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Nonprofit Organizations
Bananas, Nonprofit 1977
Find a wealth of helpful resources including books, periodicals and databases related to nonprofit management.
We are a Funding Information Network partner of Candid, a leading authority on organized philanthropy, and provide free access to Foundation Directory Online, books, and online resources. You may contact Candid for real time support.
Candid/Foundation Directory and GuideStar
Find grants and support for yourself or your nonprofit agency.
Details and updates
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Support Organizations
These groups help with specific needs or projects by placing experienced professionals with nonprofits. This may be fee-based or free; free consultants are usually volunteers or are grant-funded.
Mary's ListConnects Northern California nonprofits and consultantsStanford Business School Alumni Consulting Team
Pro bono consultingTaproot Foundation
Connects nonprofits with pro bono supportTechsoup: The Technology Place for Nonprofits
Access to discount and free technology The Berkeley Group
UC Berkeley students pro bono consultingCompass Point
Supporting nonprofit leadershipCalNonprofits
An association unifying California nonprofitsYoung Nonprofit Professionals Network
Network for young nonprofit leaders
Other Organizations
These organizations' goals are to support and strengthen nonprofits, and to improve philanthropic work. See the Training/Consultants box on this page for help with specific needs or projects. See the Staff Development box for help with career development, continuing education, mentoring, etc.
California Association of Nonprofits (CAN)Statewide membership association of almost 2,000 diverse organizations with a mission to strengthen the effectiveness of California nonprofit organizations.CompassPoint
Resources related to training, research, and consulting especially in the areas of planning, boards of directors, finance, and executive transition.Northern California Grantmakers (NCG)
This is an association for the givers, not the recipients, of grants with a broad goal of increasing the effectiveness of philanthropy. NCG offers workshops, programs, and referrals to help its members develop their grantmaking skills.
Staff Development
These local groups support the growth and career development of workers in the nonprofit sector. Some are specifically focused on fundraising/development work.
Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Gate ChapterGenerates philanthropic support for a wide variety of nonprofit charitable organizations
Development Executives Roundtable (DER)Educational and collegial resource for Bay Area fundraisers.Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) - Bay Area
Accounting & Legal Services
Free or low-cost assistance with nonprofit management.
California Lawyers for the ArtsProvides artists and arts organizations with access to legal and business informationVolunteer Legal Services Program
A service of the Bar Association of San Francisco, offering business-law help from volunteer lawyers.
Foundation Center and Other Organizations
The Foundation Center helps you find funding; see their Foundation Directory Online database and their webinars, workshops, and classes.
Also, look for fundraising or grantseeking classes on other pages of this Research Guide or from the organizations below:
The Grantsmanship Center (TGCI)Fundraising information clearinghouse; training in grantsmanship and proposal writing.Fundraising.com
Fundraising ideas and products.Raise-funds.com
Created by Tony Poderis, author and long-time fundraising consultant.
Consider a Fiscal Sponsor
Learn about Fiscal Sponsorship
Not a nonprofit? You don't necessarily need to be, depending on your project or mission. Many projects can be funded through an existing nonprofit (they serve as Fiscal Sponsor). Start here, learn the basics from the Foundation Center.
Rating Nonprofits
See this overview: How can I find information about a particular . . . charity? and this Charity Monitoring Organizations link. The following groups aim to rate, rank, and/or help you evaluate nonprofits. Some rank strictly on financial facts, others use more subjective criteria.
CharityWatchRates charities mainly based on the percent of money spent on charitable purposes and the cost to raise $100. Formerly known as American Institute of Philanthropy.BBB Wise Giving Alliance
Includes Accountability Standards, Tips on Giving, and an online process to file an inquiry or complaint about a charity.Charity Navigator
Rates charities financially based on organizational efficiency and organizational capacity.GiveWell
Publishes analysis to help donors decide where to give; they focus on finding a small number of outstanding giving opportunities, not on reviewing as many as possible.Guidestar
Volunteer consultants.IRS
Search here to verify a nonprofit's eligibility to receive tax-deductible donations.Techsoup: The Technology Place for Nonprofits
Their name says it.National Center for Charitable Statistics
A project of the Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy. See the section "US Nonprofit Sector" for quick facts, individual state profiles, and more.
Volunteers
These organizations connect volunteers and organizations. Also, search for local nonprofits in BIN (Berkeley Information Network, from the Library) and Bay Area Progressive Directory, and see the Volunteers section of Craigslist.
Hands On Bay AreaIncludes a separate section for "15 and under."Idealist.orgThe Volunteer Center
Notice their newsletter specifically for youth.Volunteer Match
Notice the option for "Virtual Opportunities."
Hidden Gems
Some organizations supporting nonprofits include valuable hand-picked resources on their websites. A few are highlighted here:
Links to Nonprofit ResourcesFrom the Foundation Center: "We have selectively gathered and annotated links to the most useful web sites serving the nonprofit sector."Nonprofit Collaboration DatabaseLinks to reports, articles, and websites about how nonprofits are working together.
Miscellaneous Links
Chronicle of Philanthropy
The Newspaper of the Nonprofit WorldNonprofit Good Practice Guide
Information on nonprofit practice in the areas of accountability and evaluation, advocacy, fundraising and financial sustainability, management and leadership, marketing and communications, volunteer management, etc."USA.gov for Nonprofits
From the federal government: information on Grants and Loans, Management and Operations, and Taxes.Free Management Library
While not a nonprofit itself, the maker of this page (Authenticity Consulting, LLC) has written and gathered thousands of articles.
The Newspaper of the Nonprofit WorldNonprofit Good Practice Guide
Information on nonprofit practice in the areas of accountability and evaluation, advocacy, fundraising and financial sustainability, management and leadership, marketing and communications, volunteer management, etc."USA.gov for Nonprofits
From the federal government: information on Grants and Loans, Management and Operations, and Taxes.Free Management Library
While not a nonprofit itself, the maker of this page (Authenticity Consulting, LLC) has written and gathered thousands of articles.
Learn about Grantmakers & Foundations
The main place to learn about foundations and other grantmakers is the Foundation Center.
See their Search 990s to examine a nonprofit's tax returns. And don't miss their Grantmaker Stats and Philanthropy News Digest or their Foundation Directory (book or database), available at the Central Berkeley Public Library and at the Foundation Center itself.