This is from today's WSJ and applies to the US. Unfortunately the only similar site that I know of in Canada died due to neglect http://charityrank.ca/  however you can still get basic info from CRA http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/charit..._interim-e.html.
Do Research
On Charities
By JANE J. KIM
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
January 2, 2005
When donating to the recovery efforts in southern Asia, be careful about where you give.
A number of online resources can help donors vet charities and nonprofit groups. One is InterAction.org (www.interaction.org), which requires that relief groups meet certain criteria in order to be a member. Charity watchdog groups such as the American Institute of Philanthropy (www.charitywatch.org) or Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) judge charities' financial practices using a letter grade or four-star system. Guidestar.org (www.guidestar.org) lets you download copies of the IRS filings for nonprofits in its database. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance at www.give.org also issues reports on charities according to financial and governance standards.
Since many self-evaluating programs are voluntary, some charities might not choose to submit to evaluations or adopt performance guidelines. Also, the information that charities provide on the IRS Form 990, which many of these programs rely on, may be incomplete.
Since charity scams are likely to spring up in the wake of the disaster, it's a good idea to ask for a copy of the charity's audited financial statements, says Daniel Borochoff, president of American Institute of Philanthropy. "If you ask a few questions, the scammer types are not going to bother," he says.
The best way to help out is to make a cash contribution instead of donating food, supplies or clothing since it gives the relief organizations the flexibility to buy items quickly and more efficiently.
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