Arts, Culture and Humanities
Arts, culture, and humanities organizations bring the performing arts to the public; preserve and commemorate the events, places, and cultures that created and continue to shape the nation; and promote the distribution of ideas. They range from internationally renowned art museums to small historical societies, major theatrical venues to charities that bring the arts into schools to promote scholastic achievement, and major broadcasting services to local-access radio and TV.
Education and Research
Education nonprofits promote learning and intellectual development from cradle to grave, from preschools through post-graduate schools and adult learning programs. They also include schools for students with special needs, organizations offering vocational and technical training, libraries, literacy programs, scholarships, student organizations, and parent-teacher groups.
The research category comprises science, technology, and social science institutes. A nonprofit in this category may focus on astronomy, chemistry, or other physical science; engineering; computer science; marine biology, physiology, or other biological science; anthropology, economics, international law, political science, or other social science; or interdisciplinary fields, such as black studies, ethnic studies, gerontology, labor studies, and urban studies.
Environment and Animals
Environmental organizations are dedicated to reclaiming and preserving natural resources and to beautifying the world around us. They range from recycling programs to wetlands management to garden clubs.
Animal nonprofits include humane societies and SPCAs, bird and wildlife sanctuaries, fisheries, veterinary organizations, zoos, and animal-training nonprofits.
Health
Health nonprofits cover a broad range of organizations concerned with the body or mind. Hospitals, substance abuse and additional treatment programs, diseases and disease research, medical disciplines and specialty research, and mental health and crisis services all fall into this category.
Human Services
Human service nonprofits are the organizations that most people think of when they hear the word nonprofit. They feed the hungry, assist crime victims and offenders, provide job training, house the homeless, help people prepare for and recover from disasters, maintain playgrounds and athletic fields, act as advocates for children, and offer programs to help youth mature into adults who contribute to society.
International
International organizations focus their efforts outside U.S. borders. Development relief organizations, human rights advocates, peace and security nonprofits, and organizations that promote international understanding all fall into this category.
Public, Societal Benefit
Public and societal benefit nonprofits work in the areas of civil rights and civil liberties, community improvement, philanthropy and volunteerism, and voter education and registration. They also include life insurance providers, unemployment compensation organizations, pension and retirement funds, fraternal groups, employee associations, and cemeteries.
Religion
Religious organizations encompass houses of worship for the world’s major religions, including Christianity—both Protestantism and Catholicism—Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Religious print and broadcast nonprofits as well as organizations dedicated to interfaith issues also fall into this category.
Unknown
Nonprofits in this category have not been classified by the IRS, nor have they provided GuideStar with information about the type of work they do. Any nonprofit listed in this section is welcome to update its information on GuideStar through the GuideStar Nonprofit Profile. There is no charge for updating.