Universal Events Inc., a community outreach and fundraising company supporting nonprofit partners nationwide, has published a donor verification guide on its website, walking the public through five checks anyone can run before giving through any fundraising campaign.

The guide covers confirming a nonprofit's 501(c)(3) status through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, verifying that a campaign is authorized by the nonprofit it names, checking state charity regulator databases where professional fundraisers are registered, recognizing the difference between a professional ask and a pressure tactic, and researching the fundraising company itself.

"An organization that asks communities for trust should be easy to verify," the company wrote in the guide, which applies the same five checks to Universal Events' own campaigns.

Universal Events Inc. is led by CEO Harmony Vallejo and supports nonprofit partners including Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Stand for the Silent. The company has been certified as a Great Place to Work for four consecutive years, and in 2024 was named National Partner of the Year by Law Enforcement Against Drugs. The full guide is available at https://universalevents-inc.com/blog.