When people imagine what our library offers, it’s easiest to consider the many shelves of books, the computer stations, and even the Dabble Box Makerspace in the basement; that being said, many people are unaware of the many online resources that the library offers as well. Although library patrons may be familiar with a handful of our online resources, such as the MORE catalog or Libby, there are plenty that are offered by LEPMPL (L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library) that get highlighted far less often.

For the sixth blog post in the series of highlighting online library resources, I would like to take some time to focus on the “Foundations & Grants” section under the “Explore” tab on the library website. This page is a good place to begin your journey for finding, learning more about, or creating foundations, grants, and nonprofits.

There are two main websites that are linked at the top of the Foundations & Grants webpage, one being more about foundations and grants, and the other focusing more on charities and nonprofits.

Candid

The first of the two websites is Candid, a great resource for searching foundations and grants nationwide. Candid includes links to funders’ websites, tax information, and over 100,000 foundation and public charity programs that fund all different kinds of individual grant seekers. Candid is updated weekly, but it’s worth noting that this resource is also only available while at the library, meaning you won’t be able to access it from your home.

CharityEZ

The second website found at the top of the webpage is CharityEZ which, as the name suggests, is a charity whose goal is to help connect charities and nonprofits with potential donors, foundations, and volunteers. CharityEZ offers a lot of different features and resources that might benefit charities and nonprofits, such as management software, directories, volunteer/donor tracking, and more. Keep in mind that the library currently offers access to the demo version of CharityEZ which is also only available while you are at the library.

Additional Resources

The second half of the webpage then focuses on more specific resources for nonprofits, and despite the fact the at many of them are run through Candid, these are quick links to take you directly to these resources without having to navigate Candid’s website. These links include information regarding starting a nonprofit, frequently asked questions, sample documents, a catalog of nonprofit literature, and even a blog about everything from fundraising to data management. The library has also taken the liberty to add a quick link to find relevant materials using the MORE catalog!

If you have any questions regarding these resources, feel free to contact the Reference Services department of LEPMPL in person on the second floor of the library, through email at reference@eauclaire.lib.wi.us, or over the phone at 715-839-5004.