Foundation Annual Reports; What They Are and How to Use Them. :NSTITUTION Foundation Center, New York, N.Y
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 129 335 IR 004 122 AUTHOR Russell, Henry G., Ed. ITTL7 Foundation Annual Reports; What They Are and How to Use Them. :NSTITUTION Foundation Center, New York, N.Y. PUB DATE 76 NOTE 49p. AVAILABLE FROM The Foundation Center, 888 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10019 (upon request) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.83 Plus Postage. HC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRTPTORS *Annual Reports; Financial Support; *Foundation Programs; Guides; *Information Centers; Information Sources; Microfiche IDENTIFIERS *Foundation Canter ABSTRACT The annual reports published by American private foundations give comprehensive information to grant-seeking researchers. The Foundation Center has compiled a directory of the names and addresses of the approximately 397 out of 25,000 foundations which publish annual reports. They have also reproduced some 1,304 reports on microfiche. This collection is available at the Foundation Center libraries, or individual microfiche copiesmay be ordered from the Center. Information about the Center, the directory of foundations, and a listing of the microfiche collectionare contained in the report. (KB) *********************************************************************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from other sources. ERIC makesevery effort * * to obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, items of marginal * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quality * of the microff:che and hardcopy reproductions ERIC makes available * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS) . EDRS is not * responsible for the quality of the original document. Reproductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original. *********************************************************************** What They Are and How to Use Them Henry G. Russell The Foundation Center New York C'evy 1,001- seR`15- Huoorl \\It/kik01- IA& TIlE SAILIWAY U S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION 8. WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION TH,S DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO- DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN- ATING IT PONTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE SENT OF A ICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE Or EDUCA TION POSITION OR POLICY 2 1976 by The Fbunddtion anter ...., MICRO Oka THE FOUNDATION CENTER 888 Soventh Avenue NOVI Ycrk. N Y 10019 Cover Drawing hy Leonard Herman: Reprinted with permission fT1 THE SATURDAY EVr!'HNG POST C 1959 The Curtis PubIishir.cj Company 3 Uses of the Foundation Annual Report 2 Foundation Annual Reports on Film 4 A Cumulative Alphabetical Listing by Foundation Name A Cumulative Listing by Microfiche Number The Foundation CenterWhat The Center Is 38 The Center's Publications 38 National and Regional Collection's of The Foundation Center 40 The Associates Program 42 Glossary 44 Order Form 47 r 4 Does the Foundation You Are Studying and there is some legitimate confusion Publish an Annual Report? The annual between the legally required 990-AR report of a private foundation is usually (those letters do stand for annual report) the best single source of detailed informa- and a separately published annual report. tion about the foundation. Unfortunately, this .31uable tool is currently available for What Is Usually Included? Foundations only about 375 foundations out of a total which do publish reports include the universe which numbers approximately following information: foundation address 25,000. A foundation is required by law and telephone number; trustees and to file forms 990-AR and 990-PF annually officers; statement of objectives and grant with the Internal Revenue Service. It is application procedures; biographical also required to make the 990-AR available sketch of the donor and history of the for public inspection at its principal office foundation; review of the year's grants for 180 days after filing the return with with brief descriptions; statement of IRS. It is not, however, required to pub- grants committed for future payment; lish a separate annual report for distribu- financial statement with auditor's certifica- tion to the public. Many persons are under tion; balance sheet with statement of the false impression that all foundations changes in fund balances; and an enumera- re required to publish annual reports, tion of investments. 2 5 Why This Is Such a Valuable Tool. There proposal within the grant-making range are many advantages to an annual report of the foundation and to eliminate those over other sources of information about a foundations whose grant-making patterns foundation. It is usually the most current clearly fall above or below his own re- available information. Due to delays quest. A researcher interested in a foun- caused by IRS processing and filming dation's financial scope, its investments demands, the time lag in the availability and assets, will find that most fogdation of the foundation information returns annual reports include fiscal data,only (forms 990-AR and 990-PF) is usually for the current year, but usually for the significant. Thus, while 1975 returns do year before, and sometimes for additional not become available until about MzArch years as well, making fiscal analysis and of 1977, the 1975 annual reports for trend identification easier. foundations which issue them are usually available by mid-1976, and often sub- Obtaining an Annual Report. The 397 stantially earlier. foundations listed in this booklet publish The annual report collects all of the im- reports largely out of an interest in keep- portant information about a foundation ing the public informed about their ac- in one place. The current listing of officers tivities. Having made the effort to print and trustees contained in the report the report, they are usually more than enables the grant seeker to personalize glad to distribute copies to the public. his proposal by addressing it to the most Most foundations would prefer to receive appropriate person on the foundation's such requests in written form. board or staff. The report also provides the most complete details regarding the Application GuidelinesHard-to-Find purposes of the grant awards or activities Information. The annual report is often funded. A reading of the foundation's the only place where important applica- own presentation of its general philosophy, tion guidelines and procedures are out- combined with a careful study of its lined. The time of year when grant grant-making pattern, enables thorough proposals receive board consideration and researchers to positively identify the best the preferred format for such proposals potential sources of foundation funding, are invaluable, and often crucial, pieces saving valuable time by eliminating un- of information for every grant seeker. likely prospects. Grant seekers should pay special attention to any geographic Using Copies Available at The Founda- limitations on a foundation's grant-making tion Center. This booklet contains foun- activity. In addition to stated restrictions, dation addresses so that interested per- it is important to note those implied by sons can write to any of the foundations the geographic locations of recipient listed to request copies of their report. organizations. When the grant seeker has Microfiche reproductions of all the foun- identified the best potential grant sources, dation reports can be purchased from The the detailed descriptions of previous grants Foundation Center. Grant seekers who allow him to structure his proposal to fit do not need to develop their own collec- well within the foundation's program tion of foundation reports are invited to while avoiding duplication of projects to consult the paper and microfiche copies which funds have already been committed. free of charge in all Foundation Center national and regional hbrary collections. For a list of our 55 library reference What You Can Learn From the Finan- collections, see pages 40 and 41. cial Data. The complete financial picture presented in the annual report allows the Carol M. Kurzig grant seeker to properly position his Director, New York Library 3 6 For the past five years The Foundation The names of the foundations whose re- Center has been reproducing foundation ports are included on the microfiche are annual reports on microfiche cards and printed at the top of each card and may has made them available in this form to be easily read without magnification. To the interested public. As of April 1976 the read the text a microform reader is re- Center had reproduced 1,304 annual re- quired. Compact desk-top readers are ports on microfiche in 15 series represent- available at relatively low cost. Many ing 397 different foundations. This is the public and other libraries have microform largest and almost certainly the most readers which may be used without complete collection to be found anywhere. charge. Each card measures 105 by Prices for the whole collection, for indi- 148.75 mm. (4 in. by 6 in.), and the vidual series, and for single microfiche reduction ratio is 24:1. cards will be found on the price schedule The microfiche format makes it possible which accrimpanies this booklet. to maintain in good order and at low cost Most of these 1,304 reports in the collec- a file of hundreds of foundation annual tion are annual, but a few are biennial, reports in a desk drawer. Although it may triennial, or occasional. Reports of foun- be desirable to request some reports in dations outside the United States are not the originally printed edition from the included. nor are reports in mimeographed foundations, the microfiche set offers the or processr.0 form which are not available option of avoiding the considerable cost for general c:rcuiation. Finally, not in- of acquiring, shelving, and keeping in cluded are annual reports published only order bulky collections of full-size in local newspapers. reports. The 616 cards thus far in the collection are numbered from FC001 to 616. As new annual reports are received, they of too will be put on microfiche and will be numbered from 617 onwards.