Cashing it in!
UBI
With all the money rolling in from sales, you may want to read this about unrelated business income:
http://www.nonprofitexpert.com/income.htm  (remember that you may want to consult an attorney for tax related questions).

I was not sure where to put this small list of grocers and related retailers below who may offer donations to your organization or have fundraising opportunities where you both benefit.  Some offer outright donations and others may make you work for it!  Check these below and let me know if you hear of any others or if any of these change—thanks! 

Bi-Lo
Giant “Cash for Causes” fundraiser (Their site says that 100 families spending $100/week will earn $26,000)
Karns
Save-a-Lot
Sheetz  fundraiser   scrip   sponsor 
Wal-Mart
Wegman’s
Weis

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.’

Find out how much $25 can buy in ads on Facebook in this blog by the Social Media Subcouncil: http://govsocmed.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-much-exposure-can-25-buy-you-on.html

From the New York Times:  Banks no longer want to manage small non-profit investments? http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204563304574314882717782344.html?mod=djkeyword (It may be time to consider your local Community foundation?)

The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Prospecting Column explains that the number of millionaires is declining:   http://philanthropy.com/news/prospecting/index.php?id=8904

“Funding raising words never to use.” Interesting comments after this brief Prospecting Column: http://philanthropy.com/news/prospecting/index.php?id=8890 (add your own!)

The Chronicle also reports that half of Charities have cut staff:  http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/index.php?id=9021

Capital Campaigns

Grant Station has a series of links on everything you should know about capital campaigns: http://www.grantstation.com/Public/Funding_Strategies_px/capital_cam_vol_01.asp

Free or Somewhat Free

Jing: Software to snap a picture of your screen, record video of onscreen action and instantly share http://www.jingproject.com/

Grants and Contests

Corporation for National and Community Service
Social Innovation Fund (be on the lookout this fall)
Fact Sheet: http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/09_0716_serveact_sif.pdf

Libraries in Action

Run or Walk
Cleve J. Fredricksen Library’s 4th annual Library Loop 5K Race and Community Fun Walk Saturday, August 1st: http://www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org/index.aspx?NID=722

Nickel Saved….

Are you cooling or heating the library when no one is there?  Books and materials don’t need to be as comfortable as people.  Consider a programmable thermostat, which automatically adjusts the temperature when the library is closed, but allows for over-rides as needed.

Online Money

“10 Ways to Support Charity Through Social Media” from GovFresh Government2.0 site:
http://govfresh.com/2009/07/10-ways-to-support-charity-through-social-media

Check @Smartgivers on Twitter or see their site at: http://twitter.com/smartgivers

Product/Service Fundraising

Print on Demand
Does your library have a ‘one of kind’ or out-of print that if could offer as print on demand?  Find out what the University of Michigan is doing with Amazon:
http://www.lib.umich.edu/news/stories/agreement_with_amazon_will_make_um_digital_books_widely_available_536.html

Notecards
“Using Customized Notecards to Make Money,” –from fundraising IP.com– http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/using-customized-notecards-to-raise-money/

Miscellaneous

Federal Government grant info: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/resources.jsp
FAQs, user guides, checklists, animated tutorials, newsletters, webcasts, brochures,
download software and find additional resources for applying for Federal grants.

PA Conservation Works Program
Training was held on July 27th by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (http://www.icleiusa.org/blog).
Recording: http://tinyurl.com/lpx28d
PPT slides: http://tinyurl.com/lflysv
More on the Conservation Works program: http://preview.tinyurl.com/l4wlfs

IRA Training Material on Governance:  http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=208454,00.html
(found on Twitter through @BoardSource)