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Nonprofit Links

Charitable Giving, Exempt Organizations and Private Foundations

Ready to start building your dream?  Here are some building blocks.   Lyster, Inc. is ready to assist you achieve your goals.  Please call us if you don't find what you are looking for.

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The Foundation Center The Foundation Center is an independent nonprofit information clearinghouse established in 1956. The Center's mission is to foster public understanding of the foundation field by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects.

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Charity Navigator.  Charity Navigator, America’s premiere independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America’s largest charities.

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The Chronicle of Philanthropy Target audience is the non-profit community, but often there are articles here which are suitable for a broader audience.

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The Nonprofit FAQThe Nonprofit FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is based on questions and answers about nonprofit organizations exchanged on the Internet since 1994.

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Council on FoundationsThe Council on Foundations works to support foundations by promoting knowledge, growth and action in philanthropy.  Of note is their Community Foundation Locator, providing a searchable, regional list of community foundations throughout the United States, Canada, and selected other countries.   The California Community Foundation is one such community foundation operating in the Los Angeles area.

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Association of Fundraising Professionals.  Effective January 1, 2001, the National Society of Fundraising Executives became the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).  The AFP's stated goal is "to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education, and certification programs."

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Tax Information for Charities & Other Non-Profits (Internal Revenue Service).

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Search for Charities.  Publication 78, Cumulative List of Organizations described in Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, is a list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions.

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Northern California Grantmakers' Resources.

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Life Cycle of a Public Charity.  During its existence, a public charity has numerous interactions with the IRS – from filing an application for recognition of tax-exempt status, to filing the required annual information returns, to making changes in its mission and purpose. The IRS provides information, explanations, guides, forms and publications on all of these subjects – they are available through this IRS Web site.

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Life Cycle of a Private FoundationDuring its existence, a private foundation has numerous interactions with the IRS - from filing an application for recognition of tax-exempt status, to filing required annual information returns, to making changes in its mission and purpose. The IRS provides information, explanations, guides, forms, and publications on all of these subjects - they are available through this IRS Web site.

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Nonprofit LookupLook up nonprofit organizations by ZIP CODE or NAME.

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IKnow.ORG.  See their excellent collection of Information Portals.

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Community Partners.  Community Partners operates an incubator that supports capable leaders in translating their ideas for community change into action.

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Masters in Nonprofit Management.  Want to become a Nonprofit leader?  You might want to seek a Masters Degree in Nonprofit Management, and this site can help you get to where you want to be.

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The Center for Nonprofit Management.  The Center for Nonprofit Management helps nonprofit organizations more effectively fulfill their missions by:
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Guiding Nonprofits to Critical Information

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Developing Nonprofit Leadership and Management Skills

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Counseling Organizations Through Change

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Building Human Capital: Finding and Keeping the Right People

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Promoting Collaboration and Communication

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California Management Assistance Partnership "Nonprofit Genie."  Information and resources for the nonprofit community.

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CompassPoint Nonprofit Services.  The mission of CompassPoint Nonprofit Services is to increase the effectiveness and impact of people working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector.

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Online Compendium of Federal and State Regulations.

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Better Business Bureau (Give.org) National Charity Reports. 

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance was formed in 2001 with the merger of the National Charities Information Bureau and the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation and its Philanthropic Advisory Service. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, affiliated with the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance collects and distributes information on hundreds of nonprofit organizations that solicit nationally or have national or international program services. It routinely asks such organizations for information about their programs, governance, fund raising practices, and finances when the charities have been the subject of inquiries.

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The Planned Giving Design Center.  The Planned Giving Design Center helps charitable organizations create strategic alliances with legal, tax, and financial services professionals in their communities who have the capacity to influence philanthropy.

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The National Committee on Planned Giving The National Committee on Planned Giving was formed in 1988 as a federation of planned giving councils to facilitate, coordinate and encourage the education and training of the planned giving community, and to facilitate effective communication among the many different professionals in the community.

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National Center for Family PhilanthropyThe mission of the National Center for Family Philanthropy is to promote philanthropic values, vision, and excellence across generations of donors and donor families. Our understanding and experience with the very personal act of giving ensure that these donors and their advisors have access to the highest quality information and the encouragement needed to:

bulletArticulate, pursue, and achieve their charitable missions;
bulletUnderstand and meet their governance and management needs; and
bulletHave a significant, positive impact on the lives and work of those they support.
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GuidestarGuideStar is a database of more than 640,000 nonprofit organizations in the United States. It's the world's most comprehensive source of information about American nonprofit organizations.

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Philanthropy Journal.   This is a publication of the A. J. Fletcher Foundation in Raleigh, N.C.; it is an online newspaper that reports on philanthropy and the nonprofit world.

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21/64.  21/64 is a non-profit consulting practice specializing in next generation and multi-generational strategic philanthropy. As families engage the next generation in their foundations, donor advised funds, and other forms of family enterprise, there is an increasing need for clarity, communication and multigenerational collaboration.  21/64 offers coaching and peer networks for next generation funders, consulting services for multigenerational families and foundations, as well as speaking engagements and training for institutions striving to engage the next generation of their clients. All consultations include 21/64’s uniquely-developed resource tools to assist individuals, families and advisors during these times of generational transition.

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Giving Capital Online.   This online resource provides nonprofit organizations with the ability to run online fundraising campaigns and membership drives.  There is also an online donor advised fund here.

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Non-Profit Issues.  A "grab bag" of recent authority affecting non-profit organizations and philanthropy.

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Philanthropic Management group at Bank of America.

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IRS PUBLICATION NO. 578Tax Information for Private Foundations.

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The NonProfit Times"The Leading Business Publication for Nonprofit Management."  Also, see its sister publication "Exempt" ("Financial Information for Nonprofits").