[Topic Contents] [Main Help Contents]

 

The Search Screen

The Foundation Directory Online Search Screen has three major parts: the Search Fields and Indexes; The Index Pane; and the Sort Control. Below is an explanation of each part of the Search Screen.

To Open the Search screen

Click Search Foundations on the Home screen. Or, if you are viewing search results, click the Search Foundations link on the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

 

The Search Fields

There are seven Search Fields available on The Foundation Directory Online Search Screen. The first six are tied to indexes that are accessible by clicking on the underlined phrase next to the Search Field. Clicking on Foundation Name, for example, opens an index listing all foundation records contained in the database. Clicking on an entry from the list automatically inserts it into the corresponding Search Field.

Note: In addition to selecting names or terms from the indexes, you can type them (full or partial) directly into any Search Field on the Search Screen.

The seventh search field provides text searching functionality. A text (or keyword) search can be conducted on the database either independently of or in conjunction with an Index Search.

See Searching — Basic for more information on conducting Index and Text searches.

 

The Index Pane

Located to the left of The Foundation Directory Online Search Screen, the Index Pane lists all of the entries in a selected index. For very large indexes, entries are grouped together alphabetically. The letter of the alphabet displayed at the top of the Index Pane corresponds to the group of entries listed below it. To access entries beginning with other letters of the alphabet, click on the underlined letter at the top of the Index Pane. If the displayed list is too long for your screen, use the scroll bar on the right side of the Index Pane to move through the list. Clicking on an entry in the Index Pane automatically inserts it into the corresponding search field.

To select search criteria from the Index Pane:
    1. Click an Index Name on the search screen to display it in the Index Pane.
    2. Find the entry you wish to include in your search and click on it to automatically insert it into the corresponding search field.
    3. Repeat until you have selected all of the criteria you wish to include in your search.
    4. Click Search.

 

The Indexes

Access an index by clicking any of the underlined phrases on the Search Screen. The indexes are among the most commonly used in funding research, and they are the fastest route to locating pertinent information. They are listed below.

I. Foundation Name

All foundation names are arranged in an alphabetical list either by the surname of the individual for whom the foundation was named or by the first key word of the foundation name. Names that begin with numeric characters sort before the "A"s in the index listing.

How to use:
    1. Click Foundation Name on the Search Screen to display the index in the Index Pane located to the left of the Search Screen.
    2. Click the underlined letter at the top of the Index Pane that corresponds to the first letter of the Foundation Name for which you are searching.
    3. Scroll down through the Index Pane to locate the foundation.
    4. Click on the Foundation Name to automatically insert it into the Foundation Name search field.

Note: In addition to selecting a foundation directly from the Foundation Name Index, you can type the foundation name (full or partial) directly into the text entry box on the Search Screen.

II. Foundation State

Used to search for foundations located in a particular state.

How to use:
    1. Click Foundation State on the Search Screen to display the index of states in the Index Pane located to the left of the Search Screen.
    2. Scroll down through the Index Pane to locate the state for which you are searching.
    3. Click on the state to automatically insert the state's postal code into the Foundation State search field.

Notes:

 

III. Foundation City

Used to search for foundations located in a particular city.

Notes:

How to use:
    1. Click Foundation City on the Search Screen to display the index of cities in the Index Pane located to the left of the Search Screen.
    2. Click the underlined letter at the top of the Index Pane that corresponds to the first letter of the Foundation City for which you are searching.
    3. Scroll down through the Index Pane to locate the city.
    4. Click on the Foundation City to automatically insert it into the Foundation City search field.

Note: In addition to selecting a city directly from the Foundation City Index, you can type the city name (full or partial) directly into the text entry box on the Search Screen.

IV. Fields of Interest

Used to search for foundations that identify giving interests in specific fields or subject areas. Since more than 90 percent of the foundations in The Foundation Directory Online contain fields of interests in their entries, using this index helps to narrow down and focus your search criterion.

How to use:
    1. Click on Fields of Interest on the Search Screen to display the index in the Index Pane located to the left of the Search Screen.
    2. Scroll down through the list of Terms in the Index Pane to locate the subject for which you are searching.
    3. Click the Term to automatically insert it into the Fields of Interest search field.

Note: In addition to selecting a subject term directly from the Fields of Interest Index, you can type the subject term (full or partial) directly into the text entry box on the Search Screen.

About Fields of Interest

The lists of Terms are based on the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE), originally developed by the National Center for Charitable Statistics. Since 1989, the Foundation Center has been using the NTEE not only to classify the exempt purposes of nonprofit organizations, but also to track the subject areas supported by the grants they receive. During 1995, the IRS began incorporating NTEE subject classifications into its file on nonprofit organizations in order to make note of their primary exempt purpose. To learn more about the history of the national taxonomy and the Foundation Center's use of it, visit its Web site at http://fdncenter.org/research/grants_class/index.html.

V. Types of Support

Used to limit your search to a specific type of funding.

Tip: The number in parentheses to the right of each Type of Support listed in the Index Pane indicates the number of foundation records that refer to that particular Type of Support.

How to use:
    1. Click on Types of Support on the Search Screen to display the index in the Index Pane located to the left of the Search Screen.
    2. Scroll down through the Index Pane to locate the support term for which you are searching.
    3. Click the Type of Support to automatically insert it into the Types of Support search field.

Note: In addition to selecting a type of support directly from the Types of Support Index, you can type the types of support (full or partial) directly into the text entry box on the Search Screen.

See the Types of Support definitions list for a short description of each one.

VI. Geographic Focus:

Use this index to select foundations with a known interest in specific state(s), or who award grants on a national or international basis. This index contains each state name, and the terms National and International.

Use the term National to locate foundations who award grants on a national basis and who do not restrict their giving to specific geographic locations. Use the term International to locate foundations with an interest in one or more specific countries other than the United States.

Example: To find foundations with a potential interest in funding a program in California, select the Geographic Focus field and select from the index or type California OR National into the search criteria entry box. This search strategy will retrieve those foundations who award grants on a national basis or who favor California-based projects.

Not every foundation record will contain a geographic focus notation. In these cases, specific information wasn't available and these foundations won't be represented in search results that rely only on this search criterion. In other cases, a particular foundation may not consider itself as giving internationally because its giving outside the U.S. is a small percentage of its overall program. Because this information is not always available and is sometimes self-selected, Geographic Focus is best treated as a supplemental search criterion.

How to use:
    1. Click Geographic Focus on the Search Screen to display the index in the Index Pane located to the left of the Search Screen.
    2. Use the scroll bar to locate the entry you wish to include in your search.
    3. Click the entry to automatically place it in the Geographic Focus search field.

VII. Trustees, Officers, and Donors:

Use this index to locate a specific person listed in the grantmaker record as a trustee, officer, or donor. The number in parentheses next to an individual's name in the index indicates the number of grantmakers s/he is affiliated with. Since this index also includes all donor names, some banks, company names, and other organization names are listed when they are donors or trustees.

How to use:
    1. Click Trustees, Officers, and Donors on the Search Screen to display the index in the Index Pane located to the left of the Search Screen.
    2. Click the underlined letter at the top of the Index Pane that corresponds to the first letter of the last name of the person or institution for which you are searching.
    3. Scroll down through the Index Pane to locate the name.
    4. Click on the name to automatically insert it into the Trustees, Officers, and Donors search field.

     

    The Sort Control

    Located at the bottom of the Search Screen, the Sort Control manages the way in which search results are displayed. There are four different combinations available to you. Each one is explained below:

    Alphabetically — Results are sorted alphabetically by Foundation Name.

    Total Giving — Results are sorted by the total dollar value of all awards paid by the foundation during the year of record (in the form of grants, loans to organizations or individuals, program-related investments, or employee-matching gifts).

    Ascending — Sorts results Alphabetically from A to Z or by Total Giving from lowest total awards to highest.

    Descending — Sorts results Alphabetically from Z to A or by Total Giving from highest total awards to lowest.

    Notes: