Nonprofit Research Resources
This page contains resources that will help you conduct research on nonprofits and the nonprofit landscape in the United States.
Library Databases
- CandidCandid was born February 1, 2019, when Foundation Center and GuideStar joined forces. We connect people who want to change the world with the resources they need to do it. Every year, millions of nonprofits spend trillions of dollars around the world. We find out where that money comes from, where it goes, and why it matters. Through research, collaboration, and training, we connect nonprofits, foundations, and individuals to the resources they need to do good, building on 88 years of dedicated experience.
- Candid Nonprofit Compensation ReportReviews key employees compensation practices at charitable nonprofit 501(c) (3) organizations based on data derived from the GuideStar database of digitized Form IRS 990 and 990-EZ information.
- GuideStar PremiumProvides information on programs and finances of charities and nonprofits, news on philanthropy, and resources for donors and volunteers. Search by name, keyword, city or state, nonprofit type (public charity, private operating foundation, or private nonoperating foundation), NTEE code, or income range. Profiles include revenue and expenses breakdown, contact information, 990s, mission statements, and more.
- Leadership ConnectFormerly Leadership Library, Leadership Connect allows searching and browsing within individual directories or across all directories using single or multiple criteria, such as name, job title, industry, and geographical location.
External Resources
- Charity NavigatorCharity Navigator provides information on over five thousand charities, including financial evaluations.
- GrantForwardStarting in July, 2012, Cazoodle took over the hosting and managing of an improved version of the University of Illinois IRIS grant search service. The new platform, called Grant Forward, features enhanced search and user account interfaces as well as new tools to help institutions annotate and disseminate grant information.
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization SearchFind information about an organization's tax-exempt status and filings. You can use the online search tool or download specific data sets.
- National Council of NonprofitsProvides research, reports, and data on the nonprofit sector
- The Nonprofit Times"The leading publication for nonprofit news, marketing and management."
Locating Nonprofit Data for Research
- StatistaStatista provides access to statistics and studies gathered by market researchers, trade organizations, scientific publications, and government sources on over 600 industries.
- Proquest Statistical Abstract of the USThe ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the United States. The online version includes monthly updates to tables, deep searching at the line-item level, powerful facets for narrowing search results, image and spreadsheet versions of all current and historical tables, along with links to provider sites.
- National Center for Charitable StatisticsFrom the Urban Institute. NCCS is a research center and open data platform dedicated to advancing the knowledge and understanding of the nonprofit and charitable sector.