Top 10 Internet Sites for Nonprofits
With so many options these days, the internet seems to be overwhelming when you want to get solid information relevant to your field. With Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and more, finding helpful information directly relating to your industry can become difficult.
Over the next few months, we will be posting a series of Top Ten places to look online for help finding inspiration and solid news for leaders, nonprofits, small business, and entrepreneurs.
Top Ten Internet Sites for Nonprofits
1. The Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.org/
Established in 1956, the Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. The Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grant-makers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit the Foundation Center’s website each day and are served by its five library/learning centers at more than 450 Funding Information Network locations nationwide and around the world.
2. The Urban Institute
http://www.urban.org/
Founded in 1968 to understand the problems facing America’s cities and assess the programs of the War on Poverty, the Urban Institute brings decades of objective analysis and expertise to policy debates—in city halls and state houses, Congress and the White House, and emerging democracies around the world. Today, their research portfolio ranges from the social safety net to health and tax policies; the well-being of families and neighborhoods; and trends in work, earnings, and wealth building. Their scholars have a distinguished track record of turning evidence into solutions.
3. The IRS’ Nonprofit Section
http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits
If you don’t know what the IRS is by now, you should go to this link, and then enter into a few hours of Google research on the topic of IRS + charitable nonprofits.
4. National Council of Nonprofits
https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/
The National Council of Nonprofits (Council of Nonprofits) is a trusted resource and advocate for America’s charitable nonprofits. Through their powerful network of State Associations and 25,000-plus members – the nation’s largest network of nonprofits – they serve as a central coordinator and mobilizer to help nonprofits achieve greater collective impact in local communities across the country. They identify emerging trends, share proven practices, and promote solutions that benefit charitable nonprofits and the communities they serve.
5. Idealist
http://www.idealist.org
Idealist is all about connecting idealists – people who want to do good – with opportunities for action and collaboration. With more than 100,000 organizations and 1.4 million monthly visitors to their English, Spanish (idealistas.org), and French (idealiste.org) sites, Idealist helps people move from intention to action all over the world. They are most known for their Job Bank.
6. CompassPoint
https://www.compasspoint.org/
CompassPoint intensifies the impact of fellow nonprofit leaders, organizations, and networks as we achieve social equity together. We believe that nonprofit organizations and leaders need relevant support that builds on their strengths, experiences, and achievements and that those individuals and organizations that invest in increasing their leadership and management capacities are better poised to achieve progress.
7. Association of Fundraising Professionals
http://www.afpnet.org/
Since 1960, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has inspired global change and supported efforts that generated over $1 trillion. AFP’s nearly 30,000 individual and organizational members raise over $100 billion annually, equivalent to one-third of all charitable giving in North America and millions more around the world.
8. Nonprofit Startup Resources Map
http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/map/start-up-map.html
The Nonprofit Startup Map provides links to helpful state resources such as nonprofit associations, legal support organizations and government agencies.
9. EveryAction
http://blog.everyaction.com/
“At EveryAction, we’ve walked in your shoes and get what you’re doing; our team of experts have held senior digital, fundraising, and organizing roles at nonprofits, and we helped pioneer online fundraising and advocacy. The insights we gained from this experience, combined with a top-notch in-house technology team, have allowed us to build best-in-class tools that have helped thousands of clients – both large and small – raise billions of dollars, send billions of emails, and recruit millions of new supporters.”
10. Guide Star
http://www.guidestar.org
“GuideStar’s Mission is to revolutionize philanthropy by providing information that advances transparency, enables users to make better decisions, and encourages charitable giving. Many people think that we are a charity evaluator or a watchdog. We aren’t. Instead, we are a 501(c)(3) public charity that collects, organizes, and presents the information you want in an easy-to-understand format while remaining neutral. Providing nonprofit information to a broad audience at no cost to those users is an important part of our public service, one that we pledge to continue.”
We know this list is not the end-all-be-all of nonprofit information. Therefore, we’d welcome what you are reading/searching/browsing/using for nonprofit information hubs as we develop this series. Please send us your suggestions here!
Jamie Rose is partner & COO of Momenta Creative. We nicknamed Jamie the “Fun Machine” at the office because of her infectious laugh and unending energy. Don’t let the sparkling personality fool you. Her sharp, plugged-in approach to communications is what landed her previous positions with companies like The New York Times and The Global Fund, and what makes her indispensable to our clients today.