For more comprehensive information about who is doing what in the philanthropic world, there is GuideStar.

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If you go on guidestar.org, and start trolling through Boston area not-for-profits you will Smith Sullivan on several 990s before long.

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To figure out trends, you often can find old 990s at www.guidestar.org.

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Other versions of GuideStar are planned in India, South Africa and Australia.

ECONOMIST: Virtue's intermediaries

Mr Porter, the Harvard strategy guru, thinks that GuideStar's figures are too superficial to be much use in judging, say, the performance of foundations.

ECONOMIST: Virtue's intermediaries

When Guidestar surveyed 7, 000 charities in June, it found 40% had seen a decline in contributions in the first five months of this year compared to 2009.

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According to the 2010 Form 990, 501c3 filing (data link courtesy of GuideStar), Keating is the CEO and President of CLL Global Research Foundation.

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An easy way to access them is guidestar.org.

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