Causes worth knowing
Lapis wants to make very transparent charities and foundations better known: they help homeless people, people who are ill, disabled people, nature and animals.
In short
- 46 charities and foundations, chosen because their accounts and work can be checked in public sources.
- Each card first shows the name and what the organisation does. Verified facts and their sources open with one click.
- Lapis collects no donations: to give, use the organisation’s official website.
Why these organisations?
Health: treating and preventing disease, restoring sight and funding medical research.
Solidarity: helping people who are poor, homeless, ill or disabled.
Education: teaching children to read and helping them finish school.
Animals and environment: reducing animal suffering, protecting nature and water.
In common: public accounts and independent checks, verifiable online.
Filter by theme
How the list is made
These organisations are neither ranked nor rated. The list is in alphabetical order. For each one we only give checked facts, with their source.
Lapis does not collect donations for them. To give, go directly to their official website.
The organisations (46)
Poverty
ACTED
Helps people hit by crises in about 30 countries.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 2011, renewed 2024), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Global health
Action contre la Faim
Prevents and treats malnutrition and brings clean water.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label, the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Good to know: it was the victim of a fraud by a former manager of its US branch; the case is before the courts in the United States.
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
People who are ill
AFM-Téléthon
Funds research and care for rare diseases, mainly neuromuscular ones.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- 2025 annual report published online. Source: published accounts
France’s Court of Audit found its spending in line with its appeals (2016).
Official website →Checked on 5 November 2026
People who are ill
Against Malaria Foundation
Funds mosquito nets against malaria in several countries.
Verified facts and sources
- Charity registered in the United Kingdom since 2004 (no. 1105319). Accounts filed on time up to the year ended 30 June 2025. Source: Charity Commission register (UK)
- Listed among the “Top Charities” of GiveWell, an independent evaluator (page updated in October 2026). Source: GiveWell
Good to know: in 2019, mosquito nets it had funded were stolen; it announced this itself, and an official investigation followed.
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Ecology
Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières
Helps poor farming families with sustainable farming and animal health.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label, the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Global health
Amref France
Trains health workers and improves mother and child health in Africa.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 2024), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Disability
APF France handicap
Defends and supports disabled people and their families.
Verified facts and sources
- Officially recognised as being of public benefit in France since 1945. Source: statutes (PDF, in French)
- Part of the Don en Confiance organisations since 1991 (last renewal: 2025). Source: summary of the accounts (PDF, in French)
- 2025 accounts certified by an independent statutory auditor (Jegard Creatis) and published online. Source: summary of the accounts (PDF, in French)
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Disability
Association Valentin Haüy
Helps blind and partially sighted people.
Verified facts and sources
- Officially recognised as being of public benefit in France since 1891. Source: Don en Confiance list
- Part of the Don en Confiance organisations since 1990. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Global health
La Chaîne de l’Espoir
Operates on sick children from poor countries.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label, the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Community aid
Cure Blindness Project
Low-cost cataract surgery, in the Himalayas and beyond.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States (born in Nepal)
- US registered nonprofit (501(c)(3), EIN 03-0362926). Source: Charity Navigator profile
- Charity Navigator rating: Four stars (98%), based on its public accounts. Source: Charity Navigator
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Global health
Électriciens sans frontières
Brings electricity to health centres and schools without it.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 2014, renewed 2023), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Homeless people
Emmaüs Solidarité
Welcomes, houses and supports people living on the street.
Verified facts and sources
- Part of the Don en Confiance organisations since 2020. Source: Don en Confiance list
- 2024 accounts certified by an independent statutory auditor (Ernst & Young) and published online. Source: auditor’s report (PDF, in French)
Good to know: helps homeless people; the movement distanced itself from its founder in 2024.
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Poverty
Entrepreneurs du Monde
Helps very poor families start a small business.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label, the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Global health
Fistula Foundation
Funds surgeries that repair obstetric fistula, a childbirth injury.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States
- US registered nonprofit (501(c)(3), EIN 77-0547201). Source: public accounts (IRS 990)
Official website →Checked on 5 November 2026
People who are ill
Fondation Alzheimer
Funds research on Alzheimer’s disease.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 2022), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Ecology
Fondation pour la Nature et l’Homme
Works for ecology, non-partisan and non-religious.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label, the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Good to know: working for the environment since 1990; its founder is no longer part of it.
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
People who are ill
Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale
Funds medical research in France, in all fields.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 1990, renewed 2023), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Homeless people
Fondation pour le Logement des Défavorisés
Fights poor housing and welcomes people living on the street.
Verified facts and sources
- New name of the Fondation Abbé Pierre. Source: accounts page (in French)
- Officially recognised as being of public benefit in France since 1992. Source: Don en Confiance list
- Part of the Don en Confiance organisations since 1997 (last renewal: 2024). Source: Don en Confiance list
- 2025 accounts certified by an independent statutory auditor (Mazars) and published online. Source: accounts page (in French)
Good to know: this is the former Abbé Pierre Foundation, renamed in 2025; it helps the poorest find housing.
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Ecology
France Nature Environnement
A federation of nature and environmental protection associations.
Verified facts and sources
- Officially recognised as being of public benefit in France since 1976. Source: summary of the accounts (PDF, in French)
- Part of the Don en Confiance organisations since 2012 (last renewal: 2025). Source: summary of the accounts (PDF, in French)
- 2025 accounts certified by an independent statutory auditor (Donnadieu & Associés) and published online. Source: auditor’s report (PDF, in French)
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Poverty
GiveDirectly
Gives cash directly to families living in extreme poverty.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States
- US registered nonprofit (501(c)(3), EIN 27-1661997). Source: public accounts (IRS 990)
Good to know: gives money directly to poor families; strengthened its internal controls in 2023.
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Global health
Helen Keller Intl
Gives children vitamin A and fights malnutrition.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States
- US registered nonprofit (501(c)(3), EIN 13-5562162). Source: public accounts (IRS 990)
- Listed among GiveWell “Top Charities”, an independent evaluator. Source: GiveWell
Good to know: its leadership salaries are high; its work is among the most effective known.
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Animals
The Humane League
Reduces the suffering of farmed animals.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States
- US registered nonprofit (501(c)(3), EIN 04-3817491). Source: public accounts (IRS 990)
- Recommended by Animal Charity Evaluators, an independent evaluator. Source: Animal Charity Evaluators
Good to know: speaks up for farm animals; its leadership team has changed since 2021.
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
People who are ill
Institut Pasteur
A research centre fighting disease, in France and worldwide.
Verified facts and sources
- Officially recognised as being of public benefit in France since 1887. Source: status page (in French)
- Part of the Don en Confiance organisations since 1990 (last renewal: 2023). Source: Don en Confiance list
- 2025 accounts certified by an independent statutory auditor (KPMG) and published online. Source: summary of the accounts (PDF, in French)
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Poverty
Les Restos du Cœur
Gives meals and support to poor and homeless people.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Audited by France’s Court of Audit, which publishes its report. Source: Court of Audit report
France’s Court of Audit found its spending in line with its appeals and asked for stronger internal checks (2025).
Official website →Checked on 5 November 2026
Global health
Malaria Consortium
Protects children from malaria in Africa and Asia.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United Kingdom
- Registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1099776). Source: Charity Commission register
- Listed among GiveWell “Top Charities”, an independent evaluator. Source: GiveWell
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Global health
Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque
Brings children from poor countries to France for heart surgery.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 2019), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
People who are ill
Médecins du Monde
Provides care to people excluded from healthcare, in France and in more than 30 countries.
Verified facts and sources
- Co-founding member of Don en Confiance. Source: transparency page (in French)
- Independent donors’ committee since 1990. Source: transparency page (in French)
- Accounts certified by a statutory auditor (Mazars); full financial report published. Source: transparency page (in French)
Good to know: it went through an internal crisis in 2025-2026; its leadership has changed.
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Global health
New Incentives
Helps families get their babies vaccinated in Nigeria.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States (works in Nigeria)
- US registered nonprofit (501(c)(3), EIN 45-2368993). Source: public accounts (IRS 990)
- Listed among GiveWell “Top Charities”, an independent evaluator. Source: GiveWell
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Poverty
Oxfam France
Fights poverty and inequality.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 2010, renewed 2022), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Good to know: fights poverty and inequality; also runs advocacy campaigns. An old case (2011) involved another member of the Oxfam network, not Oxfam France, which speaks about it openly.
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Education
Partage
Helps very poor children get schooling, care and food.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 1995, renewed 2022), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Community aid
PHASE Worldwide
Health, education and income in remote villages of Nepal.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United Kingdom (works in Nepal)
- Registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1112734). Source: Charity Commission register
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Ecology
Pollinis
Protects bees and other pollinating insects.
Verified facts and sources
- Part of the Don en Confiance organisations since 2018. Source: Don en Confiance list
- 2025 accounts certified by an independent statutory auditor (Baker Tilly) and published online. Source: auditor’s report (PDF, in French)
Good to know: protects bees and pollinators; it has no donation label. Criticism was published in 2014-2015; it denies it, and its accounts are certified every year.
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Education
Room to Read
Teaches children to read and helps girls finish school, including in Nepal.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States
- US registered nonprofit (501(c)(3), EIN 91-2003533). Source: public accounts (IRS 990)
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Global health
Seva Foundation
Restores sight: cataract surgery and eye care, including in Nepal.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States
- US registered nonprofit (501(c)(3), EIN 38-2231279). Source: public accounts (IRS 990)
- Charity Navigator rating: Four stars (100%), based on its public accounts. Source: Charity Navigator
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Animals
Shrimp Welfare Project
Reduces the suffering of farmed shrimp.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United Kingdom
- Registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1204414). Source: Charity Commission register
- Recommended by Animal Charity Evaluators, an independent evaluator. Source: Animal Charity Evaluators
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Animals
Sinergia Animal
Improves the lives of farmed animals in Latin America and Asia.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: Brazil
- Recommended by Animal Charity Evaluators, an independent evaluator. Source: Animal Charity Evaluators
Official website →Checked on 5 November 2026
Animals
Société Protectrice des Animaux (SPA)
Takes in and cares for abandoned, lost or mistreated animals.
Verified facts and sources
- Officially recognised as being of public benefit in France since 1860. Source: summary of the accounts (PDF, in French)
- Part of the Don en Confiance organisations since 2016. Source: transparency page (in French)
- 2025 accounts certified by an independent statutory auditor (EY) and published online. Source: summary of the accounts (PDF, in French)
Good to know: protecting animals since 1845; a 2017 public review noted progress.
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Water
Solidarités International
Brings safe water and sanitation where crises hit.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 2017), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Homeless people
Solidarités Nouvelles pour le Logement
Rents low-cost homes to people in difficulty, with support.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 2015), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Water
SOS Sahel
Water, health, schools and sustainable farming in the Sahel.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 1997, renewed 2023), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Community aid
The Tibet Fund
Health, water and schooling for Tibetan refugees in India and Nepal.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States
- Charity Navigator rating: Four stars (96%), based on its public accounts. Source: Charity Navigator
- 2025 annual report published online. Source: annual report (PDF)
Good to know: linked to the Tibetan administration in exile; part of the donations also supports religious institutions. A payment to this administration was debated in 2017; the charity explained it was a loan.
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Community aid
Tibet Relief Fund
Helps Tibetan refugees: health, schooling, elderly care.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United Kingdom
- Registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1061834). Source: Charity Commission register
Good to know: humanitarian help for Tibetans; the Tibetan cause is a politically sensitive subject.
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
Education
Toutes à l’école
Schools very poor girls in Cambodia, up to a job.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France (works in Cambodia)
- Holds the Don en Confiance label (since 2011, renewed 2024), the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
People who are ill
Vaincre la Mucoviscidose
Helps people with cystic fibrosis and funds research.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: France
- Holds the Don en Confiance label, the French body that checks charities asking the public for donations. Source: Don en Confiance list
France’s Court of Audit confirmed how donations were used and asked for stronger internal checks (2021).
Official website →Checked on 5 November 2026
Animals
Welfarm
Works for the welfare of farm animals.
Verified facts and sources
- Part of the Don en Confiance organisations. Source: transparency page (in French)
- Accounts certified every year by a statutory auditor; the report is published in the French Official Journal. Source: transparency page (in French)
Official website →Checked on 31 October 2026
Animals
Wild Animal Initiative
Studies how to improve the lives of wild animals.
Verified facts and sources
- Country: United States
- US registered nonprofit (501(c)(3), EIN 82-2281466). Source: public accounts (IRS 990)
Official website →Checked on 4 November 2026
How we check
We read official sources: the public list of Don en Confiance (the French body that monitors charities that ask the public for donations), statutory auditors’ reports, public registers and statutes.
We remove an organisation if a fact can no longer be checked. Logos are not shown, because we do not use them without permission.
This list is neither a label nor a certification. None of these organisations asked to be on it.
Has something changed? Write to us: [email protected].
The Lapis badge (project)
The Lapis badge (draft)
Lapis is preparing a small badge for these causes. It will only be offered with the organisation’s written agreement.