Grantseeking for Nonprofits

Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center

The Springfield City Library is a Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center. Formerly known as the Western Mass. Funding Resource Center hosted by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, the Cooperating Collection is now housed at the Central Library, 220 State Street.

As a member of this nationwide network of libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit agencies, the Springfield City Library provides visitors with free public access to grantmaker directories, books on fundraising and nonprofit management, and the Foundation Center's electronic databases, The Foundation Directory Online and Foundation Grants to Individuals Online. The fully searchable database includes detailed profiles of all active U.S. foundations, as well as an extensive file of recent grants awarded by the nation's top funders.

Representatives of nonprofit and grassroots organizations and other patrons are welcome to use the print collection and databases in the main reference area (Wellman Hall) at the Central Library at any time during our open hours. Librarians are available for assistance. Wireless access for laptop computers is available. No preliminary training is required.

Computer access at the Springfield libraries requires a library card from the Springfield City Library or any C/WMARS library. Free Foundation Center Online introductory computer classes are available through our HiTech @ the Library class schedule.

For more information or for group visits, please contact the Collection Supervisor, Donna Goldthwaite, at 413-263-6828 ext. 437 or by email at: dgoldthwaite@springfieldlibrary.org. To be added to our e-mail list (to be advised of upcoming programs and Foundation Center updates), please send a request to dgoldthwaite@springfieldlibrary.org.

DATABASES available through the Cooperating Collection:

Foundation Directory Online
A searchable database of 80,000+ U.S. foundations, grantmaking public charities, and corporate givers, including sponsoring company information. Additional program information and expanded application guidelines for larger funders. Links to over 7,400 grantmaker and corporate Web sites. Links to IRS 990-PF and 990 returns. See a librarian for assistance. In-library use only at Central Library.

Foundation Grants to Individuals Online
A searchable online database of more than 6,200 foundation and public charity programs that fund students, artists, researchers, and other individual grantseekers. See a librarian for assistance. In-library use only at Central Library.

Free Audio Version of Guide to Proposal Writing

The Foundation Center, in partnership with the New York Unit of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D), is making available free of charge a new audio version of The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing, the most popular book in its Fundraising and Nonprofit Management Series. For web visitors' convenience, the recording is divided into tracks corresponding to chapters in the book, and users can listen to the chapters that interest them or download the entire audiobook as a single mp3 file. The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing is also available as an AudioPlus© CD in RFB&D's library for those with visual disabilities. Click here for the free audio version.