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Where Do I Begin?
Anyone visiting the Main Branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County for the first time usually wants to know "Where do I begin?" Where your research begins depends on the type of information you need. So take a moment to concentrate on your organization's information needs; the more clearly you can define your own requirements, the more quickly you can get to work. This might also be a good time to sign up for an orientation session, if the library you are using offers one. The Main Library offers free orientations.
What is a foundation?
There is much confusion as to the definition of a foundation. It can be defined as a non-profit, non-governmental organization with a principal fund or endowment of its own. A private foundation derives its money from a family, an individual, or a corporation. An example is the Ford Foundation. This is in contrast to public charities, which may give grants but which derive their support from various members of the public. An example is the Ms. Foundation for Women. At present, the Main Library publications and databases cover private foundations, community foundations, and corporate giving programs.
Like the individuals who originally established them, foundations differ dramatically from each other in their giving interests. Your organization has a much better chance of securing funding if you do careful research. Foundation Center resources will help you focus on those foundations whose funding priorities most closely match your project. The most effective results come from using the following three approaches to funding research:
To help you match your non-profit's needs with the interests of a potential funder, see the Prospect Worksheet on the next page. Feel free to photocopy this worksheet. After you have answered the questions about your own organization, you may wish to make several copies of the worksheet and use one for each prospective funder.
You will want to use Foundation Center and other resources to compile a list of foundations that appear most likely to support your organization or your project. Choose prospective funders by examining their descriptive profiles and recent giving histories. Foundations that have already supported projects similar to yours, those that award the type of support you seek, or those in your geographic area should be considered for your prospect list.
The next step is to research carefully and exhaustively the funders you have identified. To research foundation giving patterns and trends, some of the best sources are: annual reports, IRS returns (Form 990-PF), and published directories. Remember, research is hard work; it takes time, but it always pays off.
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