Which public records West Virginia keeps about a charity that asks you for money, in the state's own words. The agency the research names is the West Virginia Secretary of State. 12 official sources back this page. Last checked 2026-07-31.
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 before soliciting in West Virginia unless a statutory exemption applies
SOURCE VERIFIED
File the initial charitable registration statement with required governing, IRS, and financial attachments before solicitation.
Renew charity registration annually using the fiscal-year reporting cycle and required federal return or substitute information
SOURCE VERIFIED
Renew annually, provide the current registration statement, IRS Form 990/990-EZ/990-PF as applicable, or the SOS computation form for Form 990-N/non-IRS-filer situations, and include required financial statements.
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.
Obtain an independent CPA audit when contributions are $500,000 or more
SOURCE VERIFIED
Attach audited financial statements prepared by an independent certified public accountant when applicable contributions equal or exceed $500,000.
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 between January 1 and June 30 beginning the year after registration
SOURCE VERIFIED
File the annual report and pay the $25 fee from January 1 through June 30. The first report is due in the calendar year after formation or foreign registration.
These are the offices the West Virginia 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 West Virginia'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 West Virginia.
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 West Virginia 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
12 official sources back the entries on this page. Every one is a government statute, regulation, agency instruction, form or portal.