FFC validates every prospective partner charity against a fixed set of external and internal checks before any service-delivery work starts. The checks exist for two reasons at once: they protect FFC's mission integrity, and they hand the charity a richer public footprint than they walked in with.
The charity-facing version of this page is the Charity Validation Guide on freeforcharity.org and explains the “mutual benefit” framing in plain language. This page is the operations-team runbook — what an FFC volunteer admin actually does, in what order, for each check.
When to run validation
Validation runs during Stage 1 — Intake in the FFC service-delivery lifecycle. See service delivery stages for how this fits into the broader engagement.
External validation checks
Six third-party signals FFC confirms before committing service-delivery time.
1. 501(c)(3) status via Candid / GuideStar
Why FFC runs it: Confirms the charity is what it claims to be against the canonical nonprofit transparency authority, and surfaces the NTEE code we use for mission-alignment scoring.
What the charity gets: Verified GuideStar profile improves donor confidence and unlocks funding opportunities the charity may not have known about.
Runbook:
- Search the EIN at https://candid.org/ (formerly GuideStar).
- Confirm 501(c)(3) status is active (not revoked, not pending).
- Record the NTEE code in the FFC intake record.
- If no profile exists, queue the charity for GuideStar profile setup via the GuideStar guide.
2. TechSoup legal-entity confirmation
Why FFC runs it: Independent vetting from a respected charity-services provider; also unlocks the discounted-software pipeline (QuickBooks, Adobe, Microsoft) FFC routes charities through.
What the charity gets: TechSoup membership gives the charity access to enterprise software at nonprofit prices, often saving thousands per year.
Runbook:
- Search the EIN at https://www.techsoup.org/.
- Confirm validation status is "Validated" (not "Pending").
- If "Pending", help the charity submit the missing paperwork to TechSoup.
3. VolunteerMatch engagement check
Why FFC runs it: Signals whether the charity already engages volunteers — important because FFC delivery depends on charity staff being able to receive and respond to volunteer work.
What the charity gets: A public VolunteerMatch presence opens the charity to FFC technical volunteers as well as their existing networks.
Runbook:
- Search the charity at https://www.volunteermatch.org/.
- Note the cadence of their listings (active / dormant / never posted).
- If never posted, flag the intake record so FFC volunteer coordinators know to onboard them.
4. Verified Facebook page
Why FFC runs it: Cross-checks that the charity's public information matches what they submitted on the intake form. Discrepancies are an early signal of identity / branding inconsistency.
What the charity gets: Confirmed Facebook presence supports outreach, donor communication, and event marketing.
Runbook:
- Locate the charity's Facebook page.
- Compare name, address, mission, leadership against the intake form.
- Note any discrepancies for follow-up before service delivery starts.
5. Email on a reputable provider (Microsoft 365 preferred)
Why FFC runs it: A charity emailing from a Gmail / Yahoo address blocks our ability to set up SPF / DKIM / DMARC under the charity's own domain, and risks IP blacklisting on the FFC origin server.
What the charity gets: M365 (free for nonprofits) gives the charity a professional address, calendar, Teams, and the productivity suite FFC volunteers also use.
Runbook:
- Confirm at least one charity-domain mailbox exists.
- If only personal-provider mailboxes exist, plan an M365 nonprofit onboarding before site launch.
6. WHMCS account + PayPal donor flow
Why FFC runs it: WHMCS account creation acts as a Know-Your-Customer step that reduces inbound spam; PayPal integration is the path through which donors fund the charity once their FFC site is live.
What the charity gets: Secure transaction handling, donor confidence, and the "Donate Now" flow on the eventual FFC-delivered site.
Runbook:
- Confirm the charity has created a WHMCS account against the same EIN.
- Confirm PayPal Giving Fund (or equivalent) is set up; if not, add to the onboarding checklist.
Internal validation checks
Three FFC-internal reviews that scope the engagement once external checks pass.
1. Cost-and-funding analysis (small-charity profile)
Why FFC runs it: Sizes the charity's budget so FFC can scope the engagement realistically. Lets us route micro-charities (under $50k revenue) to lighter-weight templates and larger ones to the full FFC service.
What the charity gets: Documented financial resourcefulness becomes an asset when courting cost-conscious donors and grant-makers.
Runbook:
- Pull the charity's most recent Form 990 / 990-EZ / 990-N from GuideStar or ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
- Categorize as micro (under $50k), small ($50k-$250k), mid ($250k-$1M), large (over $1M).
- Record the category on the intake record — it drives template selection.
2. Existing website + intake-form content review
Why FFC runs it: Holistic check that the charity's mission, leadership, and program description line up across every public source — their current site, the intake form, the GuideStar profile, and social.
What the charity gets: The charity gets explicit feedback on mission consistency and public messaging before we touch their site.
Runbook:
- Read the existing website end-to-end (every page).
- Compare against the intake form line-by-line.
- List discrepancies and surface them in the intake reply before kickoff.
3. Target-demographic assessment
Why FFC runs it: Establishes who the charity actually serves — the foundation for everything from copy tone to image selection to accessibility considerations on the FFC-delivered site.
What the charity gets: Specialized impact becomes a recruitable narrative: aligned donors, aligned volunteers, aligned grant opportunities.
Runbook:
- Identify the primary served population (age, geography, condition, sector).
- Confirm with the charity that this matches their lived experience.
- Record demographic notes on the intake record — they feed into the design brief.
Outcome
A passing validation lands the charity in the FFC backlog with a complete intake record: EIN, NTEE code, validated public profiles, target-demographic notes, and a sized engagement. From there, FFC schedules the kickoff and the migration playbook (legacy WordPress today, Next.js / static increasingly going forward) takes over.