Un-Vetted: How to Vet an Anti-Trafficking Charity Before You Give
Updated: Oct 28
Forced labor in the private economy produces about US$236 billion in illegal profits every year, according to a 2024 ILO report. Numbers like that move generous people to give. They also attract organizations that are better at storytelling than at results. If you want to vet an anti-trafficking charity before you give, you need more than a moving video and a star rating. This guide gives you 10 questions to ask, where to check the answers for free, and the red flags that should slow you down. It is written for donors, family foundations, and the wealth advisors who help them decide.
The short answer
To vet an anti-trafficking charity, confirm its tax-exempt status with the IRS, read its Form 990, and check independent reviewers like Candid, Charity Navigator, and BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Then ask harder questions: how it measures outcomes, how it protects survivors' privacy, whether survivors shape its programs, and whether it partners with law enforcement instead of claiming to run its own "rescues." A good charity will answer all 10 questions below without hesitation.
Why do anti-trafficking charities need extra scrutiny?
Every cause deserves careful giving, but this one has a few special risks.
First, the problem is hidden, which makes big claims hard to check. The ILO estimates 27.6 million people were in forced labor on any given day in 2021, yet no single charity can see more than a small slice of that.
Second, myths spread fast. Polaris, which operates the National Human Trafficking Hotline, wrote in 2022 that hotlines and local groups are "flooded with false reports" driven by online misinformation. A charity that repeats those myths in its fundraising can make the real work harder.
Third, awareness work is rarely measured. In a 2023 study in *Frontiers in Public Health*, experts said they had seen little evidence that trafficking awareness campaigns are effective, and urged groups to test materials before spending money on them. That does not mean prevention is wasted. It means you should ask how a charity knows its work is working.
Where can you check a charity for free?
Before you ask a single question, spend 20 minutes with these free tools.
IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (What it tells you: Whether the group can receive tax-deductible gifts, whether its exemption was revoked, and copies of recent Form 990 filings; Where: irs.gov)
Candid (GuideStar) (What it tells you: Seal of Transparency level, goals, strategies, metrics, and board information the charity chose to share; Where: guidestar.org)
Charity Navigator (What it tells you: A 0-4 star Encompass rating built from scored "beacons" such as Accountability & Finance and Impact & Measurement; Where: charitynavigator.org)
BBB Wise Giving Alliance (What it tells you: Whether a charity meets 20 standards on governance, finances, results reporting, and honest fundraising; Where: give.org)
A few notes on reading these results:
IRS status. The IRS keeps an automatic revocation list of groups that lost exemption after not filing for three years in a row. Very small charities (gross receipts normally $50,000 or less) may only file the short Form 990-N e-Postcard, so you may see less detail.
Candid seals. A Platinum Seal means the charity has published its goals, strategies, and at least one recent metric on its profile. It shows openness, not a guarantee of impact.
Charity Navigator. Ratings are a weighted sum of beacon scores.pdf), and the weights shift depending on how many beacons a charity has completed. Read which beacons are behind the number.
No rating is not a bad rating. Many small, well-run charities have not been fully evaluated yet.
10 questions to ask before you give to an anti-trafficking charity
Use this as a checklist. You can email these questions, ask them on a call, or look for the answers on the charity's website.
1. Are you a registered 501(c)(3), and can I see your latest Form 990?
Any public charity must make its annual return available for public inspection for three years. Hesitation here is a serious red flag.
2. Exactly what do you do, and what don't you do?
"Fighting trafficking" can mean prevention education, survivor housing, legal aid, job training, research, or policy work. A strong charity names its lane clearly and does not claim to do everything.
3. How do you measure results, not just activity?
Activity sounds like "we held 50 events." Results sound like "70% of program participants stayed in school" or "survivors in our program kept stable housing after a year." BBB Wise Giving Alliance asks charities to assess performance and effectiveness at least every two years. Ask when they last did.
4. Do you conduct "rescues" or raids yourselves?
Be cautious of private groups that promise dramatic rescues. Identifying and removing people from trafficking situations is law enforcement's job. Trustworthy nonprofits partner with police and prosecutors, then provide what comes next: safe housing, legal help, counseling, and a path to independence.
5. Are survivors involved in designing your programs?
The U.S. State Department defines a survivor-informed approach as one designed, carried out, and evaluated with survivors' leadership and input. Ask how survivors shape decisions, and whether they are paid for their expertise.
6. How do you protect survivors' stories and images?
State Department guidance says organizations should never share a survivor's story without permission and should let survivors withdraw consent at any time. Watch for fundraising that uses chains, duct tape, or graphic photos. Washington University's Human Trafficking Collaborative Network notes that in the U.S., confinement with physical restraints is rare and that sensational images can re-traumatize survivors.
7. Who governs the organization?
Look for an independent board that actually meets. The BBB standards call for at least five voting board members, at least three meetings a year, and no more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) paid people voting on the board. Ask about conflict-of-interest and whistleblower policies too.
8. Where does each dollar go?
Program spending matters, but it is only one signal. BBB uses a benchmark of at least 65% of total expenses on programs. At the same time, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and BBB Wise Giving Alliance jointly told donors that overhead alone is a poor measure of a charity's performance. Ask what the money accomplishes, not just how little was spent on rent.
9. Are your statistics sourced and current?
A good charity can tell you where every number comes from and what year it describes. For example, Polaris reported that in 2024 the National Human Trafficking Hotline received 32,309 signals, including 8,024 contacts from victims and survivors. That is a specific, dated, linked figure. Be wary of round numbers with no source.
10. Will you give me a proper receipt and keep my data private?
For any single gift of $250 or more, the IRS requires a written acknowledgment showing the charity's name, the amount, and whether you received anything in return. Also ask whether the charity sells or shares donor lists. For your own tax situation, confirm the details with a qualified tax advisor.
What are the red flags of a questionable anti-trafficking charity?
Slow down if you see any of these:
Pressure to give "right now" to save a specific child.
Graphic or sexualized images of survivors, or identifiable faces of minors.
Claims of rescues with no mention of law enforcement partners.
Statistics with no source or year.
No Form 990 available, or IRS records that show a revoked status.
Vague answers about who sits on the board.
Leaders whose pay is high relative to the size of the organization, or who also control the board.
Impact reported only as social media reach or event counts.
One red flag is a reason to ask more. Several together is a reason to give elsewhere.
How should family foundations and wealth advisors go further?
Larger gifts deserve a deeper look. For foundations and advisors, consider:
Request the audit or financial review, plus the last two or three Form 990s, so you can see trends.
Talk to a partner. Ask for a reference from a school, agency, or partner organization that works with the charity.
Ask for a theory of change. How does each program lead to less exploitation or more independence for survivors?
Consider flexible funding. Unrestricted gifts let proven charities cover the real costs of doing good work well, which is the point of the overhead letter above.
Agree on reporting. Decide together what outcomes you will hear about, and how often.
What you can do
You can put this guide to work today:
Pick one charity you already support and run it through the four free tools in the table above.
Send that charity three of the 10 questions. Notice how quickly and clearly they answer.
If you advise clients, share this checklist before year-end giving season.
If you know of a real situation where someone may be in danger, do not investigate. Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, text 233733, or visit humantraffickinghotline.org. In immediate danger, call 911.
We invite you to ask these questions of us, too. Leaving The Jar is a 501(c)(3) (EIN 37-1476325) that is 100% volunteer-run, with no paid staff, $0 founder pay, and no debt. In 2025, 87.2% of total expenditures went to program services. We hold the Candid Platinum Transparency Seal for 2026 and a 3-star Charity Navigator rating. You can read our financials and transparency documents any time.
Our work covers prevention, intervention, and restoration. We have trained 2,000+ people through free awareness sessions, supported 450 students in 2025 through our Egypt scholarship program, and supported 300+ women survivors in Kenya and Zambia. We partner with law enforcement and never conduct raids or rescues.
As one scholarship recipient in Egypt told us: "I was told education wasn't for girls like me. LTJ helped me prove that was wrong."
FAQ
How do I check if an anti-trafficking charity is legitimate?
Start with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to confirm the charity can receive tax-deductible gifts and has not had its exemption revoked. Then look up its profile on Candid and Charity Navigator, and check whether BBB Wise Giving Alliance has reviewed it. Finally, read its Form 990 and ask how it measures outcomes and protects survivors' privacy.
What percentage of donations should go to programs?
BBB Wise Giving Alliance uses a benchmark of at least 65% of total expenses going to programs. Still, the major charity reviewers have warned that overhead alone is a poor measure of performance. Good charities need sound systems, training, and staff or volunteers to do lasting work. Ask what results the money produced, not only how it was split.
Is a charity with no Charity Navigator rating a bad charity?
No. Charity Navigator says the absence of a score is not a positive or negative assessment. Many smaller or newer charities simply have not been evaluated on every beacon yet. In that case, rely more heavily on the IRS records, Candid profile, the Form 990, and direct answers to the questions in this guide.
Should I give to groups that rescue trafficking victims?
Be careful. Removing people from trafficking situations is the role of trained law enforcement. Private "rescue" claims are hard to verify and can put people at risk. Look instead for charities that work alongside law enforcement and focus on what survivors need for the long term: safe housing, legal aid, counseling, education, and income.
What does survivor-informed mean for a charity?
The State Department describes a survivor-informed approach as one designed, carried out, and evaluated with leadership and input from survivors. In practice, that can look like survivors on advisory councils, paid survivor consultants, and feedback built into programs. It should never mean asking survivors to retell their trauma for fundraising.
Is my gift to an anti-trafficking charity tax-deductible?
Gifts to IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charities are generally deductible for donors who itemize, and the IRS requires a written acknowledgment for single gifts of $250 or more. Rules depend on your income, the type of asset, and how you file. Please confirm your situation with a qualified tax advisor.
Ready to give with confidence?
If Leaving The Jar passes your test, you can support survivors and prevention through our ways to give.
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