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The Record Display Screen
Navigating
Upon clicking a foundation record listed in the Search Results screen, The Foundation Directory Online launches a new browser window in which to display it. Use the scroll bar on the right side of the window to move through the record.
Unless you click Close Window, the Record Display screen remains in view as you click the Previous and Next arrows or choose selected foundations from your results list. To view your search results list more clearly with the Record Display screen open, resize the Record Display screen by clicking and dragging the screen's borders.
To move the Record Display to a new position, click and hold the screen's title bar and drag it to a new location on your computer screen.
To close the the Record Display screen, click the X in the upper-right-hand corner of the screen, or click Close Window.
Tip: If you send the Record Display screen to the background, and it doesn't redisplay when you click another entry on the Search Results list, click the Record Display's button on the Windows Taskbar to redisplay it.
The Parts of a Record
The content of entries varies based on the size and nature of the programs and the availability of information from foundations. Specific data elements that could be included in a record are:
Foundation name, address, and telephone: The full legal name of the foundation and the former name if applicable; the street address, city, state, and zip code of the foundation's principal office; the telephone number of the foundation; any additional address (such as a separate application address) supplied by the foundation; additional telephone or FAX numbers may be listed here as well as e-mail addresses and Internet URLs.
Contact: The name and title of the initial contact person at the foundation are provided here.
Donor(s): The name(s) of the donor(s) or principal contributor(s) to the foundation, including individuals, families, and corporations. If a donor is deceased, the + symbol follows the name.
Foundation type: The options of this data field are: community, company-sponsored, independent, or operating foundations. Foundation Type definitions are included in About The Foundation Directory Online.
Background: The establishment date and original location are included for many foundations.
Purpose and activities: This field provides in general terms the purpose and activities of the foundation. This statement reflects funding interests as expressed by the foundation or, if no foundation statement is available, an analysis of the actual grants awarded by the foundation during the most recent two-year period for which public records exist. Many foundations leave statements of purpose intentionally broad, indicating only the major program areas within which they fund. More specific areas of interest can often be found in the Fields of Interest section of the entry.
Fields of interest: The areas of interest reflected in the foundation's giving program. The subject terms provide access to the foundations through the Fields of Interest Index.
Geographic focus: This section describes foundation geographic preferences for giving. "National" and "International" are used to describe a foundation's scope of giving. If a foundation limits its giving to specific states, they will be listed here.
Types of support: This field lists the types of support (such as endowments, support for building/renovation, equipment, fellowship funds, etc.) offered by the foundation. Definitions of the terms used to describe the forms of support available are provided in the Types of Support definitions list.
Limitations: Listed here are any stated limitations on the foundation's giving program, including geographic preferences, restrictions by subject focus or type of recipient, or specific types of support the foundation cannot provide. It is noted here if a foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.
Publications: Printed materials distributed by the foundation that describe its activities and giving program. These can include annual or multi-year reports, newsletters, corporate giving reports, informational brochures, grant lists, etc.
Application information: Includes the preferred form of application, the number of copies of proposals requested, application deadlines, frequency and dates of board meetings, and the general amount of time the foundation requires to notify applicants of the board's decision. Some foundations have indicated that their funds are currently committed to ongoing projects. It is noted here if a foundation contributes only to pre-selected organizations.
Officers and Trustees: Foundations use different terms to describe their governing boards, i.e., trustees, directors, managers, members. In each case the terminology preferred by the foundation is used. An asterisk following the individual's name indicates an officer who is also a trustee or director.
Number of staff: The number of professional and support staff employed by the foundation, and an indication of part-time or full-time status of these employees, as reported by the foundation.
Financial data (noted with the year-end date of the foundation's accounting period for which financial data is supplied). Includes the following information:
Assets: The total value of the foundation's investments at the end of the accounting period.
Asset type: Generally, assets are reported at market value (M) or ledger value (L).
Gifts received: The total amount of new capital received by the foundation in the year of record.
Expenditures: Total disbursements of the foundation, including non-grant expenses.
Total giving: Gifts, contributions, grants paid; total amount for all grants and contributions during the year. This amount generally excludes loans and the costs of foundation-operated programs, but includes all other forms of support such as grants, scholarships, and employee matching gifts.
Qualifying distributions: The total amount of qualifying distributions made by the foundation in the year of record. This figure includes all grants paid, qualifying administrative expenses, loans and program-related investments, set-asides, and amounts paid to acquire assets used directly in carrying out charitable purposes.
Grants paid: The dollar value and number of grants paid during the year, with the largest grant paid (high) and the smallest grant paid (low). When supplied by the foundation, the average range of grant payments is also indicated.
Set-asides: The total dollar value of set-asides made by the foundation during the year. Although set-asides count as qualifying distributions toward the foundation's annual payout requirement, they are distinct from any amounts listed as grants paid.
Grants to individuals: The total amount and number of grants made directly to or on behalf of individuals, including scholarships, fellowships, awards, and medical payments. When supplied by the foundation, high, low, and average range are also indicated.
Employee matching gifts: The dollar amount and number of employee matching gifts awarded, generally by company-sponsored foundations.
Foundation-administered programs: The total dollars expended for programs administered by the foundation and the number of foundation-administered programs. These programs can include museums or other institutions supported exclusively by the foundation, research programs administered by the foundation, etc.
Loans: The dollar amount and number of loans made to nonprofit organizations by the foundation. These can include program-related investments, emergency loans to help nonprofits that are waiting for grants or other income payments, etc. When supplied by the foundation, high, low, and average range are also indicated.
Loans to individuals: The number of loans to individuals and the total amount loaned. When supplied by the foundation, high, low, and average range are also indicated.
In-kind gifts: The monetary value and number of in-kind gifts.
EIN: The Employer Identification Number is assigned to each foundation by the Internal Revenue Service for tax purposes. This number can be useful when ordering copies of the foundation's annual information return, Form 990-PF, from the Internal Revenue Service.
Most Recent IRS 990-PF Filings: Clicking on the PDF link allows you to view the latest available IRS 990-PF tax returns for private foundations.To read or print a PDF ("Portable Document Format") file, you need the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. Click here to download the latest version of Acrobat for free: http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html . The PDF link will take you to the GrantSmart home page, where you click the forward arrow on the toolbar to view the 990-PF document. Clicking the full-page icon will maximize the form for easier reading. As many of these documents are several pages long, they may take a few minutes to open. You can, however, minimize the window until the document has loaded, providing you with the flexibility to continue working in other areas while you wait
Selected grants: A list of selected grants for those foundations with annual giving of at least $50,000. Up to ten grants reported during a given fiscal year may be provided. Grants to individuals are not included.