# Can You Obtain the Financial Records of "Non-Profit Foundations"?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-obtain-the-financial-records-of-non-profit-foundations/613549
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 21, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-obtain-the-financial-records-of-non-profit-foundations/613549 "2012-02-21T18:57:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-obtain-the-financial-records-of-non-profit-foundations/613549/1 "2012-02-21T18:57:42Z")

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I am curious about several non-profit organizations that operate in my state (Massachusetts).  
Under Federal Law, public corporations must release their financial statements as a public record. But do the same laws apply to non-profit organizations?  
Do you have to invoke special laws (like FOI) to get access to a non-profit’s financial records?  
In any case, how does one get access to such info?

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### Author: ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-obtain-the-financial-records-of-non-profit-foundations/613549/2 "2012-02-21T18:59:34Z")

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What you’re looking for is a Form PF-990. You can find them at places like Guidestar, or (I think) you can petition the IRS for their release.

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### Author: ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-obtain-the-financial-records-of-non-profit-foundations/613549/3 "2012-02-21T20:22:07Z")

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Here’s some more info on getting non-profit foundation information: [http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=96430,00.html](http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=96430,00.html)

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### Author: ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-obtain-the-financial-records-of-non-profit-foundations/613549/4 "2012-02-22T19:21:11Z")

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> [@Duke](#):
>
> What you’re looking for is a Form PF-990. You can find them at places like Guidestar, or (I think) you can petition the IRS for their release.

Also, every 501(c) nonprofit (generally, charitable ones) has to keep a copy of their 990 at their office location, available for public inspection.

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### Author: ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-obtain-the-financial-records-of-non-profit-foundations/613549/5 "2012-02-22T20:22:21Z")

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In addition to the links offered above, there’s also [Charity Navigator](https://www.charitynavigator.org/).

As t-bonham said, 501c registred charities are required to provide their last three 990s on request. Many have them posted on their websites. If not, a one sentence email request should suffice.