Keep these things in mind also.
- There is a difference between a non-profit organization and a not-for-profit organization.
- Just because an organization is classified as a charity does not always mean donations are deductible.
- You should see https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/charitable-contributions-written-... for what may be required for donations of more than $250.
There are two basic ways to confirm if you are donating to a qualified charity.
1) The organization should be able to produce a letter from the IRS referred to as a "Letter of Exemption". In that letter it should clearly state, "Contributions to you are deductible under section XXX of the code". For a 501c(3) it's typically section 170 of the code.
2) You can use the IRS search tool at https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/ to see if the organization is listed on the office IRS list of those qualified to receive tax deductible donations/contributions. Do note however that just because an organization is not on that list does not mean they shouldn't be. That's where option #1 above might need to be considered.
