Resources

The Prospect Research office uses a variety of free and fee-based resources to uncover prospect information.

Address locators

• The Ultimates – Searches multiple online white pages simultaneously
• AnyWho – AT&T’s white and yellow pages
• Yellow Book
• SuperPages

Reverse look-ups

• AnyWho
• Directory assistance
• InfoSpace

Biographical research

• Marquis Who’s Who
• Factiva – News search, which is available through VCU Libraries Web site quick links
• LexisNexis (academic and development professionals)
• Academic version is available through the VCU Libraries Web site quick links
• Development professionals’ version is password-protected and restricted to access by the research staff

Corporate research

• Virginia State Corporation Commission
• Hoover’s (free)
• Hoover’s (fee) – Restricted to the research office staff
• Wall Street Executive Library – Compilation of business sites that contains links to search engines, directories, news searches, article searches and free public records
• Standard & Poor’s – Accessible through the VCU Libraries Web site databases

Foundation research

• The Foundation Center’s “Search Zone” – This free Web site offers some of the best general information-retrieval tools on the Internet. Search nonprofit organizations and foundations by selecting organization types and specifying key words, such as “education” or “health,” to narrow your search.
• The Foundation Center’s “Foundation Finder” – This free search mechanism, updated monthly, allows you to search by name for basic information on more than 65,000 private and community foundations in the U.S.
• GuideStar – This free Web site provides a searchable nonprofit database with links to IRS 990s.
• Community Foundation Locator – Links to community foundations nationwide.
• Grantsmart – Free access to tax returns filed by private foundations and charitable trusts.
• National Center for Charitable Statistics – National clearinghouse of data on the nonprofit sector in the U.S. and a source for 990s. NCCS is a program of the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute.

Government sites

• State and Local Government on the Net – Links to home pages for 50 states.
• Virginia General Assembly

Nonprofit research

• Idealist.org – Find a U.S. or international nonprofit organization
• Economic Research Institute – Accessible Form 990 extracts and information on executive compensation in nonprofits
• IRS Exempt Organization Search – Link to the online version of Publication 78, “Cumulative List of Organizations described in Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,” a list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions

Free philanthropy newsletters and bulletins

• Philanthropy News Digest – From the Foundation Center, includes recent grants and searchable archives. Readers can subscribe to monthly reports on specific focus areas, such as education, arts and health.
• Philanthropy News Network – News, information and resource Web site for nonprofits
• Chronicle of Philanthropy – Source for philanthropy news, conferences, workshops and links
• Foundation News & Commentary – Source for recent information on foundations and grants
• NonProfit Times – Business publication for nonprofit management
• 2006 Slate 60 – Lists the 60 largest U.S. charitable contributions of 2006

Organizations researching the nonprofit sector

• ARNOVA – Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action
• The Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship – Provides leadership in establishing corporate citizenship as a business essential, so all companies act as economic and social assets to the communities they impact by integrating social interests with other core business objectives
• Center on Wealth and Philanthropy – Formerly Social Welfare Research Institute, Boston College; research on cultural life in an age of affluence
• National Committee on Planned Giving – A professional association for people who work in the area of charitable planned giving; provides a variety of programs and services including education and training, a job-posting service, research and publications
• National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy – Promotes philanthropy that addresses the needs of disadvantaged populations and minorities and engages in policy advocacy and reform activism that targets grantmakers, individual donors and workplace fundraising
• Urban Institute – A nonprofit policy research organization

Health/science

• Health Policy Organizations – Foundations and associations that support health policy
• Grantmakers in Health – A nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to fostering communication and collaboration among grantmakers and others and to helping strengthen the grantmaking community’s knowledge, skills and effectiveness as related to health
• Community of Science – Database of science- and medical-related funding opportunities

Fee-based resource subscription sites

• Access to the fee-based subscriptions, such as Wealthengine, Prospect Research Online and others are available by contacting the prospect research office for a profile on your prospect.