annual deadline. Take your preparation a step further by understanding how potential supporters can find Form 990—that way, you can improve data hygiene and ensure important nonprofit records are accessible to potential supporters.

Why do people search for 990 forms?

Let’s review why it benefits nonprofits and philanthropic individuals to know where to find 990 filings:

For supporters

• Informed giving. Philanthropists hoping to support a great cause must know their hard-earned money will go to a worthy organization. Form 990 provides in-depth information about your nonprofit’s activities, financial health, key decision-makers, and effectiveness in achieving its mission.
• b Once someone has financially committed to your mission by donating, you need to convince them to continue giving in the future. Providing concrete evidence of your effectiveness through financial data reinforces their trust in your team to deliver on your promises.

For nonprofits

• Improved reputation. Your nonprofit’s reputation as a professional, reliable, and trustworthy organization is everything when it comes to acquiring and retaining loyal donors. Consistently filing accurate reports and tax forms shows your operational effectiveness and progress toward your vision.
• Strategic insights. As the key indicator of your nonprofit’s financial health, Form 990 should be the cornerstone of your strategic planning efforts. You can leverage this data to critically examine your past successes and opportunities to improve, as well as looking at similar nonprofits for benchmarking purposes.

Where to Find Form 990 for Nonprofits

There are several different places where supporters and peer organizations can find a nonprofit’s 990 form, including:

• IRS nonprofit database. Start your search by going straight to the source—the IRS itself. It has a comprehensive database where users can easily search for tax-exempt organizations based on their Employer Identification Number (EIN) or name. You can also tailor results with a city, state, and country filter.
• Third-party websites. Solutions have extensive records past the baseline Form 990. For example, Candid, a leading nonprofit data provider, offers not only 990 forms for nonprofits but also details about their missions, satisfaction from supporters, and impact. Plus, these systems present data in a digestible format instead of an extensive form.
• Directly from the nonprofit. If you’re still having trouble locating a nonprofit’s 990 filings, ask the organization directly. This also presents an opportunity to build rapport with the nonprofit’s team and experience how they interact with stakeholders firsthand.

Best Practices for Finding and Leveraging Form 990 Filings

Knowing where to find nonprofit 990 filings is only the beginning of this process. These specific actions can help you maximize your returns from this process: 

• Determine focus documents beforehand. Knowing exactly what forms you’re looking for makes finding and analyzing Form 990 more efficient. For instance, if you’re looking to find information on a small or new nonprofit, look for a Form 990-N postcard, as this is the form for nonprofits with under $250,000 in gross receipts.
• Use certified third-party solutions that integrate with the IRS. If you use a third-party solution, it should integrate with the source of truth—the IRS.
• Check annually around tax season. Your source of 990 filings should be fully updated with the most recent filings so you have accurate information to leverage. Check for new form uploads around a nonprofit’s filing deadline.
• Understand how to analyze Form 990 critically. The sheer amount of information on Form 990 can be overwhelming to analyze. Focus on specific metrics based on your goals. For instance, if you want to get a full picture of your budget allocation, look at metrics like how much was spent on different programs versus their returns.
• Keep accurate, updated records. Remember, your nonprofit must keep its 990 filings updated so community members can make an informed decision about supporting you. Use software (like File 990) to proactively correct any discrepancies on your forms, submit them on time, and maintain an accurate archive of past filings—both your nonprofit and potential supporters will benefit!

Knowing Where to Find a Nonprofit's 990 Form: Next Steps

Now that you know where to find Form 990 for an organization, you can put your own filing plans into action! First, you should obtain the infrastructure you’ll need to improve your filing strategy—our favorite solution, File 990, is an affordable and effective platform for small and mid-sized nonprofits. With the tips from this guide and the right tools, you’ll be able to gain more insights from Form 990 while winning more support. 

• E-file Form 990N Postcard: How-to-File Guide for Nonprofits. While shorter, you still need to be fully prepared to prepare the 990-N postcard. Learn more in this guide. 
• 990EZ for Nonprofits | Everything You Need to Know to File. Learn how to master this form for mid-sized nonprofits here.
• 990-EZ vs 990-N: How to Tell the Difference + Other FAQs. Are you a small or mid-sized organization? You might be wondering which abridged nonprofit tax form is for you—learn everything you need to know in this guide.