The Council on Foundations (COF) is geared toward assisting foundations in their grantmaking activities; however, the COF web site includes an online Community Foundation Locator. This tool may be useful to nonprofits looking for funding in a specific community.

The Foundation Center works to promote public understanding of philanthropy and to help grantseekers succeed. The Center collects, organizes, and communicates information on U.S. philanthropy; conducts research on trends in the field; provides education and training; and ensures public access to information and services through its web site, print and electronic publications, five library/learning centers, and a national network of over 200 cooperating collections.

The Foundation Center provides a wide range of information to assist nonprofits in their search for funding, including:

• Funding Resources: electronic databases, web-based databases, and public documents
• Funding Research Process: information about foundations, government grants, and individual donors
• Online Tutorials:

Orientation to Grantseeking: http://fdncenter.org/learn/orient/intro1.html

Proposal Writing Short Course: http://fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop1.html

• Sample Nonprofit Documents: examples of grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and cover letters.

[Local resources]