Foundation Center offers a deep resource for philanthropy

It seems that many of the 1.5 million nonprofits in the land still have not heard of the Foundation Center. And that’s too bad, because the venerable nonprofit organization, which has been around for more than 50 years, offers a wealth of information about U.S. philanthropy and helps people learn how to apply for grants through a rich foundation database.

Best of all, it’s free — just like a public library.

Recently I gave a well-attended talk at the Foundation Center San Francisco about how nonprofits can make strategic use of social media. Afterward, I sat down for a 6-minute interview with training coordinator Sarah Jo Neubauer, who detailed the Foundation Center’s offerings.

Watch, download or embed the video on Vimeo

At Foundation Centers in New York, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Cleveland and San Francisco, you can find out how to write a grant proposal to any of the 92,000 profiled foundations. If you’re a student, you can learn how and where to apply for financial aid. You can also find out how to develop a fundraising plan, how to approach a foundation, how to seek corporate sponsorship and more.

More resources are available here:

• Focus on the Economic Crisis
• Free webinar training
• Use Foundation Center resources for free at these locations.

You can access the center’s resources at one of their libraries (some 450 “cooperating collections”) around the country, online through a live or recorded webinar, or by directing your questions to a research expert via live chat or email. Without reservation, we can vouch for the Foundation Center as a cornerstone resource for your nonprofit’s efforts to learn more about grants, sponsorships and much more.

Related

• 99 foundations that use Twitter (Socialbrite)

The post Helping nonprofits master the art of grant writing appeared first on Socialbrite.

If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area next Wednesday, I hope you’ll stop by this free presentation I’m giving on July 20 at the Foundation Center, one of the world’s top sources of information on philanthropy, fundraising and grant programs.

Here are the details:

Topic: 12 Steps to Mobilize Your Social Network

When: Wednesday, July 20, 3 – 4:30 pm

Where: Foundation Center, 312 Sutter St., San Francisco

Description: Whether you want to raise funds, grow your membership, recruit more followers, gather petition signatures, find volunteers for your cause or connect with your community, this presentation will offer guidance that will help your organization create long-term impact. This interactive session will cover topics such:

• What steps will motivate supporters and newcomers to take actions on behalf of my organization or cause?
• How can I successfully use social tools to mobilize my organization’s members, spread awareness, enlist supporters, raise funds and drive action?
• How can I integrate my social media strategies with my organization’s fundraising efforts?
• Email me to get your specific questions addressed.

Bio: J.D. Lasica is a social media strategist and consultant who is considered one of the world’s leading experts on the social Web. Named one of Silicon Valley’s top 50 influencers, he is founder of Socialbrite.org, a national social media consultancy for nonprofits and a community learning hub. CNET named him one of the top 100 media bloggers in the world. Follow him on Twitter at @jdlasica.

Space is limited. Register online below or in person. Registrants requiring ASL signers or other disability-related services are asked to contact the Foundation Center at least two weeks in advance. If you need further information, please call (415) 397-0902.

The post How to use your social networks to create impact appeared first on Socialbrite.

Foundation Center: philanthropy info galore from JD Lasica on Vimeo.

• See a more recent interview with Sarah Jo Neubauer: Helping nonprofits master the art of grant writing (2011)

If you’ve spent some time in the world of nonprofit philanthropy, you’ve no doubt heard of the Foundation Center. The venerable organization, which has been around for more than 50 years, is a nonprofit library and learning center that provides information about U.S. philanthropy and helps organizations and individuals learn how to apply for grants through a rich foundation database.

Best of all, it’s free — just like a public library.

At the recent Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC), I ran into Sarah Jo Neubauer, assistant librarian at the center’s San Francisco Library, who provided a brief overview of the center’s offerings.

You can find out how to write a grant proposal to any of the 92,000 profiled foundations. If you’re a student, you can learn how and where to apply for financial aid. (This is, after all, Education Month.)

More resources are available here:

• Focus on the Economic Crisis
• Free webinar training
• Use Foundation Center resources for free at these locations.

You can access the Center’s resources at one of their libraries around the country, online through a live or recorded webinar, or by directing your questions to a research expert via live chat or email.

Here’s our 4 1/2-minute interview:

Watch or embed video on Vimeo
Download video in original H.264 from Archive.org

The post Foundation Center: a deep resource for philanthropy appeared first on Socialbrite.