Candid Foundation Directory

Candid is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide high-quality, comprehensive information about nonprofits, foundations, grantmaking and the social sector. 

Formed in 2019 by the merger of GuideStar and Foundation Center, Candid combines their datasets and services into a single entity. 

Why it matters

• With approximately 1.9 million organization profiles in the U.S., Candid offers a broad view of the nonprofit sector. 
• It helps multiple stakeholders:
  • Nonprofits looking for funding and wanting to present their stories
  • Funders and donors seeking to target their giving effectively
  • Researchers, analysts and service-providers wanting data insights on the social sector
• It emphasises transparency, discoverability and data-quality: Candid doesn’t just republish raw filings (like IRS 990s) but cleans, enriches and categorises the data to make it more usable. 

What Candid offers — Key Features

• Searchable database: You can look up nonprofits or foundations by name, EIN (tax ID), mission, location, keywords. 
• Data sources & classification: The data are pulled from various authoritative sources (IRS filings, charity registries, direct submissions), then harmonised and tagged using Candid’s classification system. 
• Insights & research: Beyond raw data, Candid publishes reports, visualisations and research on trends in the philanthropic/social sector. 
• Tools & innovation: For example, the “Candid Labs” initiative explores AI / tech-driven tools to help nonprofits find grants, write funding letters, etc. 

Strengths & advantages

• Comprehensive scope: By combining datasets from two legacy organisations, Candid brings together both funder- and nonprofit-side information.
• High data quality: Emphasis on cleaning/enriching the data improves reliability and usefulness.
• Accessibility and utility: Stakeholders across the social sector can use it (nonprofits, funders, researchers) which promotes alignment and efficiency.
• Transparency and accountability: It supports better oversight and understanding of the charitable/social sector.

Limitations & things to watch

• While the U.S. data coverage is strong, international coverage may be less complete or consistent—data-availability outside the U.S. depends more on partnerships and public disclosures. 
• The richness of insights depends heavily on how well organisations have submitted/enriched their own profiles. Incomplete data may limit usability.
• Some advanced tools or deeper datasets may require subscription or institutional access.
• For users outside the U.S. (e.g., India or other regions) the relevance of the data may depend on whether local nonprofits/funders enter their information or whether regional coverage exists.

Why you (or your lab/project) might care

• If your lab or institution is seeking funding, or partnering with nonprofits/foundations, Candid can help you identify potential funders or understand the ecosystem.
• If you are working on research in philanthropy, social impact or nonprofit operations, it offers a rich data source for analysis.
• If you are (or plan to be) part of a nonprofit or NGO, using Candid to claim and enrich your organisation profile can increase visibility and credibility to potential funders.
• Knowing these resources supports strategic decision-making (e.g., which funders are active in your field, trends in giving, comparators for benchmarking your organisation).