Identify
Submit a charity name and country. We resolve the submission against our verified registry. Where we already have a record, that record is reused. Where we don't, we add one from the local regulator before any review begins.
Methodology
How a trust letter is produced.
Four stages, ten verification checks, every step recorded with the source URL and retrieval timestamp. The reviewing lawyer and CPA sign once the record is complete.
Process
Four stages, every record, every time.
Verify
Up to ten discrete checks across registration, sanctions, governance, and operational reality. Each check has its own evidence URL, retrieval timestamp, and a result — pass, fail, flag, n/a, or data unavailable.
Attest
The completed record is reviewed by the attesting lawyer and a CPA. Both sign confirming the work was performed in accordance with our published methodology. Either may decline and route the record to manual review.
Deliver
Signed PDF lands in your dashboard. A permanent verification URL lets your auditors confirm authenticity, content hash, and validity period without contacting us.
Stage 02 in detail
The ten verification checks.
Each check produces a discrete record with its own source, timestamp, and result. The full set is the substantive content of the trust letter.
Identity & legal status
3 checks- Registration status
Active, revoked, suspended, dissolved — pulled from the regulator's primary register.
- Tax-exempt status
Local equivalent — 501(c)(3), CRA-registered, ANBI, IPC, PBO, CIO — recorded as a fact, not opined upon.
- Equivalency precedent
Whether an extant equivalency determination is on record (US foundations only) — recorded as a fact, not interpreted.
Risk screening
3 checks- Sanctions screening
OFAC SDN + Consolidated, UN Consolidated, EU CFSP, UK OFSI, Canada SEMA, Australia DFAT.
- PEP screening
Officers cross-checked against the OpenSanctions PEP list.
- Adverse media
Twenty-four months of English-language news, scoped to the charity name and known aliases.
Disclosure & governance
3 checks- Financial disclosure
Most recent annual return, 990, or accounts — whichever the jurisdiction publishes.
- Governance disclosure
Officer roster, related-party disclosures, audit posture.
- Beneficial ownership
Where applicable: ultimate beneficial ownership data.
Operational reality
1 check- Operational verification
Website existence, archive depth, public mission statement.
Stage 03 in detail
Two signatures, one record.
The completed record is reviewed by the attesting lawyer and a CPA. Both signatures confirm three things: that the diligence described was performed, that the supporting evidence is on file, and that the methodology applied is the version published on this page at the time of issuance.
The signatures do not opine on the charity's status under any tax or regulatory regime. They are not legal advice. The reviewing lawyer is admitted in Alberta and the work is performed in their professional capacity, but use of the service does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and the lawyer or any law firm.
Either reviewer may decline to sign and route the record to manual review or refund. The reviewing pair is captured on the record alongside their credentials.
Both sign, or the record doesn't ship.Attestation policy
Limits of the record
What a trust letter is not.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is this a legal opinion? | No. It's a factual diligence summary. We don't opine on a charity's legal status, tax classification, or eligibility for any program. |
| Will you advise me on a grant? | No. We provide records; you and your counsel decide what to do with them. |
| Does ordering a record retain a lawyer for me? | No. Use of the service does not create an attorney-client relationship. The reviewing lawyer's signature confirms the diligence was performed; it does not represent you or your organization. |
| If a charity later turns out to be problematic, am I covered? | The record describes what was verifiable at the time of issuance. It is not a guarantee of future conduct. See our Terms for the precise scope. |
Methodology white paper
The longer version, on request.
Per-source register, failure-mode analysis, and audit-defense framing. Available to active and prospective customers.