Candid’s next generation platform

There are two sides of the social sector—nonprofit organizations with missions to deliver services and support to communities, and funders including individuals, foundations, and government organizations providing financial fuel to support nonprofits. Historically, the challenge has been for each “side” to have trusted information, insight, history, and human connections to match mission delivery to mission funding. Candid envisions a single destination to distribute data and insights, providing a comprehensive view of the social sector using the data we collect and analyze.  

Vision

Through our next generation platform, we are integrating machine learning, personalized user experience, advanced visualizations, and AI-driven tools and recommendations to create, synthesize, and share the insights that answer key questions about the social sector. We deliver tools that connect funders and nonprofits alongside grant funding insights and analysis. We bring together multiple sources of organizational data and make that aggregated information available for users to create custom summary pages organized by cause, geography, or other interests. These pages are presented using data visualization, maps, and can even surface relevant documents, research, and news articles. The organized information the platform delivers informs decisions and deepens understanding to create connections across the social sector. 

Candid’s distinct advantage 

What sets Candid apart from other providers of publicly available information about social sector institutions is the experience and rigor we apply to collecting and enhancing that information. Enhancements elevate the level of information by making it more current, more descriptive, and more inclusive. For example, Candid uses artificial intelligence to add categories and labels (taxonomy) to organizational data; we refine and clarify postal addresses and add geo-location information; and we enable organizations to contribute and update data in their profiles. These improvements provide an unprecedented level of insight and discoverability to organizations and grants. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit itself, Candid has supported the social sector for more than 80 years and works to create a sustainable public good that supports success for the entire sector. We have the staff expertise, organizational capacity, and leadership to provide unparalleled resources and services.  

Public data alone is not enough, which is why our current and future products include the largest collection of contributed data directly from nonprofits and foundations available. Contributed data allows organizations to fully inform the world about their mission-critical work in a timelier way. This is not possible with governmental forms alone. In 2023, Candid elevated its commitment to this data collection. Within the past two years, nearly 100,000 nonprofits have claimed their Candid profiles and updated them with contributed data to earn a Seal of Transparency. Thanks to improved operations and incentives, we anticipate more nonprofits claiming and updating their Candid profiles this year.  

The road ahead 

Last year, we did a phased release of new products and features to alpha testers who helped us make refinements to the early-stage platform. We’re excited to share that, starting this year, features of Candid’s next generation platform will be publicly available. We have unified our backend systems and data for both foundations and nonprofits. This data is fully searchable—including by criteria such a board and staff demographics—and can be accessed in our updated, accessible, and easy-to-use platform. In the coming months, Candid will add grants data, advanced visualization, trend analysis and data comparison tools to make it easier for our users to gain meaningful insights. 

As we begin to publicly release these features and enhancements, our current subscribers will experience a modern interface that moves beyond searching for data to delivering answers using artificial intelligence and data science. We are also testing the ability to facilitate intelligent funding connections, generate first drafts of grant proposals, and make it easier to attract donors. These will be more personalized, reliable, comprehensive, current, and useful than ever before. One of our goals is to lower the financial and experience barriers that small nonprofits often encounter when trying to raise money, connect to resources, or tell their story. Finding, reviewing, and organizational profiles through the Candid platform is free, and we are committed to keeping access to the best fundraising tools affordable for all.   

Feedback from users like you will help us shape Candid’s next generation of tools. To see the new platform emerging, visit beta.candid.org and login with your existing credentials for GuideStar or Foundation Directory or register as a new user. Through the beta site, you can explore funder and nonprofit profiles and receive updates as we release new features. We appreciate your insights and feedback to create the ultimate hub of data, information, and knowledge for the social sector.