Library
Services
The Donors Forum Library is the Midwest's
largest collection of resources on philanthropy, nonprofit
management and fundraising. A cooperating collection of The
Foundation Center, the Library holds more than 3,000 volumes
focused on grantmaking, fundraising and nonprofit management
in the Chicago area and throughout the United States.
About
the Collection
The Library's collection includes:
- extensive
materials on proposal writing, fundraising, board governance
and all aspects of nonprofit management
- private
and corporate foundation directories
- grants
lists
- foundation
annual reports
- giving
guidelines
- periodicals
on philanthropy and nonprofit management (see
our current list of holdings)
- grantmaker
files, including press releases, application guidelines,
newsletters and press clippings
- videotapes
about nonprofit organizations, grantmaking and fundraising
- access
to databases that can help with fundraising
- a
job binder containing open positions in nonprofit organizations
Library
materials do not circulate. You may make photocopies of any
information you wish. A small selection of popular materials
is for sale.
Online
Library Catalog
Donors Forum offers an online, searchable
database of the Library’s collection. Because Library
materials do not circulate, we provide call number and location
information for all search results so you can find the resource
during your next visit. The Library uses a modified Library
of Congress classification scheme. Click
here to begin your search.
Other
Collections
The Literature
of the Nonprofit Sector is the Foundation Center's searchable
bibliography of selected literature, including articles with
abstracts held by the Donors Forum Library and other libraries.
Researchers
seeking older historical foundation materials should contact
Indiana
University-Purdue University Indianapolis, which houses
the Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives and the Joseph
and Matthew Payton Philanthropic Studies Library, or the Chicago
History Museum.
Preserving
the Public Trust Initiative Annotated Bibliography
This bibliography
supports the Preserving
the Public Trust Initiative which is designed to help
nonprofit organizations - including grantmakers - take specific,
concrete steps to ensure adherence to high ethical standards
and strong governance principles. All titles are available
in the Donors Forum Library.
Resources
for Individuals
Because relatively few foundations fund
individual grantseekers directly, most of the materials in
the library relate to the information needs of representatives
of nonprofit organizations. If
you are looking for grants as an individual, we recommend
you review that section of in the Grantseekers
Toolbox to get started.
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New
Arrivals
Here's a sampling of the latest books we've added
to our collection in July, 2009):
Enterprising Nonprofits: A Toolkit for
Social Entrepreneurs. By J. Gregory Dees, Jed Emerson,
and Peter Economy. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2001. The basic concepts
of social entrepreneurship are outlined in this title, and
effective methods for implementing new practices are suggested.
Nonprofit Governance: Law Practices &
Trends. By Bruce Hopkins and Virginia Gross. Hoboken,
N.J: Wiley, 2009. This title will help nonprofits understand
the legal aspects of governance, and to devise policies in
accordance with best practices.
ROI for Nonprofits: the New Key to Sustainability.
By Tom Ralser. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2007. Ralser offers
nonprofits a new way to think about leveraging donor motivations
and maximizing funding potential. This title covers a broad
spectrum of topics including adopting an investment-based
mindset and how to communicate with potential investors.
iLearning. By Mark Salisbury. San
Francisco, C.A: Pfeiffer, 2009. This title explores the need
for learning to become integrated in the workplace, and how
organizations can develop processes to facilitate learning
among their employees.
Capital Campaigns from the Ground Up.
By Stanley Weinstein. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2004. Weinstein
covers all aspects of the capital campaign process, and describes
how to implement fundraising and building plans concurrently.
Relationship Fundraising: A Donor Based
Approach to the Business of Raising Money. By Ken Burnett.
San Francisco, C.A: Jossey-Bass, 2002. In this title Burnett
explores marketing to donors, and the components of a successful
fundraising relationship.
Robin Hood Marketing. By Katya Andresen.
San Francisco, C.A: Jossey-Bass, 2006. Andersen advises nonprofits
to steal the secrets of corporate marketing and use them to
enact more successful marketing campaigns.
IRS Audits of Tax Exempt Organizations.
By Bruce Hopkins. Hoboken,
N.J: Wiley, 2008. This title is intended to assist any nonprofit
undergoing an audit.
For more information, contact the Library
at (312) 578-0175 or info@donorsforum.org.
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Other
Resources for Nonprofits
We offer many resources for nonprofit
organizations:
Workshops
The Donors Forum Library sponsors
many opportunities for staff, trustees and volunteers of nonprofit
organizations to learn about the basics of fund development,
nonprofit management and to educate themselves about foundations
and corporate giving programs in the Chicago area. For descriptions
of these workshops and to register, click
here.
Forum
Partners Program
Gain access to critical programs, services and networking
opportunities that will help your organization fulfill its
mission by becoming a Forum Partner. Benefits for Partners
include a discount on publications and workshops, telephone
reference assistance, a subscription to the monthly newsletter
Forumnotes and more. Learn
more about the Forum Partners program.
Grantseekers
Toolbox
Check out this one-stop resource if you have questions about
nonprofit fundraising. Does your organization qualify for
grants? How do you find the right funder for your program?
How do you approach funders and make the ask? Visit the Grantseekers
Toolbox to find the answers.
Philanthropy
Centers
Resources are not only available at the Donors Forum Library
in downtown Chicago, but can be easily accessed at our five
Philanthropy Centers. Learn
more about their locations, collections
and orientations.
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