Which public records New York keeps about a charity that asks you for money, in the state's own words. The agency the research names is the New York State Office of the Attorney General, Charities Bureau. 10 official sources back this page. Last checked 2026-07-20.
Free to read. No account needed. Nothing on this page is a rating or an endorsement of any organization.
What this state records about charities that ask you for money
Registration is a filing requirement, not a rating. States exempt whole categories of organization from it, so an organization that does not appear in a state record is not necessarily doing anything wrong, and one that does appear has not been endorsed.
Register under Article 7-A before soliciting contributions in New York
SOURCE VERIFIED
A covered organization must register with the Attorney General before solicitation begins. Executive Law §172 requires the registration to identify the organization, officers and directors, New York offices or records custodian, governing documents, federal tax status, programs, fiscal year, fundraising professionals and affiliates, and requires authorized officer signatures. Out-of-state incorporation does not itself avoid the duty. Current registration is submitted through the Charities Bureau online portal.
Applies to: A charitable organization that intends to solicit contributions from persons in New York or from a governmental agency and is not exempt under Executive Law §172-a.
Exceptions
Executive Law §172-a contains religious and other categorical exemptions and the small-organization exemption.
Defined terms under Executive Law §171-a and fact-specific solicitation nexus remain material.
File the CHAR500 by the correct fiscal-year-relative deadline
SOURCE VERIFIED
Article 7-A and dual registrants file by the 15th day of the fifth month after fiscal year end. EPTL-only registrants file no later than six months after fiscal year end. Use the online CHAR500 filing system and provide the federal return and financial statements required for the organization’s filing branch.
Applies to: A registered organization not exempt from the applicable annual filing obligation.
Exceptions
A registrant qualifying under Executive Law §172-b(3) files an annual exemption or verified statement instead of a full financial report; that branch remains an annual filing.
Source: Charities Annual Filing (CHAR500) — New York State Office of the Attorney General, Charities Bureau and 3 more official sources below.
Last verified
What financial detail the state requires at what size
This is what the organization has to produce for the state, which tells you what already exists to ask for. It is not a statement that any particular organization is above or below these thresholds.
Attach an unaudited, reviewed or audited financial report at the exact revenue threshold
VERIFICATION IN PROGRESS
Executive Law §172-b states: gross revenue and support in excess of $1,000,000 requires an independent CPA audit; at least $250,000 but not more than $1,000,000 requires a CPA review; and not in excess of $250,000 permits an unaudited report. The statutory text therefore overlaps at exactly $250,000.
Applies to: An Article 7-A registrant filing an annual report.
Exceptions
Use the statutory gross revenue and support metric, not net assets or federal filing thresholds.
Other grants may impose separate audits.
Verification in progress: one or more details in this entry are still being confirmed against the cited official materials. Check the linked source before relying on it.
These are the offices the New York research itself names for the filings above. An office that keeps a record is also the place to take a question or a concern about one.
This page carries New York's rules, not any organization's filing history. The offices above hold the records for the organization you are asking about.
Which state's rules apply to your gift
Your state of residence, the organization's home state, and the state it solicits in can all differ. This page is about New York.
What this organization promised you
Restrictions on your gift, refund terms, recurring-payment terms and the acknowledgment you receive come from the organization itself. Ask it, and keep what it sends.
BEFORE YOU GIVE
Make the checklist for your gift.
The federal side of a donation does not change by state: what to confirm before paying, and which record to keep afterward. Build a list around the gift you are actually making.
The rules above are three of the requirements New York puts on a nonprofit. The full guide covers formation, governance, reporting, tax and employment, from the same official sources.
Linking to this donor page from your own donation page or donor FAQ is welcome. It does not replace your organization's required notices, policies or donation acknowledgments.
Official sources
10 official sources back the entries on this page. Every one is a government statute, regulation, agency instruction, form or portal.
Agency or authority
Source
Accessed
URL
New York State Office of the Attorney General; official New York Codes, Rules and Regulations publication