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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS


These websites offer a variety of resources and perspectives on specific aspects of nonprofits.  Some sites are concerned with presenting evaluative data on specific nonprofit organizations in the US.  Other sites concentrate on special areas of concern: Grants, volunteerism, practical management advice, federal government resources, academic/research institutes' findings, and information on international nonprofit agencies.


Charity Navigator

•  Charity Navigator "... works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities"
•  Provides evaluative data on 2,500 charities and nonprofits; browse by category, region
•  A charity's profile ("Charity Summary') includes an overall rating, ratings on organizational efficiency, organizational capacity, peer analysis (comparison to similar-type organizations), income statement, revenue/expense trends, executive compensation
•  "Methodology" provides information on criteria used to determine the classification and rating systems utilized in compiling a "Charity Summary"
•  Free newsletter available; also contains news, articles of interest to nonprofits
•  Excellent; not as extensive as other sites of its kind, but it does an admirable job for what it covers


Digital Librarian: Nonprofits

•  Maintained by Margaret Vail Anderson
•  Links to over 70 nonprofits; most are for specific organizations, but also include directories and gateways
•  Short annotations accompany most links
•  Good source for quick reference, since many of the most prominent charitable organizations are included


Foundation Center (FC)

•  This is primarily an informational site about the activities and services of the Foundation Center, one of the most prominent sources of foundation information on the Internet
•  "Foundation Finder" is a searchable database over 70,000 foundations in the U.S.; profiles of foundations include the following: contact information, fiscal data, assets, total giving, most recent IRS filing
•  "Grantmaker Web Sites" links to over 2,400 sites for the following: "Private Foundations," "Corporate Grantmakers," "Grantmaking Public Charities," and "Community Foundations"
•  Links to FC's programs, publications, regional libraries and services
•  Provides access to the "Philanthropy News Digest" (archived from 1995)
•  One of the best and most reputable sites for access to data on US foundations and related organizations


Give.org

•  Sponsored by the Better Business Bureau's BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBBWGA)
•  "Collects and distributes information on hundreds of nonprofit organizations that solicit nationally or have national or international program services"
•  "National Charity Report Index" is a browsable alphabetized list of several hundred organizations which have been profiled in a "Charity Report"
•  A "Charity Report" contains information on an organization's programs, governance, fund raising, tax status, finances; also includes compliance with BBBGWA's "Revised Standards for Charity Accountability"
•  Does not give ratings for an organization, only factual information and compliance with BBBGWA's standards
•  Charities/nonprofits selected for a "Charity Report" are determined by the volume of "public inquiries" received by BBBWGA
•  Does not provide reports on local/regional charities/nonprofits; these may be found by clicking on the links for "Local Charities"
•  Excellent; thorough, non-biased reports on many of the nation's largest, most well-known charities/nonprofits


Grants for Nonprofits

•  Maintained by Jon Harrison, Michigan State University Libraries
•  Directory of websites for organizations which offer grants/funding to nonprofit organizations in 30 categories for business, educational, social service, science, and health fields
•  Links within a category include contact information, a brief description of the organization's activities/focus, and the date last checked
•  In addition to links within a category, print resources (when available) are also listed
•  Excellent; one of the best and easy-to-navigate online directories of grant-sponsoring organizations


GuideStar — The National Database of Nonprofit Organizations

•  Sponsored by Philanthropic Research, Inc.
•  "Gathers and distributes data on more than 850,000 IRS-recognized nonprofits"
•  "GuideStar EZ" provides a basic profile of an organization, including contact information, a brief description of its purposes and activities, a "financial snapshot" for the latest fiscal year
•  Additional information on an organization may be found in "GuideStar Plus;" includes a summary, mission/programs, goals/results, contact information, financials, board of directors, Form 990
•  Registration required for "GuideStar EZ," and "GuideStart Plus" (but it's free)
•  Additional reports/products available for a fee
•  Most productive searching conducted by browsing "Site Map"
•  Includes tutorial, glossary
•  Outstanding; comprehensive and includes data not found elsewhere (unless fee-based); the first stop for conducting any nonprofits research


Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations (HCNO)

•  "The Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations is an interdisciplinary research center at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University"
•  The HCNO supports research on nonprofits from a variety of perspectives, including public policy analysis, scholarly research, involvement of practitioners in the field in HCNO's programs and initiatives and related activities
•  Links to other nonprofit sites, including general resources, government sites, other academic research centers, news, "technical assistance," funding sources and related resources
•  Includes information on HCNO's initiatives/programs, research projects, educational activities (courses, case studies, fellowship positions, "Annual Guide to Nonprofit Courses")
•  E-newsletter available
•  This excellent resource is one of the best "think tanks" for the development of research on nonprofits; selection of links is superb


Idealist.org

•  Sponsored by "Action Without Borders," a nonprofit organization which "... connects people, organizations and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives... independent of any government, political ideology or religious creed"
•  Links to "... over 36,000 nonprofit and community organizations in 165 countries"
•  Also links to almost 40,000 additional sites for volunteer opportunities, internships, campaigns, events, programs
•  "Nonprofit Career Center" links to over 1,000 job opportunities
•  Organizations may post jobs, find resources and locate volunteers; also provides services for individuals, consultants
•  Available in French, Spanish, Russian
•  Outstanding; with its comprehensive, international focus, this is one of the best — if not the best — nonprofit sites for volunteering


Independent Sector (IS)

•  "A coalition of leading nonprofits, foundations, and corporations strengthening not-for-profit initiative, philanthropy, and citizen action"
•  "Nonprofit Information Center" provides an overview of the nonprofit sector and research reports on donating, volunteering, and "Other Resources" (ethics, accountability, et. al.)
•  Includes "Faith and Philanthropy," a 2001 report compiled in conjunction with the National Council of Churches, which discusses the relationship between religious donations and other types of charitable donations
•  Includes information on IS membership, publications, annual conference, events, annual report
•  Excellent source for researching issues and trends within the nonprofit sector


InterAction: American Council for Voluntary International Action

•  "InterAction is the largest alliance on U.S.-based international development and humanitarian non-governmental organizations"
•  With links to over 160 member organizations, InterAction provides the following profile information for each organization: mission statement, program(s) information, "Related Documents," organization type, countries of focus (if available), "Program Areas, Sector"
•  InterAction focuses on the following areas of concern: policy/legislative advocacy, international development, humanitarian policy/practice (includes disaster response, migration/refugees), gender equality/diversity
•  Serves as a clearinghouse for international aid efforts; issues "alerts" for world crises, related news
•  Also includes information on membership, events, program(s), annual report
•  Searchable
•  Outstanding resource for linking to many of the US's most prominent internationally-focused nonprofit organizations


JustGive.org

•  "JustGive is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect people with the charities and causes they care about; ... provide[s] people with the resources, services, and tools they need to give — whether it's their money, their time or their goods"
•  Browse by subject or search over 850,000 organizations (uses GuideStar's database)
•  Donors (of money, goods, volunteering) have the option of direct donation to a specific organization or donating through JustGive.org
•  "Giving History" (compiled when donations are made through JustGive.org) has the advantage of providing donors with a tax summary of donations, useful at tax time
•  "Wedding Registry" is a unique feature which creates an online procedure for allowing wedding guests to donate to a couple's favorite charity, in lieu of gifts
•  "Charity Baskets" allow donors to specify a "basket" of related charities in lieu of gifts for birthdays, "special occasions"
•  FAQ feature provides extensive, clearly-written information on JustGive.org's governance, goals, programs, procedures, finance, privacy/security safeguards; this FAQ is one of the best of its kind (and could serve as a model for other organizations)
•  This outstanding site is one of the most innovative sites in the nonprofit field; easy-to-navigate


Macrocosm USA

•  Maintained by Sandi Brockway
•  "A nonprofit educational clearinghouse emphasizing environmental, justice, peace, health issues and solutions for progressives"
•  "Maintains a database of over 6,000 organizations, periodicals, publishers and businesses, media contacts, and other resource guides"
•  Links to other activist directories and provides interactive forums
•  Excellent resource for activists whose viewpoint is "progressive"


National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS)

•  "A Project of the Center on Nonprofits & Philanthropy at the Urban Institute"
•  "The primary role of NCCS is to provide the public with the highest quality financial and descriptive data on nonprofit organization activities, and to serve the information needs of the government, research, and nonprofit communities"
•  This "watchdog" site co-ordinates and sponsors research in conjunction with the nonprofit sector (including academic resources), the commercial sector and government on the national and state levels
•  Provides access to state profiles and a glossary
•  Includes information on NCCS's projects, publications, staff
•  Also links to private sites and government resources for nonprofits
•  Excellent source for nonprofit data from one of the nation's most reputable "think tanks"


Network for Good

•  Formerly known as "Helping.org"
•  "Network for Good is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the Web to help people get more involved in their communities; ... an e-philanthropy site where individuals can donate, volunteer and speak out on the issues they care about"
•  "Connect with a Cause" links to information for the following: animals/environment, arts/culture, civic/community, education/research, health, human services, international issues, religion; examines numerous facets of each topic and links to appropriate organizations and opportunities
•  "Learn More About ..." utilizes data from the "National Center for Charitable Statistics" to provide information about specific organizations
•  "Advocacy" includes advice and procedures for creating an online newsletter, producing alerts/petitions, organizing an e-mail lobby and additional information on participating in nonprofit activities
•  Most productive searching conducted by browsing "Site Map"
•  Outstanding; one of the best sites for volunteerism, community involvement and related issues


Nonprofit Good Practices Guide

•  Sponsored by the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership, Grand Valley State University
•  Provides information for the following topics of common concern to all nonprofits: fundraising/financial sustainability, governance, staff development/organizational capacity, accountability/evaluation, volunteer management, communications/marketing, management/leadership, advocacy, technology, foundations/grantmaking
•  Each topic includes the following: glossary, "Pitfalls," "Preferred Practices," "Profiles" (links to related websites), "Resources" (articles, books, case studies/research, journals), "Taxonomy" (sub-topics), "Trends"
•  Designed for use by nonprofits at all levels, from the neighborhood community group, to foundations, from universities to healthcare organizations
•  Includes event information, news
•  Exceptional; required reading for anyone involved with or with an interest in nonprofits; one of the best — if not the best — sites for practical, "hands-on" advice


NonProfit Management

•  Developed and maintained by Daphne Allen, Portland State University Library
•  A pathfinder of print, Internet and databases/indexes, this extensive guide offers comprehensive coverage of many of the most authoritative nonprofit resources, including reference works, e-books, statistics and organizations
•  Print resources may be found in many academic libraries or large public libraries
•  "Web Resources" links to many of the most prominent sites in the field
•  Databases/indexes are restricted to the Portland State University academic community; they may be available at many academic libraries or large public libraries
•  Also includes advice on strategies for maximizing the efficiency/productivity of conducting research
•  Outstanding; comprehensive and well-structured; also does a great job of outlining the research process


Nonprofit Organizations

•  Maintained by the Business & Economics Library, Columbia University
•  This guide discusses print sources available in the Business & Economics Library; many of these may be found in academic libraries or large public libraries
•  Links to some of the most authoritative nonprofits websites, including directories, research institutes, professional organizations
•  Excellent annotations accompany citations and links
•  Databases/indexes are restricted to the Columbia University academic community; they may be found in many academic libraries or large public libraries
•  While not extensive, this guide does an excellent job of presenting a selection of some of the best resources on nonprofits; especially useful for anyone with little or no background on nonprofits


Nonprofit Organizations

•  Maintained by the Horn Library, Babson College
•  Discusses print resources on nonprofits in the Horn Library; many of these should be available in many academic libraries or large public libraries
•  Links to numerous nonprofits' websites, including gateways, directories (national and international), statistics, legal issues, periodicals, other web guides
•  Excellent annotations accompany citations and links
•  Provides advice on strategies for maximizing the productivity of research
•  Provides information on citing electronic resources
•  Outstanding; one of the best, most comprehensive academic sites on nonprofits currently online; highly recommended for anyone conducting research in this area


Websites discussed on this page are for informational purposes only. Johnson & Wales University Library is not responsible for the accuracy, content, or stability of any websites linked to this page.

Compiled by Rick Keogh 11/03; links last checked 2/08

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