How we rate NGOs
Goodzera checks each NGO against 18 questions in four areas. Every check is met, not met, expired, missing or not applicable. Expired means the evidence has passed its end date. Missing means we have no approved evidence yet, and it counts as not met, as does expired. Only not applicable checks are left out of the score. The same method is used for every NGO, and the ratings on this site are worked out from it.
Method version 2026-11-01.
The four areas
| Area | Weight in the overall score |
|---|---|
| Legal and accountability | 35% |
| Finance and transparency | 30% |
| Impact and reporting | 20% |
| Leadership and practice | 15% |
Legal and accountability
| Code | Check | Evidence | Weight | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1 | Registered with CAC as incorporated trustees (Part F) Confirms the organisation is a legally recognised body that can be held accountable. | CAC certificate, operator-checked | 30 | Does not expire |
| L2 | CAC annual returns filed for the latest year Shows the organisation is still in good standing with the registrar. | CAC annual return receipt, operator-checked | 20 | 15 months |
| L3 | SCUML registration certificate Shows the organisation is registered under Nigeria's anti-money-laundering rules for non-profits. | SCUML certificate, operator-checked | 20 | Does not expire |
| L4 | Tax identification number Shows the organisation is known to the tax authority. | TIN document, operator-checked | 10 | Does not expire |
| L5 | Constitution or trust deed on file Shows how the organisation is governed and what it exists to do. | Uploaded document, operator-checked | 10 | Does not expire |
| L6 | Named, contactable representative verified Means a real, verified person answers for the organisation. | ID and authority letter, operator-checked | 10 | 24 months |
Finance and transparency
| Code | Check | Evidence | Weight | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Audited accounts for a year ending within the last 24 months Independent auditors have reviewed how money was received and spent. | Audited accounts, operator-checked | 35 | 24 months |
| F2 | Programme spending at least 65% of total spending Shows most money goes to the work itself rather than overheads. | From F1 figures | 25 | 24 months |
| F3 | Audited accounts published on profile Lets any donor read the accounts for themselves. | NGO marks F1 public | 20 | 24 months |
| F4 | Annual report or activity report published Explains in the organisation's own words what it did with donations. | Uploaded document, operator-checked | 20 | 18 months |
Impact and reporting
| Code | Check | Evidence | Weight | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I1 | Posted at least one update in each of the last 3 months Regular updates show the work is active and donors are kept informed. | Platform data | 30 | Rolling, from platform data |
| I2 | Every campaign closed in the last 12 months has a final report Shows donors learn what their gifts achieved once a campaign ends. | Platform data | 30 | Rolling, from platform data |
| I3 | Updates include photo, document or location evidence Evidence makes updates easier to trust than words alone. | Platform data (at least half of last 6 posts) | 20 | Rolling, from platform data |
| I4 | States its outcomes and how it measures them Shows the organisation defines success and tracks it. | Profile field, operator-checked | 20 | 24 months |
Leadership and practice
| Code | Check | Evidence | Weight | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Board of at least 3 members, published A published board means decisions are not left to one person. | Profile field, operator-checked | 30 | 12 months |
| P2 | Conflict of interest policy Guards against board and staff benefiting from their own decisions. | Uploaded document, operator-checked | 20 | 36 months |
| P3 | Safeguarding policy Required for organisations working with children or vulnerable adults to protect them from harm. | Uploaded document, operator-checked | 25 | 36 months |
| P4 | Responds to donor and operator queries within 5 working days Shows the organisation is reachable and answers questions. | Platform data (operator cases and supporter messages) | 25 | Rolling, from platform data |
How the score is worked out
An area score is the weight of the checks that are met, divided by the weight of the checks that apply, as a number out of 100.
The overall score is the average of the area scores, using the area weights above. An area with no applicable checks is left out and the rest are scaled to fit. The result is rounded to a whole number.
Checks that use platform data (I1, I2, I3 and P4) do not apply for the first 6 months after an NGO is verified. New NGOs are not marked down for having no history.
Documents have a validity period. When one runs out, its check shows as expired until the NGO uploads a new one.
Star bands
| Score | Rating |
|---|---|
| 90 to 100 | 4 stars |
| 75 to 89 | 3 stars |
| 60 to 74 | 2 stars |
| 50 to 59 | 1 star |
| 0 to 49 | Zero stars (rated, below 50) |
When an NGO is not yet rated
An NGO shows as “Not yet rated” with no stars when any of these is true:
- The CAC registration check (L1) is not met.
- Fewer than 4 checks in the Legal area have a result.
- Fewer than 10 checks overall have a result.
Verified NGOs that are not yet rated still appear on Goodzera. They are labelled, and listed after rated NGOs.
Alerts
A Goodzera operator can attach a public alert to an NGO, for example while a complaint is looked into. The alert shows above the rating on the NGO’s page.