Submission Guidelines

The Online Librarian will:

• respond to requests for suggestions on books, periodicals, and Internet resources for information on particular philanthropic or nonprofit topics, such as "Where would I look for information on setting up my own nonprofit?" or "Where can I find information on voluntarism?"

• give advice on the best use of Foundation Center resources to conduct funding research, such as "Which of your books contains information on grants to foreign nonprofits?" or "Can I use Foundation Directory Online to find out which foundations give grants to women's groups?"

• typically send an e-mail response to you within twenty-four hours after receiving your e-mailed query.

• provide brief answers to factual questions and refer you to one of our libraries, cooperating collections, directories, and/or electronic resources if you need more detailed information.

• refer you to other resources, if the information you requested goes beyond what is available at our site.

The Online Librarian cannot:

• provide detailed financial information on a foundation's assets, income, or expenditures.

• provide details on specific grants awarded.

• provide legal or tax-related information.

• respond to general reference questions unrelated to foundations or fundraising.

• give interpretations of the information provided.

• open attachments contained in your e-mail request, because of potential viruses. Please include any text in the body of your e-mail.

If you need more extensive information than the online librarian can supply, refer to directories or electronic reference tools available in our libraries and cooperating collections. Or, consider joining the Center's Associates Program.