Philanthropy Front and Center - New York

This Week at the Foundation Center: Nov 17-21

Grantseeker Training
Securing Corporate Partnerships
Wednesday, November 18, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
Cost: $195 per person. Save $25 for each additional registration.

Learn about scholarships available to assist representatives of New York City under-resourced nonprofit organizations to attend Foundation Center full-day training seminars.

Fourth Annual Open House
The Foundation Center's New York library/learning center will celebrate its fourth annual Open House on Tuesday, November 17; a program of the day's activities can be found on our web site. Registration for all sessions is now closed.

Free Classes
Wednesday, November 18
Grantseeking Basics
6:00-7:30 pm

Thursday, November 19
How to Approach a Foundation
11:00 am-12:00 pm

Introduction to Foundation Directory Online
1:00-2:00 pm

Friday, November 20
Introduction to Corporate Giving
1:00-2:00 pm

Introduction to Fundraising Planning
3:00-4:15 pm

Foundation Center in Your Community
Adriance Memorial Library
Poughkeepsie, NY
Friday, November 20, 1:00-3:00 pm
You are invited to a workshop for nonprofits presented by Charlotte Dion, director of the Foundation Center's New York library. The presentation will give an overview of foundation grantseeking and the  proposal writing process and will include with a demonstration of the Foundation Center's Foundation Directory Online Professional, the preeminent tool for researching grant information.

All members of the nonprofit community are welcome and encouraged to attend. To register, call Deborah Weltsch at (845) 485-3445 or e-mail dweltsch@poklib.org.

Visit the Foundation Center's New York library/learning center for free access to funding databases, specialized book and periodicals collections for nonprofits and individual grantseekers, and expert help in using these resources. Open to all who are doing funding, nonprofit management, and related research. No appointment necessary.

Library Hours
79 Fifth Avenue @ 16th St.
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10003

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
10:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

This Week at the Foundation Center: Nov 3-7

Grantseeker Training
Earned Income: Assessing Your Nonprofit's Revenue Options
Friday, November 6, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
Cost: $195 per person. Save $25 for each additional registration.

Learn about scholarships available to assist representatives of New York City under-resourced nonprofit organizations to attend Foundation Center full-day training seminars.

Free Classes
Wednesday, November 4
Proposal Writing Basics
1:00-2:00 pm

Proposal Budgeting Basics
3:00-4:00 pm

Thursday, November 5
Finding Foundation Support for Your Education
1:00-2:00 pm

Getting Started with Foundation Grants to Individuals Online
3:00-4:00 pm

Saturday, November 7
Grantseeking Basics
1:00-2:30 pm

Introduction to Foundation Directory Online
3:00-4:00 pm

Visit the Foundation Center's New York library/learning center for free access to funding databases, specialized book and periodicals collections for nonprofits and individual grantseekers, and expert help in using these resources. Open to all who are doing funding, nonprofit management, and related research. No appointment necessary.

Library Hours
79 Fifth Avenue @ 16th St.
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10003

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
10:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

This Week at the Foundation Center: October 27-31

Grantseeker Training
Grantseeker Training Institute
Registration closed.

Coming Next Week
Foundation Fundraising: An Introductory Course
Tuesday, November 3, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
Cost: $125 per person. Save $25 for each additional registration.

Earned Income: Assessing Your Nonprofit's Revenue Options
Friday, November 6, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
Cost: $195 per person. Save $25 for each additional registration.

Learn about scholarships available to assist representatives of New York City under-resourced nonprofit organizations to attend Foundation Center full-day training seminars.

Funding for Arts Month Programs
Webinar: Funding Trends in Arts and Culture
Friday, October 30, 3:00-4:15 pm (EDT)
Join us from the comfort of your own office and learn about funding trends and the outlook for arts and culture from experts in the field.

Free Classes
Wednesday, October 28
How to Approach a Foundation
11:00 am-12:30 pm

Introduction to Corporate Giving
1:00-2:00 pm

Grantseeking Basics
2:30-4:00 pm

Foundation Center in Your Community
Foundation Center staff will offer key classes this week at a library near you.
Queens Borough Public Library
Grantseeking Basics
Tuesday, October 27, 3:00-5:00 pm

Brooklyn Public Library
Introduction to Fundraising Planning
Thursday, October 29, 1:00-3:00 pm

Visit the Foundation Center's New York library/learning center for free access to funding databases, specialized book and periodicals collections for nonprofits and individual grantseekers, and expert help in using these resources. Open to all who are doing funding, nonprofit management, and related research. No appointment necessary.

Library Hours
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
10:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday 10:00 am-8:00 pm

Sunday and Monday, Closed

This Week at the Foundation Center: Oct 20-24

Grantseeker Training Seminar
Outcome Thinking and Management: Shifting Focus from Activities to Results
Wednesday, October 21, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
Cost: $195 per person. Save $25 for each additional registration.
This course focuses on the popular outcomes approach to evaluating projects. By focusing on outcomes, you'll be better able to write breakthrough grant proposals and be prepared to report on program results.

Learn about scholarships available to assist representatives of under-resourced nonprofits to attend Foundation Center full-day training seminars.

Coming Up Next Week: Grantseeker Training Institute: Learn more and register today>>

Funding for Arts Month Programs
Dialogue with Donors: A Corporate View of Arts Funding
Tuesday, October 20, 9:30-11:30 am
In celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month, and to assist arts organizations in this difficult funding climate, the Foundation Center and the Arts & Business Council of New York are pleased to offer this special Dialogue with Donors event for arts organizations.

Getting Published: A Forum for Writers
Tuesday, October 20, 5:30-7:00 pm
For the first time, Funding for Arts Month in New York will include a program just for you. Learn from your fellow writers about getting your work published or doing it yourself.
Learn more and register today»

Free Classes
Tuesday, October 20
New Class! Fundraising in a Challenging Economy
1:00-2:15 pm

Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts
3:00-4:00 pm

Wednesday, October 21
Introduction to Foundation Directory Online
4:30-5:30 pm

Grantseeking Basics
6:00-7:30 pm

Thursday, October 22
Your Board and Fundraising
11:00 am-12:15 pm

Introduction to Fundraising Planning
1:00-2:15 pm

Friday, October 23
Film Series - "The Successful Ask: Winning the Gift" Part 1
11:30 am-12:30 pm

Foundations and Their Role in Philanthropy
1:00-2:30 pm

Before You Seek a Grant: A Checklist for New Nonprofits
3:00-4:30 pm

Foundation Center in Your Community
Foundation Center staff will offer key classes this week at a library near you.
Bronx Library Center
Grantseeking Basics
Thursday, October 22, 4:00-6:00 pm

St. George Library Center, Staten Island
Grantseeking Basics
Thursday, October 22, 3:00-5:00 pm

Visit the Foundation Center's New York library/learning center for free access to funding databases, specialized book and periodicals collections for nonprofits and individual grantseekers, and expert help in using these resources. Open to all who are doing funding, nonprofit management, and related research. No appointment necessary.

Library Hours
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
10:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday 10:00 am-8:00 pm

Sunday and Monday, Closed

Funding for Arts Month: Advice from a Filmmaker and More

We kicked off our Funding for Arts Month events last Thursday night with a lively discussion of Film, Fundraising, and Social Change, with filmmaker Alice Elliott and funder Emily Verellen. Here are a few snippets of advice from that evening's panel:

• It's pretty shocking how many people don't look at a foundation's web site ... every hour you put into research will give you infinite dividends.
• Most documentaries are too long—it's our dirty little secret. Increasingly, more funders are open to help finance shorts instead.
• First make a good film; then see if it works as an advocacy piece.
• You can't expect to get funding for a film on an idea; you have to have footage. You can't expect someone to go, "Oh, I like you, I'll give you 100K"—it's not fair.
• Don't talk about why funders should fund media; talk about why your work in media fits into a funder's philanthropic strategy.
• Don’t turn up your nose at a small gift. It’s important to get that early money in. Even $100 can help pay for a mailing or get that editor started.
• Go to conferences and conventions where your issue is being discussed. Don’t expect to meet a funder at movie night.

Like to hear more from Alice and Emily? We'll be posting taped program highlights at our media archive later this month. And if you're with an arts nonprofit, or a would-be board member, you can join a discussion like this at The Art of Serving on Arts Boards on Wednesday, October 14, 5:30-7:30 pm.

Charlotte Dion, Director, Foundation Center's New York Library

This Week at the Foundation Center: Oct 5-9

Grantseeker Training Seminars
Foundation Funding Research: Strategies for Finding and Evaluating Prospects
Wednesday, October 7, 1:00–4:00 pm & Thursday, October 8, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Cost: $295 per person. Save $25 for each additional registration.
Develop research strategies to identify foundation prospects that have proven their commitment to programs and projects like yours and learn to use these with the leading grantseeking database, Foundation Directory Online Professional.

Learn about scholarships available to assist representatives of under-resourced nonprofits to attend Foundation Center full-day training seminars.

Free Classes
Monday, October 5
Proposal Writing Basics
5:30-7:30 pm
Countee Cullen Branch Library, New York Public Library

Thursday, October 8
Proposal Writing Basics
1:00-2:00 pm

Proposal Budgeting Basics
3:00-4:00 pm

Film, Fundraising, and Social Change
5:30-7:30 pm
Our first program for Funding for Arts Month brings together Alice Elliott, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, and Emily Verellen, senior program officer at the Fledgling Fund, who will share their experiences and knowledge of how film projects are financed.
Register today>>

Friday, October 9
Finding Foundation Support for Your Education
1:00-2:00 pm

Getting Started with Foundation Grants to Individuals Online
3:00-4:00 pm

Library Hours
Closed: Saturday, October 10
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
10:00 am-5:00 pm
Wednesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

Training Opportunities at a Library Near You - Take a Free Class

To make it easier for nonprofits to gain essential fundraising skills, Foundation Center staff will offer key classes at our local Cooperating Collections. Click on the program title for more details, including how to register. And join us at a library near you!

Proposal Writing Basics
Monday, October 5, 5:30-7:30 pm
Countee Cullen Branch
New York Public Library

Grantseeking Basics
Thursday, October 22, 4:00-6:00 pm
Bronx Library Center

Grantseeking Basics
Friday, October 23, 3:00-5:00 pm
St. George Library Center
New York Public Library

Grantseeking Basics
Tuesday, October 27, 3:00-5:00 pm
Queens Borough Public Library
Jamaica

Introduction to Fundraising Planning
Thursday, October 29, 1:00-3:00 pm
Central Library-Grand Army Plaza
Brooklyn Public Library

Check the New York library's calendar and this blog to learn about additional classes to be held in November and December at Cooperating Collections in the New York region.

This Week at the Foundation Center: Sept. 29-Oct. 3

Grantseeker Training Seminar
Securing Corporate Partnerships
Thursday, October 1, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
Cost: $195 per person. Save $25 for each additional registration.

Thinking of taking courses related to proposal preparation? Check out our special offers for savings on a combination of courses.

Free Training
Tuesday, September 29
Film Series -
"Ready, Set, Raise!" Part 1
11:30 am-12:30 pm

Grantseeking Basics
1:00-2:30 pm

Introduction to Foundation Directory Online
3:00-4:00 pm

OFFSITE
Introduction to Fundraising Planning
3:00-5:00 pm
Queens Borough Public Library

Wednesday, September 30
Your Board and Fundraising
1:00-2:15 pm

Introduction to Fundraising Planning
3:00-4:15 pm

Saturday, October 3
Proposal Writing Basics
1:00-2:00 pm

Proposal Budgeting Basics
3:00-4:00 pm

Special Event:
What You Should Know Before You Buy: A Candid Conversation About Fundraising Management Software
Wednesday, September 30, 6:00-8:00 pm
Learn about different fundraising software programs and gain insights from users rather than vendors. Join the Greater New York Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Foundation Center for a panel presentation with candid overviews of fundraising database systems. Learn more and register for this free program today»

Visit the New York library/learning center for free access to funding databases, specialized book and periodicals collections for nonprofits, and expert help in using these resources. Open to all who are doing funding, nonprofit management, and related research. No appointment necessary.

Library Hours
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
10:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

Sunday and Monday

Funding for Arts Month: Film, Fundraising, and Social Change

Our 8th annual Funding for Arts Month gets underway October 8 with an evening event for working documentary filmmakers. Some of you will remember Alice Elliott of Welcome Change Productions. Alice will be back to talk about funding her latest venture, the award-winning Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy, scheduled to be shown on PBS in October.

And this time she's bringing Emily Verellen of the Fledgling Fund, one of her funding partners, to talk about the creative use of media to address social change.

Space is limited, so sign up now for Film, Funding and Social Change. And speaking of change, please let us know if you can't come after all - we hate to turn your fellow filmmakers away and then have empty seats!

Charlotte Dion, Director, Foundation Center's New York Library

This Week at the Foundation Center: Sept. 22-26

Grantseeker Training Seminars
Thinking of taking our training seminars related to proposal preparation? Check out our special offers for savings on a combination of courses.

Free Classes
Tuesday, September 22
How to Approach a Foundation
11:00 am-12:00 pm*
*This session is closed, but please sign up today for next month's class.

Introduction to Corporate Giving
1:00-2:00 pm

Wednesday, September 23
Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts
6:00-7:00 pm

Visit the New York library/learning center for free access to funding databases, specialized book and periodicals collections for nonprofits, and expert help in using these resources. Open to all who are doing funding, nonprofit management, and related research. No appointment necessary.

Library Hours
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
10:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

Sunday and Monday
Closed