Candid

Candid is a United States nonprofit information service focused on transparency, research, and capacity building across the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. It was created on February 5, 2019, through the merger of GuideStar and Foundation Center, two long-running organizations whose activities centered on making information about charitable organizations, foundations, grants, and nonprofit performance more accessible. The organization’s predecessor institutions developed complementary data resources. GuideStar began as Philanthropic Research, Inc., founded by Arthur “Buzz” Schmidt in Virginia in the 1990s. It built one of the earliest broad, searchable sources of information about U.S. nonprofit organizations, including records derived from Internal Revenue Service filings and organizationally supplied profile information. GuideStar expanded from printed and CD-based directories into online profiles, compensation reporting, nonprofit reviews, donation tools, impact information, and data products used by donors, regulators, researchers, and charitable organizations. Its database had information on millions of organizations by the 2010s. Foundation Center was established in New York City in 1956 as the Foundation Library Center. Its original purpose was to improve public knowledge of private foundations and philanthropic activity at a time when transparency was an important response to congressional scrutiny. It published the first Foundation Directory in 1960, developed a nationwide network of library and community-based information locations, and later offered digital tools including Foundation Directory Online and Foundation Maps. Its research covered foundations, grantmakers, grants, giving patterns, and trends in the social sector. Candid combines these datasets and institutional networks. Its services include nonprofit and foundation databases, grant research tools, organizational profiles, research publications, educational programs, fundraising and management training, and resources intended to help donors and social-sector professionals assess organizations and identify funding opportunities. The organization also works to improve the quality and comparability of nonprofit information, encourage organizations to share data about their programs and results, and provide a more connected view of funders, grantees, and philanthropic activity. Candid is not a conventional consumer brand or commercial food company. The supplied India and food-industry classification conflicts with the authoritative subject, which is a U.S.-based nonprofit information organization. Candid’s principal audience includes nonprofit leaders, grantseekers, foundations, donors, researchers, journalists, government bodies, libraries, and other institutions working in philanthropy. Its present identity reflects the integration of GuideStar’s nonprofit profiles and Foundation Center’s foundation intelligence, with an emphasis on transparency, accessible data, research, and practical learning for the social sector.

Candid’s history is rooted in two organizations established to make philanthropic information more transparent. Foundation Center opened in New York City on November 26, 1956, as the Foundation Library Center. Its founders, including John Gardner, F. Emerson Andrews, and other foundation leaders, viewed broad public access to information as a way to strengthen philanthropy and demonstrate responsible foundation conduct. Andrews became its founding president. The organization began building information repositories in libraries and other public locations in 1959, a program that eventually developed into the Funding Information Network. In 1960 it published the first Foundation Directory, which became a continuing source of information about foundations and their activities. The organization adopted the name The Foundation Center in 1968 as its work expanded beyond a library function. Foundation Center collected information from foundation reports, public tax filings, websites, questionnaires, and grant lists. It distributed printed publications and later created digital services, including Foundation Directory Online and Foundation Maps. Its work covered foundation assets, grants, funders, recipients, giving patterns, and broader trends in philanthropy. The Funding Information Network extended access through libraries, community foundations, nonprofit agencies, and other local partners, which provided public access and training on the organization’s resources. GuideStar began in the 1990s as Philanthropic Research, Inc., founded by Arthur “Buzz” Schmidt in Williamsburg, Virginia. The organization received tax-exempt status in 1996 and published its first GuideStar Directory of American Charities that year in CD and print formats. It also launched a website, allowing nonprofit information to be updated and searched more readily. In 1997 GuideStar began posting information on organizations listed in the IRS Business Master File, and it later added digitized Form 990 and Form 990-EZ data. These efforts made it an important centralized source for information about U.S. charities and other nonprofit organizations. During the 2000s and early 2010s, GuideStar expanded its services. It introduced annual nonprofit compensation reporting, responded to emergency philanthropy needs after the September 11 attacks, worked with state regulators, added donation functionality through Network for Good, and developed tools for nonprofit reviews and impact information. Acquisitions and partnerships broadened its reach, including work with Philanthropedia, Social Actions, GreatNonprofits, Independent Sector, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Charity Navigator. GuideStar Exchange and later nonprofit profile seals encouraged organizations to provide additional information beyond basic government records. In the mid-2010s, GuideStar placed greater emphasis on results, organizational context, and program information rather than relying on overhead ratios as a proxy for effectiveness. Its GuideStar 2020 plan sought additional investment in data collection, innovation, and distribution. A 2016 profile redesign introduced more prominent information about geographic reach, leadership, financial stability, funding, and results, while a Platinum seal recognized organizations that shared progress and outcomes. GuideStar also became involved in public debate after displaying notices connected to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s hate-group classifications. A lawsuit filed by one of the affected groups was dismissed in 2018, with later appeal and rehearing requests denied. Foundation Center and GuideStar began formally exploring a merger in 2012. Their combination was intended to connect GuideStar’s nonprofit-organization information with Foundation Center’s foundation and grantmaking data. On February 5, 2019, the merger created Candid. The new organization stated that integrated data and networks could produce more useful search results, sector insights, training, fundraising support, and technology for nonprofits and funders. Donor support, including grants associated with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, helped fund integration and related organizational needs. Candid continues the predecessor organizations’ role as a nonprofit information and learning infrastructure provider for philanthropy.

• 2019

  Candid formed

  [1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  GuideStar and Foundation Center completed their merger and began operating as Candid.

• 2017

  GuideStar hate-group notices withdrawn temporarily

  [1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  GuideStar said it was removing notices based on SPLC classifications for the time being.

• 2013

  Funding Information Network name adopted

  [1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Foundation Center rebranded its cooperating collection network as the Funding Information Network.

• 1997

  GuideStar begins broad IRS nonprofit coverage

  [1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  GuideStar began posting information on nonprofits included in the IRS Business Master File.

• 1996

  GuideStar directory and website launched

  [1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Philanthropic Research published its first charity directory and launched a website for nonprofit information.

• 1994

  GuideStar predecessor founded

  [1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Arthur “Buzz” Schmidt founded Philanthropic Research, Inc., the organization that developed GuideStar.

• 1960

  First Foundation Directory published

  [1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Foundation Center issued the first edition of its continuing directory of foundations.

• 1956

  Foundation Library Center opens

  [1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Foundation Center’s predecessor opened in New York City to improve access to information about foundations and philanthropy.

A nonprofit, data-driven infrastructure provider for philanthropic transparency and social-sector decision-making.

• Nonprofit information · 1996

  Candid nonprofit profiles

  Profiles provide structured information about nonprofit organizations, including mission, leadership, geographic reach, finances, funding, programs, and results when available. The service evolved from GuideStar’s public charity database and encourages nonprofits to supplement government records with organizational information. It is used by donors, researchers, journalists, funders, and prospective partners.

• Grantmaking database

  Foundation Directory Online

  A searchable resource for researching foundations, grantmakers, grants, and funding opportunities. It continues Foundation Center’s directory tradition by helping nonprofit organizations identify prospective funders and helping researchers examine philanthropic activity.

• Philanthropy data visualization

  Foundation Maps

  A mapping and analytical resource designed to show relationships among funders, grants, recipients, locations, and issue areas. It supports exploration of philanthropic patterns and helps users interpret where funding is directed.

• Public information and training network · 1959

  Funding Information Network

  A network of libraries, community foundations, nonprofit agencies, and other local partners that provide public access to Candid and predecessor Foundation Center resources. Partners also offer training and assistance related to fundraising, sustainability, leadership, and management.

• 2017

  Defamation dispute over hate-group notices

  GuideStar faced a defamation lawsuit after displaying a notice on some nonprofit profiles tied to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s hate-group classifications. The case was dismissed by a federal district court in 2018, and subsequent appeal and rehearing requests were denied.

  Source

Read more

• 2014Overhead Myth Campaign

  United States

  GuideStar joined Charity Navigator and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance to challenge the use of administrative overhead as a simplistic measure of nonprofit effectiveness. The campaign encouraged donors and funders to consider mission, results, transparency, and organizational context.

  Outcome. The campaign contributed to a broader sector discussion about evaluating nonprofit performance through impact and results rather than overhead ratios alone.

  Source

• 2019

  Merger of GuideStar and Foundation CenterM&A

  Background

  The two organizations held complementary datasets: GuideStar focused primarily on nonprofit organizations, while Foundation Center specialized in foundations, grants, and philanthropy research.

  Action taken

  They merged on February 5, 2019, creating Candid and seeking to integrate their databases, networks, technology, research, and educational services.

  Aftermath

  Candid became a combined nonprofit information infrastructure organization serving grantseekers, funders, donors, researchers, and other social-sector users.

  Source

• 2016

  Shift toward results and organizational contextStrategy

  Background

  GuideStar and other sector organizations increasingly questioned whether overhead ratios were adequate indicators of nonprofit effectiveness.

  Action taken

  GuideStar redesigned its nonprofit profiles to foreground geographic reach, results, funding, financial stability, and leadership, and introduced a Platinum participation level for organizations sharing progress and outcomes.

  Aftermath

  The change reinforced a sector-wide movement toward assessing nonprofit impact and transparency through richer information.

  Source

• 2019

  GuideStar and Foundation Center merge to form Candid[1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The two nonprofit information organizations completed their merger, combining major datasets on nonprofit organizations, foundations, grants, and philanthropy.

• 2018

  GuideStar prevails in defamation lawsuit over nonprofit profile notice[1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Lawsuit

  A federal district court dismissed a defamation action brought after GuideStar displayed a notice associated with the Southern Poverty Law Center’s designation of certain organizations; subsequent appellate and rehearing efforts were unsuccessful.

• 2017

  GuideStar temporarily removes hate-group labels[1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  After criticism and litigation concerns surrounding notices based on Southern Poverty Law Center classifications, GuideStar announced that it was removing the labels for the time being.

• 2014

  GuideStar and partners launch the Overhead Myth campaign[1]Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  GuideStar, Charity Navigator, and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance promoted a shift away from judging charities primarily by overhead ratios and toward evaluating results and impact.

1. 1Candid (organization)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Candid official websitecandid.org
3. 3Candid acquires media agency De Media Maatschapprnewswire.com
4. 4Candid acquires PR and corporate communications agency Cooprprnewswire.com
5. 5Candid acquires UK-based Brand Potentialadformatie.nl
6. 6Candid acquires UK-based Brand Potentialprnewswire.com