Grants Resource Collection
The New York State Library is part of a nationwide network of Foundation Center Cooperating Collections. These are funding resource centers located across the United States and abroad. The Foundation Center disseminates current information on foundation and corporate giving through its publications and services available at these sites.
Collection Scope
Foundation Center publications and databases form the core of the collection. They include:
- Grantmaker directories
- Regional and international directories
- Guides for fundraising and prospect research
- Proposal writing guides
The Library also purchases additional resources for fund raising research. These include handbooks and texts about proposal writing, grants to individuals, nonprofit management and trustee boards, and various books about fundraising and development. Federal and state fundraising resources are available, as are magazines and newspapers written for the grants professional.
Nonprofit development professionals, grantmakers, and individual grantseekers will find the collection useful. Public agencies may identify private or federal sources of funding. Researchers may use the collection during regular Library hours.
Reference Services
Services include reference librarians to assist visitors, free orientations and workshops, online search services, and facilities for individual electronic research.
Reference staff will supply simple factual data from online and reference directories in response to telephone requests. They will assist researchers in the use of databases and reference books, but they will not perform grants research for individuals or recommend funding sources.
Appointments for grants collections orientations are made through the Reference Desk.
Online Services
The Library's Electronic Reference Station (ERS) on the public floor includes access to all of the databases below. The use of jump/flash drives is allowed in the library but they will need to be scanned for viruses before use.
Foundation Directory Online Professional
The Library's Electronic Reference Station (ERS) on the public floor includes Foundation Directory Online Professional (FDO), from the Foundation Center. With four comprehensive databases (grantmakers, companies, grants and IRS 990’s), FDO Professional is updated weekly with interactive maps and charts showing a foundation’s giving priorities. Databases include many user-friendly features including vocabulary index for search fields and keyword searching. Save, email or print the information that is relevant. FDO Professional is available to the public during Library hours on site only.
Foundation Grants to Individuals Online
Created especially for individual grantseekers such as students, artists, academic researchers, libraries, and financial aid officers, the Foundation Grants to Individuals Online data contains detailed descriptions of many thousands of foundations that fund individuals. Records include current data on funder interests, types of support available, application requirements, contact names and address of grantmaker. This resource is available during Library hours on site only.
BIG Online America
This database includes North America's government programs, foundations, and corporations. BIG Online creates pie-charts and maps for researchers. Search results are highlighted; if the advanced search option is used, researchers will find related terms also highlighted. IRS Form 990s are completely keyword searchable. This resource is available onsite during Library hours and remotely.
The Foundation Center Web Site
The Foundation Center web site is available to the public on internet terminals located in the New York State Library's Electronic Reference Station area. The Center's web site features useful webinars and online training courses for grant seekers and funding researchers. Find books, learn about non-profit management and view the in-person events available through the Foundation Center.
You may visit the Foundation Center's web site at http://www.foundationcenter.org/
. This website is freely available from home or office. You may register with the Center for free email in your selected area of interest, which can include current grant funding opportunities.
Additional Information
The Library's Internet Bibliographies section has information about Internet resources related to grants.
For more information about our grants collection and services, contact:
Reference ServicesNew York State Library
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230-0001
Library Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Telephone: (518) 474-5355
E-mail: E-mail Reference Requests
New York State Library Website: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/