Candid is a nonprofit organization that works to make information transparent and accessible, enabling grantseekers to easily find potential funders and allowing funders to learn about the valuable work being done by nonprofits. Anne Arundel County Public Library (AACPL) has been a Candid Community Partner (formerly Funding Information Network Partner) since 2010. In this role, library staff members help connect customers with the information, resources, training and data they need to find funding opportunities, determine which funders are most likely to support their work and learn how to become more visible to donors. As a library we are a Community Connector; with Candid, we can not only help connect our customers to the information they need to grow towards their goals but also help support the connections those customers are making with projects and ideas that impact our community.
In addition to support from Candid, our library staff can help show you how to find and evaluate potential funders who will support your individual or nonprofit organization’s project. With Candid’s Foundation Directory, you can get a snapshot of a funder’s giving priorities, learn about their grant application process, find their most common grant amount, find points of contact for networking and more. This is especially important because Candid has found that: “Since 90% of U.S. foundations do not have websites, the insights you need to find funders will not be discovered via standard search engines.” Instead, the Foundation Directory helps you identify funders whose goals and priorities align with yours allowing you to target foundations most likely to support the work you are doing and customize your grant applications with the info you’ve learned about each organization.
Thanks to a grant from the Anne Arundel County Nonprofit Center, you can use Foundation Directory and GuideStar Pro at any of our 16 AACPL locations. Bring your own laptop and connect via library WiFi, or use a library computer to access:
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Foundation Directory – Search for potential funders for your project. Browse through their funder profile to learn more about an organization to see if it might be a good match for you. Or get ideas by finding nonprofits who have earned grants in similar topics/areas.
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GuideStar Pro – Learn about nonprofits who are working in the same subject or community that you are. Claim your nonprofit’s Candid profile so potential funders can easily learn about your financials, mission, impact and more.
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Candid Learning – Find trainings and articles on a variety of topics for nonprofits and grantseekers. Create a free account to view resources like sample cover letters and full proposals. Candid Learning is accessible from anywhere and does not require a library card number to use.
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Candid Digital Collection – Access Candid's digital collection of eBooks and eAudiobooks on social sector- and philanthropy-related topics. Special collections include: Nonprofit Management; Grants & Proposal Writing; Fundraising; Philanthropy; Strategic Planning & Evaluation; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; and many other nonprofit-related topics.
If you’d like to learn how to search for grant opportunities using Candid, meet for a one-on-one appointment with a library staff member to learn the basics of conducting grant research and using the Foundation Directory, available at our Brooklyn Park, Busch Annapolis, Crofton, Glen Burnie, Odenton and Severna Park locations. Or attend an upcoming program to learn more about topics like Grants Management and Compliance or Introduction to Corporate Giving.
Many library customers have already found our grant research resources, events and one-on-one appointments with staff to be incredibly helpful as they search for information about nonprofits, grants and potential funders. After attending a Grantseeking Resources event at the library, the Director of Development of a local nonprofit wrote: “Thanks again for the wonderful workshop today! The guidance and information you...shared is so impactful in the grants journey. I spent time reviewing profiles after the workshop and don't think I found as many potential funders as I did when we worked 1:1. I downloaded two profiles but first will start with the LOI (letter of inquiry)/elevator pitch and get those together. I'll keep in touch and let you know how I'm doing." Another customer wrote: "Thanks for showing me Candid. It was a big help!"
Whether you're new to the world of nonprofits or an experienced grantseeker, we’d love to talk with you about how we can help you find funding and support you in your grantseeking journey!
Published August 2, 2024