Library Guides: Business: Nonprofit Organizations

Company Research Tips

The information you will find on a company depends upon several factors. Before you begin your research, ask yourself these questions:

1. Are there variations of the company name?
Different research resources may use alternative spellings or abbreviations of a company name. Some databases require a ticker symbol to find company information.

2. Is the company public or private?
It is usually easier to find information on public companies, but you might find information on private companies in our resources.

3. What about the company's "family tree"?
Is it a parent company? Division of another? Foreign-owned? Family-owned?

4. Is the company newsworthy?
Companies tend to be in the news when they want the PR, when they are performing extremely well, or when they are having problems. Even a small private company may be considered newsworthy by local press.

To get help with these questions, start with a directory listing or company profile.

Adapted from Williams, T. (n.d.) Company Research Tips. Butler University. Retrieved from https://libguides.butler.edu/c.php?g=34071&p=217007

Nonprofit Research

Organized according to usefulness, with the most useful at the top:

ProPublica
See financial details from tax-exempt organizations, such as their executive compensation and revenue and expenses.
- Browse IRS data released since 2013 and download raw XML files to insert in a spreadsheet.
- Access PDFs of tax filing documents (Form 990) as old as 2001.
IRS Statistics of Income (SOI)
Data compiled from IRS Forms for tax-exempt organizations.
National Center for Charitable Statistics
NCCS’ web tools are the most powerful resources for researchers, offering more than 200 data files, including data on the finances and activities of nonprofit organizations going back as far as 1989 as well as the latest zip code level giving data for households that itemize their IRS income tax forms, and much more.
990 Finder
View several recent years of a nonprofit organization’s financial filings.
Guidestar
After free registration you can obtain
complete contact information; current year's revenue and expense data; balance sheet data up to 5 years; forms 990 up to 3 years; annual reports for all years; full listing of CEO, board chair, board members.

In addition to the standard business article databases, search these resources for additional articles about the nonprofit sector.

Chronicle of Philanthropy
Provides news & information for fundraisers, professional foundation employees, corporate grant makers, & people who work for non-profit, tax exempt organizations.
Corporate Philanthropy Report
A monthly newsletter for corporate giving officers and nonprofit development officers.
Foundation Center Catalog of Nonprofit Literature
Contains more than 30,000 full bibliographic citations, of which nearly 22,000 have descriptive abstracts. Updated daily.

Subject Headings for Catalog of Nonprofit Literature

International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing
An international forum for peer-reviewed papers and case studies on the latest techniques, thinking and best practice in marketing for the not-for-profit sector.

Encyclopedia of Nonprofit Organizations
A comprehensive guide to the growing nonprofit world designed for marketers, sales staff, and nonprofit professionals. Provides contact and basic factual information on the largest nonprofit organizations in the United States.
Nonprofit Association of Oregon
The Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO) is the statewide membership organization providing a unique vehicle for nonprofit sector expression and support. Provides training, consulting, and public policy monitoring, among other services.
National Council of Nonprofits
"Identifies emerging trends, share proven practices, and promote solutions that benefit charitable nonprofits and the communities they serve." (From the web site)
Society for Nonprofits
After free registration, access provided to trade publications Nonprofit World and Funding Alert; book reviews; job listings; business-to-business directory; nonprofit social networks; and other resources.