Eye on FDO

FDO News

Don't forget to catch up on the latest major developments and more with FDO News. In the October edition, read all about our new congressional district mapping option; hear about the tremendous growth of our Search 990s database; find out how this blog keeps you current; and learn more about our comprehensive Help file.

MicroEdge Solutions Conference

Today, I'm blogging from the MicroEdge Solutions Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. This annual, three-day event is attended by foundation staff, technology experts, industry consultants, and other philanthropic leaders. MicroEdge is the Foundation Center's first eGrant Reporting Partner and one of the reasons I'm here is to convey to grantmakers the great benefits of our eGrant Reporting Program.

Through the Foundation Center's eGrant Reporting Program, grantmakers submit electronic grants lists to us on a regular basis, expediting the inclusion of their grants data in FDO's Search Grants database. When grantmakers report their grants electronically, it's a win-win situation for everyone: grantseekers gain access to more current, accurate, and detailed grants data and grantmakers gain greater control over the taxonomy terms assigned to a grant. Plus, all eReporters are entitled to a complimentary link, upon request, to interactive FDO Professional maps and charts reflecting their grants. These maps and charts can be used by staff, included in presentations to the grantmaker's board or other groups, or posted online for the general public. You'll know a grantmaker is an eGrant Reporter by the icon located at the top of their FDO profile.

If you're a grantmaker, it's easy to become an eGrant Reporter. All it takes is an electronic file, such as an Excel file, that follows certain guidelines and includes certain information. Additionally, several grants management software providers, including MicroEdge, already include an option in their products to facilitate the submission of electronic grants lists to us. For more information, visit the Grantmakers section of our web site.

Statistical Update

From time to time, I'll provide a statistical update to keep you current on the scope of data included in FDO Professional. Here's the latest:

• 95,252 grantmakers
• 474,629 trustees, officers, and donors
• 1,343,763 grants
• 3,604 companies
• 533,616 keyword-searchable 990s

Archived Webinars

We've posted a recording of a new FDO subscriber webinar to the Archived Webinars section of the FDO Home Screen. This 60-minute webinar was designed to introduce subscribers to the unique benefits of our top-tier subscription plan, FDO Professional, and covers interactive mapping and charting tools; fact-filled funder portfolios; our Search Companies database; our Search 990s database; and Update Central. An alternate version for lower-level subscribers also includes a section on expanded access to grantmaker data. View this webinar today and learn about the added value of FDO Professional!

Funding for Arts Month

October is Funding for Arts Month at the Foundation Center!

As I search FDO Professional today for grantmakers with a known giving interest in arts [Search Grantmakers Screen: Fields of Interest = Arts], I find 15,665 funders. A search for grants awarded in support of arts [Search Grants Screen: Subjects = Arts] retrieves 131,474 individual awards. Obviously, you'd want to narrow these extremely broad searches down by adding additional criteria to find support that meets your particular needs.

Interested in learning more about using FDO to find funding for arts-related programs? We're offering a special arts-focused Introduction to Finding Funders webinar on October 21. Please visit the Webinars section of our web site for full details and registration information.