Which public records Washington keeps about a charity that asks you for money, in the state's own words. The agency the research names is the Washington Secretary of State, Charities Program (Corporations and Charities Division). 14 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 with the Washington Charities Program before soliciting when the statutory trigger applies
SOURCE VERIFIED
A covered charitable organization must register with the Secretary of State before soliciting contributions. Registration analysis is separate from nonprofit incorporation and foreign corporate registration.
Renew charitable registration by the last business day of the eleventh month after fiscal year end
SOURCE VERIFIED
File the annual charity renewal online, update financial and organizational information and pay the renewal fee. The completed renewal form and fee must be received no later than the last business day of the eleventh month after the end of the organization’s accounting year.
Applies to: A registered charitable organization that continues soliciting or receiving contributions in Washington.
Exceptions
An extension of federal Form 990 does not automatically change the Washington renewal deadline unless the Washington program expressly grants or recognizes an extension.
A change in accounting year may not cause the renewal due date to be more than one year after the prior registration or renewal.
Corporate annual reports have a different deadline.
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.
Tier 1 applies when average annual gross revenue over the three preceding completed accounting years is $1,000,000 or less and requires RCW 19.09.075 reporting. Tier 2 applies when that average is more than $1,000,000 and up to $3,000,000 and requires public access to either the organization’s normally filed federal return prepared by a CPA or other professional preparer, or an independent CPA audit for the preceding year. Tier 3 applies when the average is more than $3,000,000 and requires an independent third-party audit for the preceding year, made publicly available.
Whether the organization is still current with the state
Every nonprofit corporation owes its state this filing to stay in good standing, and the state keeps the result as a public record. It is separate from any charity registration above, and being current says nothing about how an organization spends what you give it.
File the corporate annual report by the last day of the anniversary month
SOURCE VERIFIED
File a Secretary of State annual report by the last day of the entity’s anniversary month. The report may be filed up to 180 days early. A chapter 24.03A nonprofit annual report currently costs $60, reduced to $20 if the official less-than-$500,000 gross-revenue certification applies.
Applies to: Domestic chapter 24.03A nonprofit corporations and registered foreign nonprofits.
Exceptions
The annual corporate report is separate from the initial report, charity renewal, tax returns and local licenses.
Source: Annual Reports — Washington Secretary of State and 4 more official sources below.
Last verified
Who keeps these records in Washington
These are the offices the Washington 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 Washington'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 Washington.
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 Washington 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
14 official sources back the entries on this page. Every one is a government statute, regulation, agency instruction, form or portal.