Nonprofit Research and Transparency Websites
Nonprofit Research & Transparency Websites Final 12.31.25
One of the first things that got my attention with Cincinnati’s budget was the list of non-profit organizations that were receiving “leveraged support” from the city. I wondered then and still wonder now, how the city ensures that the money granted to these organizations is used for its intended purpose.
At one point, I counted nearly 200 non-profits getting funding from the city through one program or another.
As I looked at the list, I focused on two “leveraged support partners:” Cintrifuse and CincyTech. Given their private sector purpose, I was curious why the city was giving them money – a total of $1 million or more, each, over the past several years. Cintrifuse is a 501(c)(3) that helps entrepreneurs and start ups and CincyTech is a 501(c)(4) venture capitalist.
CincyTech’s IRS filings are not public, so I looked at the IRS filings for Cintrifuse. I immediately noticed that Aftab Pureval was listed on the IRS Form 990 as a member of the Board of Directors. What are the odds that I would find a problem with the first organization I looked at?
If you’ve been following along, you know that I have been working for many months including directly telling the mayor that I thought he should correct what looks like a clear ethics violation. As far as I know, nothing has changed.
To counter any assertions that I am against nonprofit organizations, you should know that according to the IRS there are approximately 2 million tax exempt organizations in the U.S. In Hamilton County, there are an estimated 10,000 or more.
In many cases in Cincinnati, non-profit organizations represent the city government outsourcing some of its functions, especially in the area of social services. So, if you examine those non-profits and their use of public money, you’re likely to be accused of being a bad person, e.g. uncharitable or worse.
From what I am hearing, some are suggesting that is why the corruption involving public benefit fraud in Minneapolis went unabated for so many years. Citizens knew but did not want to be accused of being a bad person if they raised their concerns to the authorities.
The point is that non-profit organizations require oversight just like governments. If you are ever curious about a nonprofit this list of some of the public websites containing search tools for information and financial reports for nonprofit organizations, will be useful.
