This resource is provided free of charge by Jim McConnell, Principal Owner, Ask McConnell, LLC — a Converged Security Services Provider with 36+ years of experience. It is a starting point, not a legal standard. Please consult your legal counsel and insurance provider for requirements specific to your organization.
Jim McConnell | info@askmcconnell.com | askmcconnell.com
Church / NGO Partner Due Diligence Reference Checklist
Updated: 11 August 2025
Partnering with another NGO or church involves real risk — financial, reputational, legal, and mission-related. A single red flag may or may not indicate fraud, but the more red flags or missing information you encounter, the more it warrants caution. A single serious negative finding in one element may outweigh multiple minor positives in others.
Remember: Due diligence is…
- Not perfect
- Not a one-time step
- Not a replacement for ongoing security controls on the relationship
- Not a replacement for a legally binding agreement of engagement
Note: Some partners may need to operate under cover or in difficult jurisdictions — in those cases, additional independent due diligence methods (NDA-based, third-party investigative services) may be necessary.
| Positive Finding |
Negative Finding |
Review Element (in no particular order) |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | ☐ | Does the organization have a strong and active LinkedIn Profile? |
| ☐ | ☐ | Is all leadership strong and active on LinkedIn, verified, and connected to the organization profile? |
| ☐ | ☐ | Request a comprehensive list of social media accounts of organization and senior leadership; review for content that conflicts with your mission and code of ethics / conduct. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Review the organization’s official website — specifically terms and conditions and privacy statement — looking for missing, weak, or conflicting information. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Review public transparency of governance documentation: leadership bios, bylaws, code of ethics / conduct, and finances (e.g., IRS Form 990, multiple years of balance sheets). |
| ☐ | ☐ | Review the organization’s status on major independent governance tracking websites: Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, GreatNonprofits, Guidestar, BBB WGA, GiveWell, etc. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Is leadership willing to go through a local, state, and national background check? |
| ☐ | ☐ | Have your legal team run OFAC (e.g., SDN) checks and an ABC check including Adverse Media on the organization and its leadership and primary donors. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Have the organization provide proof of good governance, including but not limited to: financial, code of conduct / ethics, investigation, security, safety, KYD, and OFAC-like SDN. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Can you interview 3 other NGOs / churches (randomly selected from their full list) as references? |
| ☐ | ☐ | Check organization and leadership reviews on sites like Glassdoor. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Check the organization’s EIN or country equivalent. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Verify the organization’s nonprofit status. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Verify if the organization has a for-profit entity — and understand why. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Verify the organization’s board membership. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Verify the organization’s CPA license. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Verify the organization’s attorney’s license. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Review the organization’s LinkedIn “Associated Members” list. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Review to determine if the organization has a DUNS number and their DUNS rating. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Review the organization’s Department of Corporations registration with the State. |
| ☐ | ☐ | Determine if the organization is a member of EFCA and, if not, why. |
Example AI Prompt for Due Diligence Research:
“Research [Organization’s Name] and determine if a leader and point of contact named <leader name> and <POC name> associated with the organization is legitimate or potentially a scam. Check for: official organization website and job board listings; presence of the leadership and point of contact on LinkedIn or other professional platforms; known scams, fraud, or negative news alerts related to the organization; any red flags such as upfront payment, use of generic emails (e.g., Gmail/Yahoo), poor grammar, or urgent/luxury offers. Summarize findings and give a likelihood rating (High, Medium, Low) of legitimacy based on available data.”
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