Candid (formerly GuideStar) is where donors and grantmakers check whether a charity is transparent. Charities earn Seals of Transparency — Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum — by completing increasing levels of profile information.
For approved 501(c)(3) charities, Gold is FFC’s minimum. Gold requires basic org info plus your mission, programs, board, and key financials — all things a healthy charity already has. Charities below Gold are placed on hold with guidance to reach it before progressing, because the same work makes you fundable everywhere else too.
Claim your profile at candid.org, then add the sections each seal requires. Provide your profile URL in intake to earn readiness points. A fuller walkthrough is forthcoming.