Lamson Library’s Grant Research Center is one of the Cooperating Collections of the Foundation Center, a nonprofit service organization with headquarters in New York. Our collection is made possible in part through a grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. The other Cooperating Collection in New Hampshire is located at the Concord Public Library.

The print resources in our Grant Research Center are located on the Main Level of Lamson Library, between the Information Desk and the Reference Desk. Ask at the Reference Desk for assistance. Located with the Grant Research Center print Reference sources will be copies of a bibliography entitled “Selected Materials on Grantwriting and Fund Raising From Our Circulating Collection” which will list a number of books that give tips on writing successful grant proposals and related topics. These may be borrowed directly from Lamson Library or through your local library via interlibrary loan.

Foundation Directory Online (FDO)

http://fconline.fdncenter.org/welcome.php?fpc=1

Lamson Library provides public access only within the library building to the Foundation Directory Online (FDO) database from the Foundation Center. Non-PSU users may access this from any of four public Internet computer stations behind the Reference Desk. An icon for FDO will be on the desktop of these computers. Users with a PSU computer account may access FDO from any networked computer within the library. (From the Library Home Page, click on “Databases” at the left, then on “Foundation Directory Online”.)

FDO is the premier grantseeking database on the Web. It includes profiles of more than 92,000 foundations, corporate donors, and grantmaking public charities, with descriptions of over 1.3 million recent grants. Users may also search over 441,000 IRS 990 forms.

Using FDO is the most efficient way to generate a prospect list of potential funders, since it allows you to specify and combine various criteria, such as the subject area (e.g. Health), type of support (e.g. General/operating support), and geographic area (e.g. NH or national). The Website of the Foundation Center (see link below) provides more information about FDO.

Another database from the Foundation Center is also available from the same workstations in Lamson Library — or from any networked computer in the library. This is “Foundation Grants to Individuals Online (FGTIO)”. Most of the nearly 92,000 foundations included in the FDO database do NOT give grants to individuals. The FGTIO database includes more than 6,200 foundations and public charities that WILL give grants to individuals, such as grants to support graduate education. For information on how to access this database, see the section on FGTIO below.

Foundation Center

http://foundationcenter.org/

The Foundation Center is an independent nonprofit information clearinghouse whose mission is “to foster public understanding of the foundation field by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects”. Check the Home Page of the Foundation Center for a wide variety of information about the Foundation Center and its services, including Web links to other nonprofit resources.

For access to a variety of information retrieval tools regarding foundations, click “Find Funders” at the top of the Foundation Center Home Page. This will open a menu of key links, such as: “Foundation Finder”, to search by foundation name for basic information on more than 92,000 private foundations, community foundations, and corporate giving programs, and “990 Finder”, which allows one to find both the IRS 990-PF and 990 forms for private foundations and nonprofit organizations from all states. (Also see section below about 990 and 990-PF forms). Also under the “Find Funders” section are links to useful statistics on grantmakers and grants.

The “Get Started” section will give you answers to frequently-asked questions (”FAQs”) and more. Under the “Welcome — Nonprofit Grantseekers” section of “Get Started” you will find links to free online tutorials on topics such as “Grantseeking Basics for Nonprofit Organizations”, and “Proposal Writing Short Course”.

Finding IRS 990 and 990-PF Forms on the Web

Each year, private foundations must file Form 990-PF with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These forms provide valuable financial information about each foundation, and list grants made in the past year. Another IRS form, the 990, is required to be filed by nonprofit organizations that are exempt from Federal income taxes and whose annual receipts are “normally” more than $25,000 a year. The Foundation Center, from its Web site, now provides 990 Finder, which is a searchable database allowing the public to find both 990 and 990-PF forms for organizations and foundations.

GuideStar is another searchable database which gives anyone free Web access to 990-PF forms on private foundations. Free sign up is required to view the 990-PF form. The GuideStar site also has other information for nonprofits, grantmakers, and donors.

Foundation Grants to Individuals Online

http://gtionline.fdncenter.org/ipl.php

Now you can quickly search through detailed descriptions of more than 6,200 foundation programs that fund students, artists, researchers, and other individual grantseekers. This unique online database —the only one devoted exclusively to the needs of individuals— is convenient and easy to use! Within seconds you can generate your own list of prospective funders. You can access this database from any of the four public computer workstations behind the Reference Desk — or from any networked computer within the library. Click on the Library Home Page icon, then on “Databases” at the left. Databases are in alphabetical order. Click on the link for “Foundation Grants to Individuals Online”. Note: This database is only available from within the library.

Directory of Charitable Funds in New Hampshire

http://doj.nh.gov/publications/directory-main.html

This directory is produced by the NH Department of Justice, Charitable Trusts Unit. The latest online version is dated 7/1/05. According to the purpose statement on this Web site, this Directory is “intended primarily to assist New Hampshire residents and organizations to locate and utilize the charitable funds established for their benefit by fellow citizens, corporations and benefactors”. The Directory is online in PDF format, with no electronic search option. The main body of the Directory is alphabetical by foundation/fund name, and there is a separate “Purpose” index, as well as a “Geographical” index.

See below for an annual print directory of New Hampshire foundations.

New Hampshire Directory of Foundations, 2007-08

The newest directory of New Hampshire foundations was first produced in 2001 by CPG Enterprises, Inc., PO Box 199, Shaftsbury, VT 05262. The 5th edition, 2007-08, is now available. Entitled The New Hampshire Directory of Foundations, this publication “lists all foundations incorporated in New Hampshire plus foundations incorporated elsewhere with giving or guidelines that include New Hampshire. Information includes: names, addresses, phone and other contact information; assets and typical grant ranges; application guidelines; areas of interest; restrictions and limitations; lists of recent New Hampshire grantees”. The directory is priced at $55.00. Also available from this publisher is a Vermont Directory of Foundations. Here is the Web link to the publications pages of CPG Enterprises.

New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits

http://www.nhnonprofits.org/

While this resource is not strictly devoted to grant research, it is a valuable contact for nonprofit organizations in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits (NHCN), formerly the Granite State Association of Nonprofits (GSAN), is “an association of over 400 member nonprofit organizations who have joined together to strengthen the state’s nonprofit sector. The Center works to increase public awareness of how indispensable nonprofits are to NH’s well being. We are dedicated to strengthening the effectiveness of New Hampshire nonprofits by providing them with the knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to enhance their ability to serve the citizens and communities of New Hampshire.” NHCN monitors public policy on issues affecting nonprofits, makes sure NH nonprofits are recognized, provides a network of peers, offers solutions to problems confronting nonprofits today, and provides informational programs and services to help nonprofits look forward to the future. For further information, connect to the Web site of the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits online. See especially the “Funding Resources” link, that provides a lengthy list of “Maine-NH Focused Granters”.

Grants.gov

http://www.grants.gov/

A Web site from the federal government that began in October, 2003, this site will allow those seeking federal grants to browse for funding from the 26 federal grant-making agencies. Users can browse through a list of grant topic areas, such as Arts, Education, Health, and Natural Resources. Clicking on a topic leads the user to a list detailing which federal agenices provide grants within each topic area. The site also includes an electronic “Apply for Grants” feature that provides a simple, unified application form. Since Nov. 7, 2003, all federal agencies are required to post announcements of available grants in a standard format on Grants.gov. Users of the Grants.gov portal will also be able to sign up for e-mail alerts that will notify them when grant competitions have opened.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

http://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.html

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a government-wide compendium of the approximately 1,500 Federal programs that provide grants, loans, scholarships, training, and other services. The print version is located in the PSU Grant Research Center; you may also connect to the Web site of the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance online.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

http://philanthropy.com/

The major newspaper of the non-profit world is The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Published every other week, it is, in its own words, “the No. 1 news source for charity leaders, fund raisers, grant makers, and other people involved in the philanthropic enterprise”. However, some of this material is only available to Chronicle subscribers. Full information on how to subscribe is on the Chronicle’s Web site.

Compiled by Gary McCool.