The Foundation Center is a nonprofit service organization established by foundations in 1956. The Center's mission is to foster public understanding of the foundation field by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects. The Foundation Center's work is carried out through a network of state and regional libraries. UNA is the first state association to be designated as an active member of the Foundation Center's program of cooperating collections.

Resources of the Foundation Center Cooperating Collection

Cooperating collection libraries provide electronic resources and a core collection of print titles. The FOUNDATION DIRECTORY ONLINE is the primary resource for locating information on foundations and grants. This online database incorporates much of the information found in print directories published by the Foundation Center. Access to the Foundation Directory Online database is available only in the UNA office.

Foundation Center Core Collection of Titles

Electronic Resources

• The Foundation Directory Online Professional
• The Foundation Grants Index on CD-ROM
• Foundation Grants to Individuals Online

Print Resources

• Board Member's Book (2003)
• The Foundation Center's Guide to Grantseeking on the Web (2003)
• The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing (2004)
• The Foundation Center's Guide to Winning Proposals (2003)
• The Foundation Center's Guide to Winning Proposals II (2005)
• The Foundation Directory (2006)
• The Foundation Directory Part 2 (2006)
• The Foundation Directory Supplement (2006)
• Foundation Fundamentals (2004)
• Foundation Grants to Individuals (2006)
• The Foundation 1000 (2006)
• Foundations Today Series: Foundation Giving Trends (2006), Foundation Growth and Giving Estimates (2006), Foundation Yearbook (2006)
• Guide to Funding for International and Foreign Programs (2006) Guide to U.S. Foundations, Their Trustees, Officers, and Donors (2006)
• National Directory of Corporate Giving (2006)
• National Guide to Funding for Libraries and Information Services, 8th ed. (2005)
• National Guide to Funding in AIDS, 4th ed. (2005)
• National Guide to Funding in Health, 9th ed. (2005)
• National Guide to Funding in Religion, 8th ed. (2005)
• Securing Your Organization's Future (2001)

IRS Form 990-PF for most US Foundations

The 990-PF contains financial and management information about the foundation as well as the complete listing of grants awarded in its last fiscal year. Many 990-PF documents are available online when searching Foundation Directory Online or other sites such as Foundation Finder and GrantSmart.

Who Can Use the Collection?

Any individual or group seeking funds or grants is welcome. The Collection is self-service and is available during UNA office hours--generally 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday . Materials in the collection do not circulate from the UNA office. Photocopies are available upon request for 5¢ per copy. You may also print from the online collection--the first 10 pages are free, additional pages are 10¢ per page.

How to Use the Collection

The Collection is located in UNA's library. Although help is available for general questions on the collection, in-depth research assistance will not be provided. Researchers must be willing to do their own research.

Excellent tutorials are available on the Foundation Center's web site. Follow the links from "Learning Lab" > "Virtual Classroom" > "Orientation to Grantseeking". The tutorials will provide information on how foundations typically operate, how to search for grants for individuals as well as nonprofit organizations, or how to write a proposal.