Spotted Today in the SLPL Grants & Foundation Center

Today we had some visitors from a local nonprofit who spent some time researching grant opportunities using actual books! According to Kelli (on the right), they found "some great stuff"! A wonderful way to wrap up National Library Week - seeing patrons using our resources and finding useful information.

Last week they were in exploring the information available via the Foundation Directory Online database available in our room from the Foundation Center.

Good luck ladies, thanks for stopping by, and hope to see you again soon!

Strengthening the social sector by advancing knowledge about philanthropy.

U R Invited: Foundation Maps webinar @Central 8/5/15

Experienced fundraisers interested in learning about new features of the Foundation Maps database are invited to join me here at Central Library for a live webinar led by Jake Garcia, Foundation Center Vice President for Data & Technology Strategy on Weds. Aug. 5 at noon.  Foundation Maps allows searchers to visualize grantmaker, grant recipient, and grants data by subject and geographic area through a variety of filters with map, list and chart views. The recently enhanced database is available by subscription from the Foundation Center but may be searched free-of-charge on our reference database computers at Central Library. If you are interested in participating, contact kparks@slpl.org no later than Aug. 3rd for details.

Missouri Common Grant Application 6/17/15 Orientation

Nonprofits considering submitting grant applications to foundations that accept the Missouri Common Grant Application (CGA) are invited to a free 90-minute orientation to the CGA process June 17 at the Nonprofit Services Center office. Gateway Center for Giving coordinated development of the Missouri CGA will also explain how to use it most effectively. The  CGA allows grantmakers and grantseekers to work from a common set of questions and definitions that reinforce solid nonprofit and philanthropic practices. 

Register for this event here

The common grant application format has been adopted by groups of grantmakers in various locations. to allow grant applicants to produce a single proposal for a specific community of funders. Note: CGA's do not represent separate pools of grant money, just a more efficient way of applying to the participating funders. Click Here for  Foundation Center links to some 17 CGA's around the country.

Foundation Center Specialist Visits Central

Kief Schladweiler brought greetings to St. Louis from the Foundation Center in NYC last week and taught a free course at Central Library: "Introduction to Fundraising Planning." He described Foundation Center resources available here at the Grants & Foundation Center , one of almost 450 Funding Information Network libraries located worldwide and highlighted other valuable information available to grantseekers and nonprofits available at www.grantspace.org

Review Specialized Websites Here 2-18-15

If you're involved in your nonprofit's efforts to raise funds 1) by appealing to large foundations, AND/OR 2) by developing your proposal's case statement or evaluation plan, AND/OR 3) by collaborating with business, government or other nonprofits, consider coming by here (the 2nd flr. training rm @ Central Library) for an hour Weds. 2/18, for a guided review of the current version some specialized websites you may want to bookmark for later use. Bring your laptop or tablet, or use one of ours. We can't keep you out of rush hour unless  you linger in the neighborhood, but we do have free parking for this session. Call or e-mail with questions.

4th MondayMeetups

NEW 4th Mondays @high noon --physically stop by the Grants & Foundation Center here in the Social Sciences Rm. at Central for a quick philanthropy info fix.
 
Mon. Nov. 24, noon-12:30, Get to Know the GFC: Orientation Come find out how we can help you with your philanthropic & fundraising research. November 5-minute focus: "The Foundation Center - what's free & what's not" Meet @ 2nd fl. Social Sciences rm. desk.

  (12:30 Option: stay for an informal networking & Q&A session in the bookclub room – bring your lunch or get something from Urban Eats.)   

Mon. Dec. 22, noon-12:30, Get to Know the GFC: holiday version 5-minute focus: "The Spirituality of Fundraising."

News from FIN Network Days

The Foundation Center keeps its 470+ Funding Information Network partner libraries up on its current offerings and research at its annual Network Days conference.  This year, we St. Louis region FIN supervisors (Emma DeLooze-Klein @Kirkwood Public Library, M. Brad Smith @ St. Charles City-County Spencer Road Branch, Pamela Salela @ University of IL- Springfield, and me)  attended virtually.  Some results to pass along:

1. Training for using updated versions of FDO & Foundation Maps,

  plus a new free website --Foundation Stats -- (see G&FC Events Calendar on this page for Jan./Feb. 2015 hands-on workshop times)

2. Major funding trends reported by large arts, health and education grantmakers:

• more funding allotted innovative programs/organizations promoting racial and cultural equity in their communities;
• more funding is going for nonprofits working in areas of public policy and advocacy;
• funders are examining how technology and data are being used by organizations;
• deliberate efforts being made to help with sustainability and capacity building and technical assistance   
• funders interested in providing more support through MRIs and PRIs, social enterprise, fiscal sponsorships.  

March Miscellany ...

• Don't forget your chance to question St. Louis Area Information Technology attorneys about legal issues affecting nonprofit participation in social networks is coming to Schlafly library Thursday, March 10, at 3 pm. (See earlier posts and calendar at right.)
• The Nonprofit Times annual salary and benefits study report is in the current issue, (available in print here at the G&FC.) Some 977 nonprofits responded to the survey this year.
• March 1 problems with access by area cooperating collections to The Foundation Directory Online Professional seem to have cleared up--thanks, Foundation Center IT staff!-- and it is again available here whenever Schlafly is open.