The IRS publishes a master file of U.S. tax-exempt organizations. The Index links to existing public registries for filings and adds an editorial hypothesis about where the work sits on the chain from symptom to source. It starts with a small set of organizations; it is not a worldwide census.
What it is not
The Index is not a rating. Depth describes where work acts, not how good it is. Every level is needed, and a relief charity at depth 0 may be the best use of a given dollar. Each classification is labeled as a hypothesis, cites the organization’s own description of its work, and can be challenged in public.
How it’s built
Each entry is a small file in src/content/charities/ with the organization’s name, website, a one-line description of what it does, a depth classification, its cause areas and the interventions it delivers. Finances, filings and funders stay in the registries that already publish them, linked from every entry.
Use this reference base
Filter by cause area, depth hypothesis or review status. Inspect the cited description of an organization’s work, follow its website or public-registry links, and keep a source-linked reading dossier for your own research. Registry searches may return several organizations with similar names; check the identity before interpreting a filing.
Coverage and review
This is a small working index, not a worldwide census. Selecting an organization adds it to a research reading list. It does not recommend a donation, compare its worth with another organization or validate a depth hypothesis.
Every depth classification is a hypothesis about the organization’s described work, not a rating, recommendation or test of effectiveness. One organization can work at several depths. Every level is needed. This small collection is not a worldwide census.
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Against Malaria Foundation
Funds the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets to protect people from malaria.
- Depth hypothesis
- 2 · Prevention
- Cause areas
- Global health
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Prevention: nets stop malaria for the people who sleep under them.
Read the source list (1)
- Against Malaria Foundation, official website — Against Malaria Foundation
Center for Effective Philanthropy
Researches foundation and nonprofit practice and gives funders feedback from the organizations they fund.
- Depth hypothesis
- 3 · Structure
- Cause areas
- The charity system itself
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Structure: it gives funders feedback the system otherwise lacks.
Read the source list (1)
- Center for Effective Philanthropy, official website — Center for Effective Philanthropy
Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
Provides emergency medical humanitarian care in conflicts, epidemics and disasters.
- Depth hypothesis
- 0 · Relief
- Cause areas
- Global health · Peace and security
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Relief: urgent care where people would otherwise go without.
Read the source list (1)
- Doctors Without Borders (MSF), official website — Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
Feedback Labs
A network working to make listening to the people served the norm in aid and philanthropy.
- Depth hypothesis
- 3 · Structure
- Cause areas
- The charity system itself
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Structure: it targets the charity system’s missing feedback loop.
Read the source list (1)
- Feedback Labs, official website — Feedback Labs
Feeding America
A U.S. network of food banks that supplies food pantries and meal programs.
- Depth hypothesis
- 0 · Relief
- Cause areas
- Hunger and food security
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Relief: food for people who need it now.
Read the source list (1)
- Feeding America, official website — Feeding America
GiveDirectly
Sends unconditional cash transfers directly to people living in poverty.
- Depth hypothesis
- 1 · Repair
- Cause areas
- Extreme poverty
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Repair: cash restores resources and choices to recipients. Evaluations also study effects on local economies.
Read the source list (1)
- GiveDirectly, official website — GiveDirectly
GiveWell
Researches charities and publishes cost-effectiveness analyses to guide donations to highly cost-effective programs.
- Depth hypothesis
- 3 · Structure
- Cause areas
- The charity system itself · Global health
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Structure: evaluation infrastructure that changes where money in the system goes.
Read the source list (1)
- GiveWell, official website — GiveWell
Habitat for Humanity
Builds and repairs homes with families who need decent, affordable housing.
- Depth hypothesis
- 1 · Repair
- Cause areas
- Housing and homelessness
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Repair: homes built and restored. The organization also works on housing policy, which sits deeper.
Read the source list (1)
- Habitat for Humanity, official website — Habitat for Humanity
Helen Keller Intl
Works on health and nutrition, including vitamin A supplementation for young children.
- Depth hypothesis
- 2 · Prevention
- Cause areas
- Global health
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Prevention: supplementation prevents deficiency-related illness and death.
Read the source list (1)
- Helen Keller Intl, official website — Helen Keller Intl
Lead Exposure Elimination Project
Drives policies to eliminate lead poisoning, mainly through lead paint studies, support for government regulation and help for manufacturers switching to lead-free paint.
- Depth hypothesis
- 3 · Structure
- Cause areas
- Global health
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Structure: regulation changes the rules that produce exposure.
Read the source list (1)
- Lead Exposure Elimination Project, official website — Lead Exposure Elimination Project
Malaria Consortium
Runs programs against malaria and other diseases, including seasonal malaria chemoprevention for young children.
- Depth hypothesis
- 2 · Prevention
- Cause areas
- Global health
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Prevention: preventive medicine during the high-transmission season.
Read the source list (1)
- Malaria Consortium, official website — Malaria Consortium
New Incentives
Gives small cash incentives to caregivers in northern Nigeria when children receive routine vaccinations.
- Depth hypothesis
- 2 · Prevention
- Cause areas
- Global health
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Prevention: vaccines prevent disease; the incentives raise uptake.
Read the source list (1)
- New Incentives, official website — New Incentives
Our World in Data
Publishes research and data to make progress against the world’s largest problems; produced by the nonprofit Global Change Data Lab with researchers at Oxford.
- Depth hypothesis
- 4 · Source
- Cause areas
- Science and knowledge · The charity system itself
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Source (a hypothesis): it changes what people can see about the world’s problems, the vision source.
Read the source list (1)
- Our World in Data, official website — Our World in Data
Pratham
An Indian education organization whose Teaching at the Right Level approach groups children by learning level rather than grade.
- Depth hypothesis
- 2 · Prevention
- Cause areas
- Education
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Prevention for the children taught; structural where governments adopt the method.
Read the source list (1)
- Pratham, official website — Pratham
The Humane League
Campaigns for corporate and policy changes that improve the treatment of farmed animals.
- Depth hypothesis
- 3 · Structure
- Cause areas
- Animal welfare
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Structure: corporate and policy standards change what whole industries do.
Read the source list (1)
- The Humane League, official website — The Humane League
Wikimedia Foundation
The nonprofit that hosts Wikipedia and other free-knowledge projects.
- Depth hypothesis
- 4 · Source
- Cause areas
- Science and knowledge · Education
Inspect the recorded fields
- Classification note
- Depth hypothesis. Source (a hypothesis): open access to knowledge sits upstream of many problems, touching what Humanity’s Checklist calls gatekeepers and story.
Read the source list (1)
- Wikimedia Foundation, official website — Wikimedia Foundation