Foundation Center - Atlanta in the Spotlight!

For more than 20 years, Foundation Center's Atlanta library/learning center has been connecting those who want to change the world with the resources they need to succeed. The Atlanta office is one of five library/learning centers in the U.S. operated by Foundation Center, all offering access to vital resources for nonprofit organizations and individual grantseekers. Each regional office is open to the public and provides access to databases of private funders, classes and workshops related to grantseeking, and a collection of print materials covering topics related to fundraising and nonprofit management.
Established in 1956, Foundation Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Many librarians will recognize the organization from its print publication, The Foundation Directory, and its comprehensive database of private grantmakers, Foundation Directory Online. Foundation Center opened its Atlanta office in 1994 to serve Georgia and the Southeast.
The Atlanta office recently relocated within the downtown district to the Georgia-Pacific Center. This new location features a contemporary design with open space, high ceilings, and bright and comfortable seating. Movable chairs and tables allow for the training room to be used for large classes, hands-on workshops, or small group meetings. The new space follows the learning commons concept and is designed to promote knowledge sharing and partnership among the Center's nonprofit patrons. This spirit of collaboration is carried through to the space itself, as the Atlanta office shares its facilities with the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership and InwardBound Center for Nonprofit Leadership, both of which provide coaching services and leadership training for nonprofits.
The library collections contain over 4,000 published items related to philanthropy, including books, periodicals, and reports. Items range from funding directories to academic and legal treatises to practical guides on starting a nonprofit or cultivating individual donors. Many of the library's books are available for loan, and members of the public can register to borrow items from the Atlanta office. Foundation Center's collections are searchable online in the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.
Foundation Center maintains a robust suite of online resources as well. GrantSpace is the Center's online community for grantseekers and provides answers to frequently-asked questions about nonprofits and philanthropy, current listings of Foundation Center training opportunities, and a collection of sample grant proposals. Staff also provide chat and email reference service for the public through GrantSpace five days a week.
Foundation Center provides support for many under-resourced nonprofits through its Funding Information Network. This network consists of libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit resource centers in the U.S. and more than 10 other countries. Network partners provide free, public access to Foundation Center databases and a core collection of publications. Funding Information Network locations in Georgia include the Atlanta-Fulton Central Library, Hall County Public Library in Gainesville, Gwinnett County Public Library's Lawrenceville Branch, Athens-Clarke County Library, Columbus Public Library, Clayton State University Library, Mary Vinson Memorial Library in Milledgeville, and the Thomas County Public Library.
Visit foundationcenter.org/atlanta to learn more about Foundation Center's Atlanta office and its programs and services.