Ideas & Resources
Online Resources
Check out these useful websites – you'll find grant writing tips, links to other grantmakers and a wealth of information designed to assist nonprofit organizations. Please note that inclusion on this list DOES NOT imply any endorsement.
Allison Fine
Allison researches and writes about the intersection of social media and social change. She is the co-author of the bestselling book, The Networked Nonprofit, published by Wiley & Sons in 2010. She also wrote the award-winning book Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age (Wiley & Sons, 2006).
Beth's Blog
Beth Kanter is the author of Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media, one of the longest running and most popular blogs for nonprofits. She co-authored the book titled "The Networked Nonprofit" with Allison Fine published by J Wiley in 2010 that received Honorable Mention for the Terry McAdams Award. Beth has over 30 years working in the nonprofit sector in technology, training, capacity building, evaluation, fundraising, and marketing.
Blue Avocado
Practical, provocative and fun food-for-thought for nonprofits.
BBB Wise Giving Alliance
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance (the Alliance) helps donors make informed giving decisions and advances high standards of conduct among organizations that solicit contributions from the public. The Alliance was formed in 2001 through the merger of the National Charities Information Bureau with the Council of Better Business Bureaus' Foundation (which housed the Philanthropic Advisory Service.) The merger partners offer over a century of combined experience in charity evaluation. The Alliance produces in-depth evaluative reports on national charities based on comprehensive Standards for Charity Accountability and publishes a quarterly magazine, the Wise Giving Guide. National charities that meet the standards can apply to participate in the Alliance's National Charity Seal program.
BoardSource
BoardSource increases the effectiveness of nonprofit boards of directors through its highly acclaimed governance consulting practice, tools, and membership.
The Center for Non Profits – New Jersey
For 29 years, the Center has been providing leadership and services for New Jersey non-profits, and remains New Jersey's only umbrella organization for all charities in the state. Through advocacy, education, capacity building programs and member services, the Center gives non-profits the knowledge and tools they need to pursue their missions more effectively, strengthening non-profits as individual organizations and as a community.
Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator, America's leading independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the Financial Health and Accountability and Transparency of America's largest charities.
Chronicle of Philanthropy
Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas.
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers exists to strengthen and promote effective philanthropy throughout New Jersey. The leading resource for networking and information for New Jersey's philanthropic community, CNJG provides representatives of all types of grantmaking organizations with access to valuable services and meaningful activities to advance their work.
Council on Foundations
The Council on Foundations and its members promote the highest standards of ethical behavior. In recognition of the importance of philanthropy toward the public good and those served.
Donors Choose
An online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need.
Foundation Center
The Foundation Center is an authoritative source of information on private philanthropy in the United States. The center helps grantseekers, grantmakers, researchers, policymakers, the media, and the general public better understand the field of philanthropy. The web site is designed to guide you quickly to the information you are looking for—instruction on funding research, help with proposal writing, tools for locating prospective funders, news and research on the field, or a library or training class near you.
Green Schools Initiative
The Green Schools Initiative is a mostly volunteer effort, relying on dedicated parents, teachers, staff, and School Board members to implement green school programs in their own communities. We provide training, support, and advocacy to leverage their efforts.
Guidestar
Nonprofit Organization Database. Any nonprofit in the database can update its report with information about its mission, programs, leaders, goals, accomplishments, and needs—for free. They combine the information that nonprofits supply with data from several other sources.
Idealist
Idealist connects people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives. Idealist is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. Their work is guided by the common desire of members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.
IRS Charity Information
Tax Information for Charities & Other Non-Profits
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is the world's largest funding platform for creative projects. Every week, tens of thousands pledge millions of dollars to projects from the worlds of music, film, art, technology, design, food, publishing and other creative fields. This is not about investment or lending. Project creators keep 100% ownership and control over their work. Instead, they offer products and experiences that are unique to each project. On Kickstarter, a project must reach its funding goal before time runs out or no money changes hands. Why? It protects everyone involved. Creators aren't expected to develop their project without necessary funds, and it allows anyone to test concepts without risk.
Kiva Lending Team New Jersey
A non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty.
National Center for Charitable Statistics
The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) is the national repository of data on the nonprofit sector in the United States. Its mission is to develop and disseminate high quality data on nonprofit organizations and their activities for use in research on the relationships between the nonprofit sector, government, the commercial sector, and the broader civil society. Working closely with the IRS and other government agencies, private sector service organizations, and the scholarly community, NCCS builds compatible national, state, and regional databases and develops uniform standards for reporting on the activities of charitable organizations.
National Council of Nonprofits
The National Council of Nonprofits serves as the national voice for its nonprofit members before Congress and within the Administration, promoting the interests of the nonprofit community and ensuring a seat at the table on all policy initiatives that impact the sector. They also work with a network of State Associations to identify policy trends in state legislatures, coordinate efforts across the states, and inform state and local debates with targeted research and communications. Members are kept abreast of the most pressing issues and given the information and tools they need to advocate locally.
Nonprofit Gateway – USA
A source of information and services for nonprofits, including grants, loans, assistance, taxes, management and more.
State of New Jersey-Division of Consumer Affairs
The Charitable Registration & Investigation Section administers and enforces the provisions of the Charitable Registration & Investigation Act (CRI Act). The CRI Act regulates the fund raising activities of most charitable organizations and all professional fund raisers, fund raising counsels, commercial co-ventures and solicitors conducting business within this State by requiring them to register and file annual financial reports with the CRI Section. To ensure that an organization and/or a professional fund raiser is currently registered, please search Directory of Registered Charities or call Charitable Registration Hotline at (973)504-6215. Section phone hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00am-4:30pm.
Support Center for Nonprofit Management
Since 1986, the Support Center has been dedicated to improving our society by increasing the effectiveness of nonprofit leaders and their organizations. Their Consulting and Turnaround Executive Search and Transition Management Training and Grantmakers Services are designed to strengthen nonprofit and philanthropic leaders and their organizations so that they can better serve their clients and communities.
