Methodology & Data Dictionary

IRS Form 990 Filing Requirements

Most U.S. tax-exempt organizations recognized under section 501(c), including public charities and private foundations, are required to file some version of IRS Form 990 annually (990, 990-EZ, or 990-N depending on size). Places of worship, their integrated auxiliaries, and certain religious organizations are generally exempt from filing Form 990, as are very small organizations eligible to file only the 990-N electronic postcard.

Note: Some organizations in our database may have limited filing history. Religious organizations (e.g., mosques, seminaries) are generally exempt from 990 filing requirements. If an organization does not appear in our database, it may be because they are exempt from filing or have not yet been processed.

Data Source

All data comes from IRS Form 990, the annual information return that tax-exempt organizations must file publicly. We extract and analyze the following sections and schedules:

Two Layers of Data

990 Raw 990 Data

Values reported directly on the IRS Form 990 filing. These are unaltered figures from the organization's tax return — revenue, expenses, assets, governance indicators, compensation, and more.

FC Fiducia-Calculated

Metrics derived by Fiducia from raw 990 data. These include ratios, percentages, growth calculations, and adjusted figures that help donors understand the full picture.

Part I — Summary: Revenue, expenses, assets, employees, volunteers (CY and PY)
Part III — Programs: Statement of Program Service Accomplishments
Part VI — Governance: Governance, Management, and Disclosure policies
Part VII-A — Compensation: Officers, Directors, Trustees, and Key Employees
Part VIII — Revenue: Revenue by source (contributions, program service, investment, other)
Part IX — Functional Expenses: Program, Management & General, and Fundraising breakdown
Part X — Balance Sheet: Assets, liabilities, and net assets
Schedule F / Schedule I: Foreign and domestic grants
Schedule G: Professional fundraisers and fundraising events
Schedule J: Compensation information (individuals >$100K)
Schedule M: Noncash contributions detail

Calculated Metrics

Beyond presenting raw data, we calculate metrics informed by years of analyzing and running nonprofits. Each calculated metric is tagged with an FC badge so you always know when Fiducia has derived a value.

These include fundraising efficiency, cash-adjusted program ratios, operating margins, months of cash reserves, compensation analysis, and year-over-year growth trends.

View full Data Dictionary with formulas

Cash vs. Noncash Contributions

Cash Contributions

Any monetary contribution made in the form of cash or its equivalent.

Noncash Donations

Any donated property that is not money. This includes both donated tangible items and donated financial assets.

Understanding the difference between cash and noncash contributions helps put financial data in proper context. Noncash gifts, such as donated goods or stock, are recorded at fair market value and can meaningfully increase total revenue figures. When those goods are distributed, they can also raise reported program expenses, which may affect program ratios. Because overhead percentages are calculated as a share of total revenue or expenses, larger noncash contributions can make administrative costs appear smaller in proportion. At the same time, noncash contributions do not function the same way as cash when it comes to day-to-day operations, payroll, or long-term planning. Looking at these categories separately allows for a clearer and more informed reading of an organization's financial profile.

Limitation: Form 990 doesn't always distinguish between cash and noncash when reporting functional expenses. Our calculations assume your donation is cash and is allocated proportionally to the total expense structure.

Limitations

990 data is self-reported by organizations and may contain errors or inconsistencies.
Data may be 1-2 years old depending on when the organization filed.
Grant categorization uses keyword matching which may not perfectly reflect the organization's intent.
Impact area allocations are estimates based on grant ratios, not actual fund flows.
Not all organizations file Form 990 (churches and small nonprofits may be exempt).