GSI has its origins in 1994 with the formation of GuideStar the non-profit sector information system for the United States. Founded by Buzz Schmidt, GuideStar has become the US’s premier non-profit database and is used extensively by most philanthropic institutions, non-profit organisations, corporations, individual donors, and government grant making agencies and regulators.

Among many honours, www.guidestar.org has been made part of the permanent research collection on information technology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The collection includes the most innovative applications of technology.

In November 2001, TIME magazine recognized Mr. Schmidt as one of the 7 innovators in philanthropy, with the Time 100, the “next wave of American innovators for the new century,” and he was named Non-profit Executive of the Year, the executive who had the most impact on the sector in 1999, by The Non-profit Times.

In 2002, Mr. Schmidt became Chair of GuideStar and relinquished the role of Chief Executive. In September of that year with the London-based Institute for Philanthropy , he initiated the formation of GuideStar UK. With significant funding by the Her Majesty’s Treasury as well as several private grants, GuideStar UK launched its comprehensive web service, presenting detailed reports about the work and finances of the charities of England and Wales, in November 2005.

The development of GuideStar UK prompted enquiries from sector leaders in countries throughout the world interested in the potential for developing similar systems to support their own civil societies.