Nonprofits

Charity ratings

Associations & Organizations

Charity Watch. (2019). Charity ratings [website]. Retrieved from https://charitywatch.org/charities.

Description: This resource, parented by an independent nonprofit, began back in 1992, and it researches the efficiency, accountability, and governance of nonprofit organizations. It aims to expose wasteful and unethical charities, and it spotlights top ethical charities. It specializes in analyzing financial reports, and, uniquely, it rates social welfare groups, and religious charities as well.

Use: Use Charity Watch to see where an organization you are learning about, investing in, or becoming involved with stands by its methodology.

Access: This resource is free for use through a preferred internet browser from any computer in the United States, and beyond.

PolitiFact

Fact-Checking, Politics on the Internet

The Poynter Institute. (2019). PolitiFact [website]. Retrieved from https://politifact.com.

Description: This nonprofit-owned investigative team rates political statements for accuracy based on their independent news expertise and then awards them a score on a “truthometer.”

Why I trust it: Politifact’s core values include: thorough reporting, independence, transparency, and fairness. PolitiFact does not accept donations from political parties, elected officials, candidates seeking public office, or anonymous sources.

Use: This organization has only been fact-checking since 2007, but it has since gained a reputation for unbiased investigation into the truth (or lack thereof) of political statements. Use it to gain some perspective on political entities on all sides.

Access: Politifact is free for use through a preferred internet browser from any computer in the United States, and beyond.

Not real news

Fact-Checking, Fake News

The Associated Press (2019). Not real news [column]. Retrieved from https://www.apnews.com/NotRealNews.

Description: This weekly Associated Press column offers an overview and fact-check of the top viral social media content.

Why I trust it: The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news producer in existence for over 150 years. It has won over 50 Pulitzer Prizes, and its content is trusted and reproduced by newspapers world-wide.

Use: Stay “on top of the news” by reading this column each week.

Access: Users can access this column using a preferred internet browser from any computer in the United States, and beyond.

ProCon.org

Current Issues, Politics on the Internet

ProCon.org. (2019). ProCon.org: Pros and cons of controversial issues [website]. Retrieved from https://www.procon.org.

Description: This informational website is a collection of 70 controversial issues.

Why I trust it: ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan public organization with a mission to promote critical thinking and informed citizenship. It was awarded a platinum rating by the nonprofit reviewer Guidestar.

Use: When you hear or read about a controversial current issue or event, you can use this website to understand major points on both sides of the topic.

Access: Users can access this website using a preferred internet browser from any computer in the United States, and beyond.