“2009: The Year in Review,” Philanthropy News Digest.  December 30, 2009  http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/specialissues/item.jhtml?id=277600016 (January 4, 2010).

“Place Your Bets:  How to Get and Preserve Government Funding in Tough Economic Times,” GuideStar, January 2010 http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2010/place-your-bets-how-to-get-and-preserve-government-funding-in-tough-economic-times.aspx?source=jan10nwsltr (January 7, 2010)

FORUMS/TRAINING

February 9–10, 2010  Technology Essentials 2010: WebJunction Online Conference
WebJunction is hosting a free two-day online conference. The theme is Technology Essentials ands includes staff training, marketing, outreach, funding, advocacy, services and programming, technology planning, virtual libraries and the library’s web presence.
COST:  Free
Register at:  http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1633

FOUNDATIONS AND ENDOWMENTS

Locate foundations by name or location through the Foundation Center’s wesite at:  http://www.foundationcenter.org/findfunders/foundfinder

GRANTS and CONTESTS

The 21st Century Community Learning Center program (CCLC) program
provides federal funding for the establishment of community learning centers that provide academic, artistic and cultural enrichment opportunities for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low- performing schools, to meet state and local standards in core academic subjects; offers students a broad array of activities that can complement their regular academic programs and to offer literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.  Grantees and all sites must provide academic enrichment activities to students attending high-poverty schools to help them meet state and local standards in core content areas, such as reading, math and science.  Any private or public organization may apply if it proposes to serve students who primarily attend  schools eligible for school wide programs or schools that serve a high percentage of students [at least 40 percent] from low-income families and  the families of students described in Item 1 above
AMOUNT:  50,000 to 500,000
DEADLINE:  February 8, 2010

Avery, Sarah.  “The IRS View of Nonprofit Governance,” GuideStar, December, 2009
http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2009/the-irs-view-of-nonprofit-governance.aspx?source=dec09nwsltr
…..this article includes our Word the Day:  Inurement

Gordon, Susan “Effective Fundraising with Facebook Causes,” N Ten Nonprofit Technology Network, June 18, 2009: http://nten.org/blog/2009/06/18/effective-fundraising-facebook-causes (December 17, 2009)
Higman, Rebecca and Katya Andersen “Online Donors: Why They Leave and How to Win Them Back,”  N Ten Nonprofit Technology Network, September 29, 2009: http://nten.org/blog/2009/09/24/online-donors-why-they-leave-and-how-win-them-back (December 17, 2009).

Martignetti, Tony. “Year-End IRA Gifts Are Still Possible,” GuideStar, December, 2009 http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2009/year-end-ira-gifts-are-still-possible.aspx?source=dec09nwsltr (December 5, 2009)

Prestone, Caroline. “Charities Look for Ways to Unlock Benefits of Social Media Tools” Chronicle of Philanthropy, December 10, 2009: http://philanthropy.com/free/articles/v22/i04/04001101.htm (December 9, 2009)

Raymond, Susan U.  Nonprofit Finance for Hard Times: Leadership Strategies When Economies Falter    Wiley, 2009 (ISBN: 978-0-470-49010-5)
More Info:  http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470490101.html

FORUMS/TRAINING

CharityHowto.com offers free step-by-step videos for non-profits, including tutorials on online fundraising: http://www.charityhowto.com/

Free access to archived teleconferences on funding at Network For Good Learning Center: http://www.fundraising123.org/training
A few examples:
Dec 15, 2009: 6 Steps to Building a Dynamic Grantseeking Calendar  Slides (pdf), Audio (mp3), Transcript (pdf)
Oct 20, 2009: “Missionize” Your Year-End Fundraising: Maximizing Your Organization’s Fundraising Potential this Holiday Season  Handout (pdf), Audio (mp3), Transcript (pdf)
Oct 16, 2009: A Rookie’s Guide to Online Fundraising and Marketing (Foundation Center) NetworkforGood_OnlineFundraising_101609.pdf (pdf)
Sep 29, 2009: Digital Facelift: Tips for Taking Your Website from Blah “Before” to Amazing “After” Slides (pdf), Handout (pdf), Audio (mp3), Transcript (pdf)

GRANTS and CONTESTS

TechSoup
Become a free ‘By the Cup’ subscriber and enter to win an hour of tech time with a techie from TechSoup! You can enter once a month
Deadline:  ongoing
More Info: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=PeTxcI_2bwQ1SIj69qmFfFog_3d_3d

Coming Up Taller Awards   (President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities)
Awards recognize and reward excellence in after school and out of school arts and humanities programs
Amount:  up to 10,000 each
Deadline: January 29
More Info: http://www.pcah.gov/news/cut2010Nominations.htm

MISCELLANEOUS

Squareup.com streamline credit card access for small groups.  A small plug-in to your cell phone allows you to scan credit cards!

DonateNow offers nonprofits ability to accept website donations (no merchant account required) for a fee:  http://www1.networkforgood.org/for-nonprofits/fundraising/donatenow

SOCIAL MEDIA and ONLINE FUNDING

SocialVibe.com:
http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/raise-funds-on-socialvibecom/

Fundraisingip.com—how to raise funds online:

You have a website:  http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/raise-funds-online-with-or-without-your-own-website-part-1/

You don’t have a website:  http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/raise-funds-online-with-or-without-your-own-website-part-2/

Fritz, Joanne. “What Do I Need to Know About Credit Cards for Accepting Donations” About.com Guide.  http://nonprofit.about.com/od/faqsfundraising/f/creditcards.htm (December 3, 2009)

FORUMS/TRAINING

Discovery Education offers free webinars and access to archived webinars.  See: http://community.discoveryeducation.com/

Foundation Center’s free webinars on grant seeking, proposal budgeting, your board and fundraising.  They also offer fee based webinars: http://www.foundationcenter.org/getstarted/training/webinars/

PBS offers free monthly webinars on media and education technology
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/webinar/archive.html

Education Week also offers free webinars:  http://www.edweek.org/ew/marketplace/webinars/webinars.html

Thinkfinity offers free training opportunities as well as resources: http://www.thinkfinity.org/pd/national_training.aspx

GRANTS and CONTESTS

The Big Read (National Endowment for the Arts)
Grants for Library Reading Programs.
Amount:  up to $20,000
Deadline:  February 2, 2010
More Info:  http://www.neabigread.org/application_process.php

Home Depot
Grants are for community improvement projects that include activities such as construction or building, rebuilding, painting, refurbishing, increasing energy efficiency or sustainability, landscaping, planting of native trees, community facility improvements and the development and/or improvement of green spaces. Grants must support work completed by community volunteers in the U.S.
Amount: up to $2500 in the form of Home Depot gift cards
Deadline:  December 15, 2009
More Info:  http://corporate.homedepot.com/wps/portal/Grants

Environmental Protection Agency
For environmental education projects
Amount:  up to $200,000 (small grants up to $50,000 also considered regionally)
Deadline:  December 15, 2009
http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/grants_apply.html

LIBRARIES IN ACTION

Easttown Library and Information Center  (Berwyn)
Whole Foods market donates a nickel each time a library patron uses a reusable bag
More Info: http://www.easttownlibrary.org/nickels-for-non-profits-whole-foods-market-program.html

PRODUCT FUNDRAISING

Do these times make you want to ‘go commercial?’  This site lists some products you may wish to sell to make cash! (yes, Virginia, there is money out there)
A – Z: Specific Fundraising Products, Unusual Fundraising Ideas: http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraisingcompanies/specialfund.html

Don’t forget that you will need to collect sales tax.  Ask your solicitor or tax advisor what you need to collect and report.  You need to be careful not to jeopardize tax status.  Read more at
http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitmanagement/f/Unrelated.htm and
http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitbasics/a/loseexempt.htm

If you plan to sell items, you may want to accept credit or debit cards.  Check with your local bank or checkout sites offering ‘nonprofit merchant accounts.’

Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2008–2009 September 25, 2009:
http://www.ala.org/ala/research/initiatives/plftas/2008_2009/librariesconnectcommunities3.pdf

FORUMS/TRAINING

November 3 Fund-Raising Forecast
(Online Discussion at http://philanthropy.com/live/) at 12:00pm EST
Sponsored by “Chronicles of Philanthropy,” this online discussion will discuss creative ways to approach fund raising and ‘learn what techniques and messages work best in these tough economic times.’  Questions can be submitted in advance (best chance for reply).
COST:  Free

GRANTS and CONTESTS

America’s Historical and Cultural Organizations and Interpreting America’s Historic Places grants
Grants support interpretative exhibitions, reading or film discussion series, historic site interpretation, lecture series and symposia and digital projects.  NEH especially encourages projects that offer multiple formats and make creative use of new technology to deliver humanities content.
Award:  up to $400,000 (Chairman’s Special Award is up to $1 million)
Deadline:  January 13, 2010 and August 18, 2010
More Info:  Planning Grants:
http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/AHCO_PlanningGuidelines.html
Implementation Grants:
http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/AHCO_ImplementationGuidelines.html

Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries (for school libraries)  —share this info with your local school librarian!
Award:  up to $6000 to individual schools working to update, extend, and diversify the book collections of their libraries
Deadline:  December 31, 2009
More Info: http://www.laurabushfoundation.org/web2/index.html

We The People Bookshelf Grant
4,000 libraries will be selected to receive 17 books on the theme “A More Perfect Union,” to complement library programs observing the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. The Bookshelf features a DVD edition of “The Civil War,” by Ken Burns, including the rights to show the series to public audiences, and “Declaring Independence:  the Origin and Influence of America’s Founding Document.”
Deadline:  January 29, 2010
More Info: http://publicprograms.ala.org/bookshelf or http://www.neh.gov/news/archive/20090908.html

LIBRARIES IN ACTION

Palmyra Public Library’s Community Christmas Tree Ornament fundraiser.
The Borough Christmas tree looked bare last year without ornaments–but things will certainly be different this year thanks to Palmyra Public Library Director, Karla Marsteller!
Marsteller asked if the library could sell ornaments as a fundraiser.  Not only did the Borough agree, but the Borough said they would donate the eight inch ornaments and the library could keep the proceeds!
The library hopes to sell at least 120 ornaments at $10 each.  The only costs to the library are ornament tags with the name of the donor or the person whose name is being honored or memorialized.  Check out the library’s website for other fundraising activities:
http://www.lclibs.org/palmyra/giving.php

Indiana Free Library hosts “An Evening in the Stacks” on Nov 6th
(First Commonwealth Bank’s website also promoted this for the library)
Hors d’oeuvres and wine, followed by a light dinner and dessert and entertainment by local artists and musicians.  Cost is $25.  Check out their event calendar: http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=IFL

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Matching Grant
Can you attract a matching or challenge grant?
The Pittsburgh Foundation hosted Pittsburgh’s Day of Giving – a day when gifts of $50 or more, contributed to the Library through the PittsburghGives site, were matched 50¢ to the $1, up to a gift of $10,000 per individual. See Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s site at:  http://www.carnegielibrary.org/about/support/

MISCELLANEOUS

Affinity card programs: they use a credit card and you get a percentage?
An affinity credit card promotes a group’s cause, gives supporters another way to show support and may even pay the group a finder’s fee as well as a percentage.
Here are two that work with nonprofits.  Ask your credit card company if they have a similar program.
Visa’s CardPartner: http://www.cardpartner.com/
Capital One’s site: http://www.fundraising123.org/article/partner-webinar-archive-fundraising-affinity-card-program-4 (Network for Good provides a recording of how this program works)

Strategic Planning Funding Resource Committee has a website: http://www.accesspa.state.pa.us/funding_resources
Committee Members include:  Kathy Arnold-Yerger – Municipal Support, Bernice Crouse – Annual Fundraising, Victoria Dick – Commercial, Mary Garm – Endowments and Foundations, Martina Kominiarek – Capital Campaigns, Diana Megdad – Grants, Pam Murphy – Fundraising Events

“Nonprofit Finance: What Board Members and Trustees Need to Know,” October 15, 2009. The Chronicle of Philanthropy [Transcript]   http://philanthropy.com/live/2009/10/nonprofit_finance
(Part of The Chronicle’s series of free live discussions featuring Nonprofit Finance Fund to provide advice to nonprofit and foundation leaders on how to manage in tough times.  The series takes place every other Thursday at noon)

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Learn what you need to know about Fundraising Booths at:  http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/setting-yourself-up-for-great-fundraising-fundraiser-booths-shows/

MISCELLANEOUS

You will find much information by clicking through links at Tech Soup:
Learn why Excel should not be used as a donor database:
http://www.idealware.org/articles/Excel_isnt_database.php
Scroll through this list to see what federal programs are available to nonprofits: http://www.ezec.gov/Fundseekers%20Guide%20to%20the%20Galaxy/Applicant%20Eligibility%20index.pdf
Prospect Worksheet:
http://www.ezec.gov/Fundseekers%20Guide%20to%20the%20Galaxy/gsb_prospect.doc

ONLINE FUNDRAISING

Anyone can initiate online fundraising on your behalf!  FirstGiving vets the nonprofits, hosts the website and ensures the transfer of money to the nonprofit.  The site fee is 7.5% of the donations. More info at:   http://www.firstgiving.com

Online fundraising and benchmark studies: http://www.e-benchmarksstudy.com/
(does require free registration)

State of online fundraising: http://nten.org/blog/2009/09/24/state-online-fundraising
Learn tidbits such as
o   December accounted for about 21% of the year’s transaction volume, but 48% of the total dollars raised.
o   The average online gift for the month of December increased to $248.82
o   Research by Target Analytics found that online donors do switch to become offline donors, but offline donors rarely become online donors

Wilhelm, Ian, “Gates Allocates $400-Million for Charity Loans And Other Investments,” The Chronicle of Philanthropy, September 30, 2009. http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/index.php?id=9688

Chronicle of Philanthropy Transcript on “Helping Nonprofit Groups Make Smart Financial Decisions,” Tuesday, September 29 (http://philanthropy.com/live/2009/09/financial_decisions/)

DONOR INCENTIVES

Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC)
This Department of Economic and Community Development (DCED) program provides tax credits to eligible businesses contributing to a Scholarship Organization, an Educational Improvement Organization, and/or a Pre-Kindergarten Scholarship Organization.  Educational organizations need to register.
FUNDING: Tax credits equal to 75% of its contribution up to a maximum of $300,000 per taxable year; Can be increased to 90% of the contribution, if business agrees to provide same amount for two consecutive tax years;
MORE INFO:  http://www.newpa.com/find-and-apply-for-funding/funding-and-program-finder/funding-detail/index.aspx?progId=62

Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP)
Another DCED program which provides tax credits to encourage businesses to invest in projects which improve distressed areas.
DEADLINES:  July1 and October 1
FUNDING: Tax credits equal 55 percent of project.
MORE INFO:  http://www.newpa.com/find-and-apply-for-funding/funding-and-program-finder/funding-detail/index.aspx?progId=82

FORUMS/TRAINING

October 8th Fundraising Practices:  Track it Right! Report it Right
Sponsored by Hershey for the non-profit administrator or board member, this workshop will be held at the Beard Mill Co in York.  It includes accounting for fundraising, monitoring fundraising personnel, donor practices and policies
COST:  $35 PANO member $50 non-member
MORE INFO:
https://www.netforumondemand.com/eWeb/DynamicPage.aspx?Site=PANO&WebCode=EventDetail&evt_key=9349f6d8-da01-463e-9f6f-744df125a607

Nov 19th   The Art of Grant Writing and Fundraising
This ONLINE workshop is part of a three event series offered by Alliance Library System and Learning Times
COST: $69/individual $99/group on one computer
MORE INFO: http://www.fundraisingconference.org/

GRANTS and CONTESTS

Brinker International:
Do you have a Chili’s Grill and Bar, Macaroni Grill, Maggiano’s or On the Border in your neighborhood? Consider submitting a proposal to Brinker for a donation:
MORE INFO: http://www.brinker.com/company/givingback.asp#gui

Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation for summer reading programs and early-childhood education and literacy programs.
AMOUNT: up to $10,000
DEADLINE:  January 31
MORE INFO:  http://www.buildabear.com/aboutus/community/bearhugs.aspx

FINRA Investor Education Foundation
Areas of interest include expanding the body of knowledge and or providing practical materials that will have a positive impact on investor education or protection and projects that encourage women/minorities to take control of their financial future
AMOUNT:  no set limits
DEADLINE:  any time of the year; however, forms received by Nov 5 will be entered into the process for a June 2010 funding decision.
MORE INFO: http://www.finrafoundation.org/grants/general/guidelines/index.htm#funding

IMLS grants
Various grants/deadlines for libraries and museums.
MORE INFO:  http://www.imls.gov/applicants/applicants.shtm

Letters About Literature 2009-2010
(LAL) is a national reading and writing program that asks students in Grades 4 through 12 to write letters to authors; also offers free teaching materials: www.lettersaboutliterature.org;
AMOUNT: Winners in each category get a cash prize plus a $50 gift certificate from Target and LAL gives $10,000 reading promotion grants to the school or community library of each of the six national award winners. In addition, twelve national runners-up receive a $100 Target Gift card and a $1000 grant for the library of their choice.
DEADLINE:  December 12, 2009
MORE INFO: Guidelines and entry coupon: http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/activities/LAL

Library Journal’s Annual Best Small Library in America Award
(sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
DEADLINE: November 2
MORE INFO: http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA606273.html

Libri Foundation
Donates new books to rural public libraries
DEADLINE:  monitor site below for January deadline
MORE INFO:  http://www.librifoundation.org/apps.html

National Historical Publications and Records Commission
Provides grants for Basic Processing (For projects that process and reveal “hidden” collections that researchers otherwise cannot easily discover), Preservation Planning, Collections Development, Establishing Archives.
DEADLINE: October 6, 2009
AMOUNT:  up to $200,000 (up to 50% of project)
MORE INFO:  http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/announcement/basic.html

Scholastic Library Publishing  National Library Week Grant
to a single U.S. library for the best public awareness campaign during National Library
Week 2010
DEADLINE:  deadline has been extended to: November 6, 2009
AMOUNT: $3,000
MORE INFO:  http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/pio/natlibraryweek/nlwgrant.cfm

William Penn Foundation
Foundation funds projects to promote the full development of children and youths to become capable adults and productive citizens. Proposals may concern any of the following issues: healthy birth outcomes and early childhood health, high-quality child care and early education, strong families and safe homes, youth development, or strategies that strengthen public education and the transition to work or higher education. More information is available on the foundation’s Web site.
AMOUNT:  if requesting amount larger than $82,500 you will need to follow deadlines of:
Letters of Inquiry – October 14, 2009, Invited Proposals – November 11, 2009, Action at February 26, 2010 board meeting; Letters of Inquiry – February 24, 2010, Invited Proposals – March 24, 2010, Action at June 25, 2010 board meeting, Letters of Inquiry – July 14, 2010, Invited Proposals – August 11, 2010, Action at November 19, 2010 board meeting
WHO MAY APPLY: nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia and in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. In some instances, government agencies may be eligible if no nonprofit organization can conduct the equivalent activity.
MORE INFO:  http://www.williampennfoundation.org/info-url3564/info-url.htm

MISCELLANEOUS

Community Funding Resources from the Community Development Program in USDA as of September 30, 2009:

“Staffing Grant Seeking:” http://www.ezec.gov/Fundseekers%20Guide%20to%20the%20Galaxy/StaffingGranSeeking1-louiseDix.doc
“Financial Management for Non-profits (Tech note) http://www.ezec.gov/Fundseekers%20Guide%20to%20the%20Galaxy/Technote22%20Financial%20Management%20for%20Non-Profits.pdf

“Key Federal Funding Programs for Rural Areas Listed by Department:” http://www.ezec.gov/Fundseekers%20Guide%20to%20the%20Galaxy/Federal%20Funding%20List.htm

“Applicant Eligibility Index:” (interesting but not only for libraries…..)
http://www.ezec.gov/Fundseekers%20Guide%20to%20the%20Galaxy/Applicant%20Eligibility%20index.pdf

“Prospect Worksheet:”
http://www.ezec.gov/Fundseekers%20Guide%20to%20the%20Galaxy/gsb_prospect.doc

!WOW!  a must read on sustainability: “The Sustainability Factor: How Nonprofit Organizations Can Thrive in the Emerging Economy:” http://tccgrp.com/pdfs/SustainabilityFormula.pdf (at least read pages 8-13)

“How to Strike Effective Alliances and Partnerships” (Harvard Business Review)
Eight factors that make alliances work:  http://bit.ly/NNDMs

Books to Read

Dolnick, Sandy. Essential Friends of Libraries: FastFacts, Forms, Tips. ALA Editions, 2004
Founder of Friends of Libraries USA, Dolnick, accumulated 20+ years of wisdom from Friends groups across the nation into a sourcebook for Friends. Book includes funding ideas and more!

Free or Somewhat Free

Now there is a TechSoup just for libraries:  http://blog.techsoup.org/node/895