Clearinghouse of Professional Information

Funding Development

SOLS services in this area are described on Information, Advice and Specialized Assistance page. Resources on Fundraising include an Frequently Ask Questions section, and a Fundraising Training Kit. Consulting to library boards and staff on funding development for libraries and other fundraising matters is assigned to Rob Lavery, who is available for advice by telephone or in person and can also be reached by email at

OLS – North provides the services of a Revenue Development Assistant to direct libraries to potential funding sources and to provide assistance by phone or e-mail. For more information contact Marjatta Asu by phone 800-461-6348 ext. 212 or by-e-mail at masu@olsn.ca

Topics include

Cited websites deal with many specific aspects of fundraising. References also include original material prepared by Rob Lavery, SOLS consultant responsible for Funding Development, other relevant SOLS publications, as well as a selection of useful links to outside sources.

General Resources | Board Issues | Calculators | Capital Campaigns | Corporate Partnerships | Direct Mail | Estate, Financial and Tax Planning | Ethics and Legislation | Foundations | Friends of the Library | Grants Research and Proposal Writing | Major Gifts | Marketing and Public Relations| Planned Giving | Publications | Special Events | Subscription Services | Volunteer Management

	indicates an item written by SOLS staff		indicates an item written by OLS-North staff
Clicking on certain topics will open a new window, if the link is to a topic included in an other Clearinghouse page

General Resources

• Annual Fund Development Assessment (.pdf)
• Building Philanthropy: fundraising programs any library can do that will create donors.  (.ppt)  Presented by Rob Lavery CFRE, Resource Development Consultant, SOLS at the OLA Superconference 2006 (session 1017)
• Charity Village "Canada's super site for the non-profit sector" A portal site. List of Canadian Grant-giving Foundations
• Donor's Bill of Rights Charity Village.com - Canada's super site for the non-profit sector.
• Fundraising for Your Organization. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
• Fundraising Ideas That Work for Grassroots Groups (Ken Wyman and Associates Inc.) A (.pdf) version of a publication first distributed by Voluntary Action. This is an updated, expanded and largely revised version of A Guidebook to Fundraising for Disabled Persons' Groups, published in 1988, by the Disabled Persons' Participation Program, Department of the Secretary of State of Canada.
• Fundraising Kit SOLS, 1994
• Fundraising Program Activity Survey for Fiscal Year 2006 (.pdf)
• Imagine Canada   The Canadian Centre for Philanthropy (CCP) and the Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations (NVO) 
• In-Kind Canada A centralized national program in Canada to facilitate and simplify "in kind donations"  transactions on behalf of both donors and charities. Site where you need to register before you can access some of their information.
• Index of Topics in the Free Management Library complete, highly integrated library of resources for non-profit and for profit businesses
• "Is fundraising the answer?" (SOLS. Trustee Tips, Issue No.11, April 1996)
• The Learning Institute for Nonprofit Organizations. (Nonprofit Management Education Center). this American site is the main index of nonprofit websites from Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership and Management. It lists on-line and print resources in a number of subject areas related to organization development and fundraising.
• Positioning your library for funding success. (.ppt) Ann Andrusyszyn, Development Officer, Barrie Public Library. Rob Lavery CFRE, Resource Development Consultant, Southern Ontario Library Service. Presented at the OLA Superconference 2005.
• Should you have a fundraising campaign when you don't need more money? by Ken Wyman CFRE, in SIGNAL, Summer 1997

Board Issues

This section  includes resources that will be of particular interest to Library Board members (trustees) and library staff who will want to convince their Board of the merits of a fundraising initiative. We also refer you to SOLS' own publication for library trustees. For genera information on Board Development and other general governance topics see: Board Development Resources

• The Board Anecdote, or what to say to a funder or donor in SIGNAL, Spring 2001
• Alliance for Non-Profit Organizations. Frequently Asked Questions 
  • "How can our Board Members help raise money?"
  • "How do I get my Board involved in fundraising, and how much should a Board Member give?" 
• Directors' and Volunteers' Fundraising Role. Zimmerman Lehman (This article is adapted from Zimmerman Lehman's book The Effective Nonprofit Board: Responsibilities & Recruitment.)
• How to Avoid Liability in Fundraising (.pdf) by Terrance S. Carter of Carter & Associates, Barristers, Solicitors and Trade Mark Agents, Orangeville, Ontario

Capital Campaigns

• Are You Ready for a Capital Campaign? Part I and Part II (Zimmerman Lehman)
• Campaign Success or Failure: A Function of the Number of Calls,  by: David G. Phillips (Custom Development Solutions)
• Capital Campaigns   by Rob Lavery in SIGNAL, Fall 2000
• Capital Campaigns for Small Shops (.pdf), by Mo Davies
• Explore the World of Capital Campaigns. Capital Quest,  Fundraising Consultants
• The Five Dirty Secrets of Capital Campaigns (.pdf), by Steve Manzi
• Planning a Capital Campaign for Grassroots Groups, by Kim Klein. (The Grantsmanship Centre) This article is reprinted with permission from the Grassroots Fundraising Journal, Volume 20, Number 4, © 2001, Chardon Press.  This article will assist smaller libraries in planning their capital campaign.

Corporate Partnerships

• Business Contributions to Canadian Communities (.pdf) - (Imagine Canada)
• CLA Position Statements: Corporate Sponsorship Agreement in Libraries
• Charity Village research – CharityVillage research section on corporate partnerships
• FAQ Series: Corporate Partnerships
• From Corporate Sponsorships to Community Partnerships: Working with small businesses and corporations to benefit your library – SOLS workshop fall 2007, PowerPoint slides
• How to Get Businesses Giving to Your Charity 
Society Guardian.co.uk. Advice on how charities should construct an appeal letter.
• How to Work with Corporations: Marketing vs. Philanthropic Donations, by Richard I. Male. Reprinted from the New York Grants Guide.
• Sample Sponsorship Policies in Public Libraries  Links to sites selected by OLS on this topic
• Sponsorship Inventory Checklist  (.pdf) - a checklist of elements libraries can offer in sponsorship proposals with suggestions of metrics for evaluation.
• The Sponsorship Report Canada's only publication focused exclusively on corporate sponsorship
  

Direct Mail Campaigns

• Direct-Mail Fundraising: Testing the Trends .pdf) The Grantsmanship Center
• Direct Mail Fundraising Primer - MWS Mal Warwick is the guru of direct mail solicitation. His home website has many other articles to offer beyond direct mail, and an opportunity to join his e-mail group for updates on his latest writing.
• FAQ Series: Mail Programs
• Fundraising Using a Direct Mail Campaign: Smiths Falls Public Library.    Interview with CEO Karen Schecter, in SIGNAL Spring 1998
• The Mail Campaign    by Rob Lavery, in SIGNAL, Winter 2001
• Oakville Public Library's Direct Mail Success  in SIGNAL, Spring 2001
• Please Mr. Postman: starting a direct mail program for your library. (.ppt) Presented by Ann Andrusyszn, Development Officer, Barrie Public Library and Rob Lavery CFRE, Resource Development Consultant, SOLS, at OLA Superconference 2006 (session 1709)
• Success Story - London Public Library’s Lasting Treasure Appeal  in SIGNAL, Spring 1999
• Windsor Public Library's Gift and Memorial Fund Honours and Remembers Loved Ones,  inSIGNAL, Summer 1998

Ethics and Legislation

• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Resource Centre
• AFP Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) exists to foster the development and growth of fundraising professionals and the profession, to promote high ethical standards in the fundraising profession and to preserve and enhance philanthropy and volunteerism.
• Donor Bill of Rights (.pdf)
• Ethical Fundraising and Financial Accountability Code (.pdf) (Imagine Canada)
• Canadian Revenue Agency - Charities Directorate
• Canadian Revenue Agency - Current Income Tax Interpretation Bulletins

Foundations

• Canadian Community Foundation the membership organization for Canada's vibrant and growing network of over 120 community foundations.
• Considering a Parallel or Special Interest Foundation for Your Public Library - Part I, from SIGNAL Fall 2000
• Considering a Parallel or Special Interest Foundation for Your Public Library - Part II, from
• Establishing a Private Foundation (.pdf) Revised edition, 2002. (Canadian Centre for Philanthropy). The publication covers the complex legal issues involved in establishing and running a private foundation. It provides a thorough overview of legal and regulatory considerations related to private foundations.
• FAQ Series: Proposal Writing and Foundations
• Public Libraries working with Community Foundations

Grant Research and Proposal Writing

In this section there are links to resources for researching grant opportunities and resources to assist in writing effective proposals.  Also, there are links to various government bodies and organizations that make grants available to public libraries. SOLS staff have also compiled a Youth Employment Grants opportunities list.

This section is organized into Grant Research | Proposal Writing |  Granting Programs for Libraries: Federal |  Ontario  | Other Sources  |

          Grant Research

• BIG Online   is a comprehensive, frequently updated internet source of funding information for non-profit and charitable organizations. A subscription-based service with a fee.
• Canadian Directory to Foundations and Corporations.   Imagine Canada’s signature resource for foundation research. Subscriptions to the online version now available for library licenses for public access. Contact Crystal Melin at Imagine Canada for fee information and an order form. She can be reached by email at cmelin@imaginecanada.ca , or by phone at 1-800-263-1178, ext. 299.

• Charity Village – Sources of Funding  - free listings 

• The Foundation Centre. As the most authoritative source of up-to-date information on private philanthropy in the United States.
• The Grantsmanship Center – Canadian Funding Sources  - free listings

• PRO – Prospect Research Online – subscription listings

• Researching Funding Sources on the Web - Zimmerman Lehman
• A Wealth of Information on Foundations and the Grant Seeking Process by Janet Camarena (from Computers in Libraries, vol. 20, no. 5, May 2002)

Proposal Writing

• Clear Language and Design (East HERELy) R Effectiveness Tool
• FAQ Series: Grant Writing and Foundations
• Federal Infrastructure Funding Toolkit
  (.pdf) The Canadian Library Association has released a free toolkit designed to help public libraries access a federal government funding program.The Toolkit is designed to explain the Infrastructure Canada Program (ICP), a federal government program to enhance municipal infrastructure, and to assist libraries in lobbying for funds from the ICP for building or upgrading municipal libraries. The Toolkit was specifically prepared for public libraries and especially public library trustees. It is available in both French and English
• The Foundation Center Learning Lab (Tutorials)
• Grant Proposal Self-Assessment Tool  (pdf) (Central Michigan University)
• Non-Profit Guides Grant Writing Tools for Non-Profit Organizations
• Proposal Writing Short Course (The Foundation Center. Learning Lab)
• Strategies for Effective Proposal Writing (Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition) Resource Manualin pdf
• Teaching Yourself to be a Grantwriter (Grant Proposal.com)
• What Grantmakers want Applicants to Know (GuideStar)
 
• Writing Funding Proposals Pathfinder (Canadian Rural Information Service) Provides references to Web sites and to print sources with useful information on how to write a proposal when applying for funding from a private or public organization. It is intended to assist in developing successful proposals.

Federal government programs

• Broadband. Applicants' Centre (Industry Canada)
• CAP Youth Initiative 2006-2007  
• Canada Council for the Arts. Grants Program
• Canada-Ontario Municipal Infrastructure Fund
• Canadian Culture Online. Programs.  The Department of Canadian Heritage's strategy to encourage a uniquely Canadian presence on the Internet. Programmes de financement de Culture canadienne en ligne de Patrimoine Canada
• Community Access Projects - (Industry Canada)
• Franco communautés virtutelles (Industrie Canada) Un programme d’Industrie Canada qui vise à élargir le contenu, les applications et les services de langue française dans Internet, à brancher à l’inforoute les collectivités francophones et acadienne du pays et à encourager la francophonie canadienne à profiter pleinement des technologies de l’information et des communications

Ontario government programs

• Ontario Ministry of Culture  - Funding Page. Pulls together all sources of funding for public Ontario Public Libraries
• Ontario Trillium Foundation. Grants for libraries. TOTF grant applications deadlines are March 1, July 1 and November 1. To be considered in each grant cycle, complete applications must be received at our 45 Charles Street East, Toronto office no later than 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date.

Other sources

• Green Municipal Fund (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) Provides loans and grants, builds capacity, and shares knowledge to support municipal governments and their partners in developing communities that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable
• Hbc Local History grant program  Designed to assist applicants involved in history and heritage commemoration. Grants up to an amount of $1000 are available to spark new initiatives that promote greater public awareness of Canadian history, particularly among young people. Eligible projects could include the creation of a website; the establishment of a walking tour; a lecture series; an in-schools program; or public exhibit of documents and artifacts.
• Honda Canada Foundation  
• Maxwell House funding initiative (Kraft Canada) Until March 30, 2009, people can nominate an individual, a community or an organization they think does good for the benefit of others and should receive a cash prize to continue in their efforts.
• Royal Bank of Canada After School Grants Program
• Sarah Badgley Literacy Fund for Ontario Rural Children   

Major Gifts

• Building A Strong Solicitation Team by Greg Bowden (Custom Development Solutions). There are a few possible dispositions for a solicitation team, depending mainly on the resources available to the organization. Deciding who should go on a solicitation can be one of the most critical choices an organization makes.
• Face to Face How to Get BIGGER Donations from Very Generous People. by Ken Wyman, October 1993. (Canadian Heritage)
• FAQ Series: Major Gifts Programs
• "The Heart of Any Successful Fundraising Effort", Forging Futures for Non-Profits, Zimmerman-Lehman
• "How do we ask for a major gift?" Alliance for Non-Profit Management FAQ. Select "Fundraising"
• Major Donor Campaigns: The Key To Successful Fundraising This article is adapted from Zimmerman Lehman's book Major Donors: The Key to Successful Fundraising.
Who they are, where they are, and attitudes of the rich, but not so famous. Poll by Ipsos-Reid on the attitudes of Canada's millionaires. Excellent research tool for any library getting into a major donor solicitation 
• Who Asks Whom, and For How Much? By: David G. Phillips (Custom Development Solutions).
  In the beginning of any campaign, there are many important decisions to make, but none is more important than who is asked first, and for how much money.
• Why People Say No  by Greg Bowden (Custom Development Solutions). If a non-profit organization hopes to execute a successful fundraising effort, they must first identify some of the missteps that can lead prospective donors to say “no.”

Planned Giving

• Allied Professionals Network by Rob Lavery, in "Funding Development" SIGNAL, Winter 1999. SOLS list of professionals available to libraries to access fro help and information
• Canadian Association of Gift Planners The association of professionals working in planned giving. Look here for training opportunities and links to allied professional associations.
• How to Develop Planned Giving and Major Gifts from Individuals Voluntary Sector Knowledge Network
• Information for Wills and Bequests (.pdf)
• Leave a Legacy / Un héritage à partager   The Canadian counterpart with contact information on active chapters in Ontario of the Leave a Legacy  program of the National Committee on Planned Giving (US)
• PlanGiv  A Canadian company operating from Kingston, Ontario. PlanGiv was founded in 1994 to provide resource materials for use in the marketing of planned giving programs. Our products include Gift Planning Assistant software, designed for use in preparing financial illustrations for donors of planned gifts; copy for educational brochures, newsletters, and other marketing pieces which can be purchased by institutions and organizations that design and print their own materials; and printed booklets which organizations can purchase for distribution to clients and prospective donors.  
• SOLS' Planned Giving brochure has been created specifically for libraries to promote planned gifts.   Order form View the pages of our brochure. Page 1 and Page 2 (.pdf)

Publications

• Booklist (.pdf) - In collaboration with Barrie and Cobourg Public Libraries, SOLS has developed a resource list of print publications libraries can use as a guide in purchasing texts for their collections to support community fundraising, board development in nonprofits, and volunteer program management. Texts have been identified as Canadian by author or co-author, and also marked as required reading for the examination to become a Certified Fund Raising Executive by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Special Events

• Choosing the Right Event (The Grantsmanship Center) Making strategic decisions on doing a special event
• Guide to Special Events Fundraising by Ken Wyman, CFRE Director Ken Wyman and Associates, Inc. Consultants
• FAQ Series: Getting the Most from Special Events
• Fundraising Know How is a site designed to give you an overview of a variety of fundraising items to help you choose the best one for you.
• The Penetanguishene Library Annual Garden Tour, Ontario, Canada
• Special Events: Recipe for Success (Zimmerman-Lehman)
• Topics for Special Events (TOTAL Non Profit Resources)
• Your organization's next Special Event: "Fund-Raiser" Or "Friend-Raiser"?  (Tony Poderis' Fund-Raising Forum)  Some of the topics addressed in this article are key criteria for successful fund-raising special events; pitfalls of special event fund-raising; a fund-raising benefit event is not of  benefit; developing a fund-raising special event plan; final wrap-up report of the special event etc.