Read the source
How to read Form 990 before donating
Start with the legal name, EIN and tax period. Then connect the program description to the expense table, read the explanations, and compare the same reporting entity over time. A filing helps you ask informed questions. It cannot establish impact on its own.
Sources checked October 23, 2026 · Section references below use the 2025 full Form 990.
Find the right record first
Use the charity’s financial-report page or IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (opens a new tab). Match the EIN, not just a similar name. The return may represent a national organization, a local provider or a group. Check its stated scope before treating it as the whole network.
Form 990-EZ, 990-PF and 990-N have different formats. Some organizations are not required to file a full Form 990. An absent full return alone is not evidence of wrongdoing. IRS instructions: who must file and exceptions (opens a new tab).
A map of the full Form 990
| Where | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Heading and Part I | Entity, tax period and summary figures. |
| Part III | Reported program accomplishments and activities. |
| Parts VI and VII | Governance disclosures and compensation information. |
| Part VIII | Revenue sources. |
| Part IX, line 25 | Total, program, management/general and fundraising expenses in columns A–D. |
| Part X | Assets, liabilities and net assets. |
| Schedule O | Narrative explanations that qualify the numbers and disclosures. |
Source: IRS 2025 Form 990 instructions (opens a new tab). Use the instructions for the actual year and form you are reading.
Calculate a spending share carefully
For the full Form 990 expense table, divide Part IX line 25 column B by column A and multiply by 100. Check that program, management/general and fundraising reconcile to the total before using the ratio.
Illustrative example: $720,000 in program expenses divided by $1,000,000 total expenses gives 72%. That is an accounting allocation for a past period. It does not mean 72 cents of your next dollar will reach a person, nor that the organization is 72% effective.
Read the treatment of donated goods and shared educational/fundraising costs. Part IX line 26 provides joint-cost information. Do not add it again to the total. Audit and tax-return totals can also differ. Our Meals on Wheels America example shows why the source basis matters.
Turn the record into better questions
- What work produced the program expenses, and what evidence describes its results?
- Does compensation reflect responsibilities, comparable roles and a documented decision process?
- Why did fundraising or administration change, and what did that spending enable?
- Are apparent year-to-year differences caused by a new program, a different period, an amendment or an accounting change?
Marketing, operations and effective leadership can support growth and delivery. A disproportionate share outside programs deserves explanation, but we recommend no universal spending cutoff. Read our approach to overhead and compensation.
Save the exact source and reporting period with your notes. Check for newer reports before deciding. See how we measure the age of our stored financial records, then compare charities with the scope and dates in view.