ECFA began as a movement of Christian leaders who wanted the ministries they serve to be known for excellence and integrity—not financial scandals or questionable fundraising practices.

To this day, the ECFA standards, set a high bar for organizations—often far above the minimums required by law. These seven standards, drawn from scripture, are required for members to earn and maintain their ECFA accreditation:

• Solidly evangelical
• Independent board governance
• Sound financial management
• Responsible use of resources
• Appropriate transparency
• Integrity in compensation-setting and conflicts of interest
• God-honoring stewardship

Learn more about ECFA’s integrity standards for ministries and churches at ECFA.org/Standards.

Our "Find a Member" tool can help you quickly search ECFA's full database of accredited members (by name, location, and ministry type).

You can also look up Membership Changes to see our newest members and other membership transitions within the past 12 months.

As a Christian donor, we know how important it is to give wisely and generously to organizations that you can trust.

Our standards set a high bar for ECFA-accredited organizations, often far above the minimums required by law, making it easy to find a trusted ministry and connect your generosity to worthy, Christ-centered causes.

Visit our for more support from ECFA as you seek to be a good steward in your giving.

Visit the ECFA member profiles of over 2,700 accredited organizations through the “Find a Member” tool.

These profiles include ministry descriptions, summary financial information (from the member’s latest CPA-prepared financial statements), and a designated donor contact at the ministry that you can contact with any questions.

We also offer GiverConnect™ where you can quickly and easily find the latest giving opportunities posted by organizations that maintain high standards of integrity as ECFA members. The funds given through GiverConnect™ go directly to ECFA’s members, with no overhead assessed by ECFA.

No. ECFA does not compare, rate, or rank member organizations, but rather measures each against an independently established benchmark—the ECFA Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship™.

Since criteria used to compare ministries are often subjective or arbitrary, rating potentially can cultivate division by diminishing each ministry’s uniqueness, as well as contribute to unhealthy competition within the Body of Christ.

Through ECFA membership, each ECFA-accredited member clearly demonstrates its commitment to accountability and integrity. ECFA annually evaluates its members to confirm their continuing compliance, laying a solid foundation upon which donors may match their ministry choices to their own values and expectations.

No. Although ECFA is led by experienced, professional staff with accounting, finance, and law credentials, ECFA does not offer financial audits or other professional services for members.

But as a condition for accreditation, ECFA requires its members to have their annual financial statements audited, reviewed, or compiled by an independent CPA.

Yes. While accredited members have unlimited access to ECFA resources for all their staff and board members, we are happy to offer a certain selection of resources free to all ministries. If you need help accessing a resource, contact us using the form below.

ECFA’s ministry is supported primarily through annual accreditation fees of member organizations. These fees are calculated on a sliding scale to make accreditation affordable for organizations of all sizes.

With over 2,700 accredited members, ECFA's determinations regarding member compliance with its standards are not influenced by the annual accreditation fee of individual organizations. Even for the very largest of ECFA members, the individual annual accreditation fee is less than a fraction of 1% of ECFA’s operating budget. Instead, review criteria have been objectively identified and are uniformly applied to all member organizations.

ECFA’s ministry is also supported through the generosity of grants and donations. If you appreciate ECFA’s ministry to enhance trust in Christ-centered churches and ministries, you can also make an individual gift to support ECFA by clicking here.

Nonprofits and churches earn ECFA accreditation by proving that they meet high standards in financial management and transparency, board governance, and stewardship. ECFA’s seal of integrity—awarded exclusively to accredited organizations—has been a proven symbol of trust for over 40 years inspiring confidence with donors and greater generosity to Christ-centered causes.

Ministries applying for accreditation receive coaching by the experienced professionals at ECFA through a rigorous application process to meet all the ECFA standards. Member organizations must continue to follow and demonstrate their commitment to the ECFA standards through an annual accreditation renewal.

ECFA-accredited organizations are also given specialized education and training throughout the year with weekly news and updates, quarterly in-depth educational outreaches, other accountability programs, and the availability at any time to connect with an ECFA team member with questions about the accreditation standards and other nonprofit best practices.

The first step to earning ECFA accreditation is easy by submitting a short online application. Click here to get started!

“… Taking precaution that no one should discredit us in our administration of this generous gift, for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.” 2 Corinthians 8:20-21 (NASB)

As scripture teaches, we have a duty to be above reproach in how we manage God’s resources. This means taking precautions or practical steps to demonstrate integrity—not just in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Trustworthy practices are more important than ever for nonprofits and churches in today’s world that has become increasingly skeptical of all institutions, including the Church.

ECFA is the largest nonprofit accreditor for donors in the U.S. and the only one that bases its standards directly on biblical principles. We help coach ministries through a thorough vetting process to demonstrate that they meet all of ECFA’s high integrity standards. We continue to support organizations in their compliance with the standards through an annual accreditation renewal and provide ongoing training and resources from ECFA’s professional staff throughout the year.

Displaying the ECFA seal of integrity and accountability can bring additional credibility to your ministry as you share the gospel and connect with givers.

Plus, as an ECFA member, you’ll receive free, unlimited access to a wealth of ECFA resources and training to help maintain high standards and enhance trust with donors.

The initial application fee to apply for ECFA accreditation is $500. Check with us about an application fee waiver if you learned of ECFA from a recent conference or another referral.

There is also an annual accreditation fee each year due at the time of your annual ECFA accreditation renewal (either January 31 or July 31, depending on your ministry’s fiscal year).

Keep in mind the most significant expense for ministries is not usually ECFA’s accreditation fee but the external cost of annual financial statements prepared by an independent CPA, which are required for accreditation under ECFA Standard 3.

No. ECFA accreditation is for churches and nonprofits of all sizes and types.

The minimum total revenue to apply for accreditation is $50,000 per year.

Although many larger ministries and churches are ECFA-accredited, the majority of our members are much smaller. About one-third of ECFA’s members have annual total income less than $1 million.

Yes. Local churches qualify for ECFA accreditation, and today, churches are the fastest-growing membership segment of ECFA-accredited organizations.

Step 1 – Apply online

• Take a few minutes to complete a short, online application form. The accreditation application will request supporting documents that can be submitted at that time or emailed later, whichever works best for you!

Step 2 – Coaching from the ECFA team

• Once your application is submitted, you’ll be assigned an experienced coach from the ECFA staff for an onboarding call to walk you through our accreditation requirements and to provide help or resources to your organization in meeting ECFA’s standards.

Step 3 – Final review and approval

• After coaching and review by the ECFA staff, your completed application will be shared with ECFA’s board of directors for final review. You’ll be notified as soon as possible when your application has been approved.

Every accreditation application is thoroughly reviewed before it is presented to the ECFA Board of Directors for approval. If an application is complete and compliance with ECFA’s standards is demonstrated, the review process will take approximately six weeks.

Become accredited today.

This list of supporting documents may be uploaded to the online application or emailed later to apply@ECFA.org.

Don’t worry if you’re not sure about any of these documents. The best next step is to submit the online application to connect with an ECFA coach who will happily help to make sure you have everything in place to meet our accreditation standards.

Annually. ECFA uses an annual accreditation model as part of our due diligence to support strong member compliance with ECFA’s accreditation standards.

• If your fiscal year ends October through March, your annual accreditation renewal is due July 31 after the close of your year end.
• If your fiscal year ends April through September, your annual accreditation renewal is due January 31 after the close of your year end.

The ECFA team will send a friendly reminder each year with instructions to make the renewal process simple and stands by ready to help with any of your questions.

Before you begin your application, ensure your ministry qualifies for ECFA accreditation. If you’re applying as a nonprofit, you’ll need to be a U.S.-based ministry holding a 501(c)(3) status for at least a year and currently generating $50,000 or more annually. If you’re applying as a church, you’ll need to be U.S.-based, have existed for at least a year, and also currently generating $50,000 or more annually.

If you meet these requirements, congratulations! You can start your application by filling out the online application form.

Our team will help guide you through the process and provide any needed help and resources so you can be confident in your alignment with the ECFA standards.

If you prefer to first talk with an ECFA team member or receive more information, Julie Beasley, Senior Compliance Associate (Julie@ECFA.org, 800-323-9473) would be happy to connect with you.

ECFA is very committed to ensuring that our members follow our accreditation standards, including through the annual accreditation renewal and other member accountability processes.

ECFA employs CPAs and other professionals who have the necessary experience and expertise to carry out ECFA’s member accountability programs under the oversight of the ECFA Board of Directors.

Read more about the ECFA Member Accountability Review Process.

Yes. As an accrediting organization, ECFA protects the integrity of its standards and its seal awarded to accredited members.

ECFA is guided by a biblical, redemptive approach to member accountability. We work with members to correct any problems and maintain their good standing. ECFA helps members to positively address compliance issues and improve their overall integrity—this is done in a spirit of community, care, and gentleness.

When necessary, ECFA takes action against member organizations that are unable or unwilling to comply in a timely manner with any of the standards. This may include suspending membership for a period of time or terminating an organization’s membership. As the basis for any disciplinary action, ECFA relies upon facts and documentation—not allegations or innuendos as the basis for any disciplinary action. While it takes time to proceed thoughtfully and deliberately in these matters, doing so is critical to arrive at a fair and true determination regarding an organization’s membership status.

Yes. Our commitment to transparency and accountability includes posting all ECFA membership changes within the past 12 months.

All resignations, suspensions, or terminations of membership while under compliance review are included, as well as voluntary resignations of members not under a compliance review. View the latest updates here.

Additionally, to search all of ECFA’s current accredited members, use our Find a Member tool.

As a first step, we believe you should try calling or emailing the organization directly to resolve the matter. A designated donor contact is listed on the member profile page of each ECFA-accredited organization.

If the matter cannot be handled by directly contacting the ministry, you may submit a concern regarding ECFA member compliance through our Share a Concern page.

Absolutely. ECFA is committed to following all the same accreditation standards that we expect of our members, including independent board governance, annual CPA audits, and appropriate transparency.

ECFA staff are accountable to the Board of Directors, consisting of national ministry leaders and professionals respected for their Christian character and wisdom. The independent Board is elected by the ECFA membership and is subject to term limits.

See also ECFA’s Bylaws and IRS Form 990 with ministry financial updates for the three most recent years.

We also invite any of your additional questions about ECFA through our contact form or by phone at 800-323-9473.

Our contact form is a quick and convenient tool if you have additional questions regarding ECFA or one of its accredited members. You can also give us a call at 800-323-9473.

Thank you again for your interest in ECFA!