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GuideStar Pro - An Excellent Tool for Mining 990s
February 18, 2020

GuideStar Pro - An Excellent Tool for Mining 990s

David S. Levine, CFRE | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with GuideStar Pro

GuideStar Pro is being used at my organization to find concise data from 990s of funders we are prospecting. It is most useful when used in conjunction with FDO, but GuideStar Pro alone can also be helpful albeit take more time to use. It is being used in Development and addresses issues finding information about funder giving preferences (when they lack a website) or finding out if an organization is still in existence. We also use the GuideStar seal on our website to show our commitment to transparency.
  • Identifying information from funder 990s
  • Gives credence to transparency claims
  • None - anything missing from GuideStar Pro can be found in FDO, also from Candid
  • Quicker 990 Mining
  • Seals of Transparency lead to more positive grant submissions
Any support I've ever had to get from them was quick and professional. Their online guides/help docs are also easy to read.

Do you think Candid GuideStar delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Candid GuideStar's feature set?

Yes

Did Candid GuideStar live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Candid GuideStar go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Candid GuideStar again?

Yes

GuideStar Pro is well suited in two scenarios: when you want to demonstrate your organization's commitment to transparency (through the seals) and when you know what you're looking for when searching through 990s. Basically, if you can mine a 990 well, GuideStar Pro is perfect for you. If you are new to the grant-seeking industry and need more guidance/clearer information already mined for you, then GuideStar Pro is likely to be overwhelming.