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Resources for Endowment Building
1. Raising endowed assets in a rural setting can be very different from asset development in urban or metropolitan areas. Leading Tactics for Rural Fund Development was written specifically for rural leaders who want to raise endowments in and for their community.
Leading Tactics is a series of step-by-step guides that is being developed specifically to make the job of the rural fund developer easier. Compiled from on-the-ground experience with rural endowment builders, the series addresses the following four focus categories:
Focus A: Understanding and leveraging endowment in and for your community
Focus B: Working with individual donors
Focus C: Engaging the entire community in building community assets
Focus D: Targeting community endowment for community outcomes
Each focus encompasses a variety of tactics, which are addressed in individual guides. Explore this website to learn more: http://www.aspencsg.org/rdp/endowment/tactics.php
2. Every community can benefit from having charitable reserves. This new, one-of-a-kind resource offers an in-depth, user-friendly way for individual rural communities and small towns in the South determine their ability to create a permanent charitable fund to support community life.
The Philanthropy Index combines objective data with the collective knowledge of community leaders to create a "score" for measuring philanthropic potential. Explore this web site to learn more: http://www.philanthropyindex.org/
Helpful Web Sources for Nonprofit Management
http://www.authenticityconsulting.com/ This site offers a free online organizational assessment tool, and offers information about the Authenticity Consulting firm, one that can provide consulting for non profits in the arena of capacity building.
http://www.lectlaw.com/forms/f162.htm This site offers sample bylaws for 501(c)(3) charitable organization and a link to the IRS Non Profit application.
http://www.nonprofitexpert.com/board_development.htm This site offers board development information
http://www.mncn.org/infocentral.htm The link to the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits web site collects many of the important management, fundraising, and legal resources.
http://www.nonprofityellowpages.org/ This is a link to the Minnesota Non Profit Yellow Pages, a project of Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
http://www.nonprofit.about.com/library/weekly/topicsubbod.htm General information about nonprofits
http://www.boardsource.org/ This website provides opportunity for membership, and wonderful information about board development
http://foundationcenter.org/ This links to information (fee service) about funders
http://www.cfamerica.org This website has national information
http://www.mapfornonprofits.org/ This provides information on nonprofits
www.givingforum.org The Forum works through a network of 32 regional associations of grantmakers and its New Ventures in Philanthropy initiative to:
-- Enhance Philanthropy by strengthening the effectiveness of those already engaged
-- Expand Philanthropy by engaging more people and organizing in giving
-- Explain Philanthropy by providing reliable unbiased information about regional giving
www.guidestar.org/ A philanthropic research tool.
Training:
http://www.blandinfoundation.org/html/leadership.cfm The Foundation’s role is to infuse and energize rural community economies in Minnesota through leadership development programs that help communities capitalize on their assets.
www.mcf.org A wealth of grantmaking/seeking information as well as nonprofit and community information.
-- Writing an effective grant proposal
-- MN Common Grant Application
-- MN Common Reporting Form
-- MCF weekly newsletter: The Giving Memo
-- Grantseeking for Beginners class ($95)
Books:
Recommended Reading for nonprofit/community fund management
www.FieldstoneAlliance.org
The Creative Community Builder's Handbook
The Community Leadership Handbook
The Nonprofit Field Guide to Conducting Community Forums
www.northwestern.edu/ipr/publications/community/buildingblurb.html
Building Communities from the Inside Out
For information on donor management software, these sites might be of assistance:
http://www.techsoup.org/ Tech Soup provides access to donated and discounted products for non profits.
http://www.ebase.org Relationship management software
http://www.symphonyinfo.com Information management software
http://www.etapestry.com Fundraising software
Also, Microsoft Access can be adapted to manage donor information
Other Community Foundation Web sites:
These Community Foundations have successful affiliate programs and their web sites are open to the public.
www.azfoundation.org Arizona Community Foundation
www.arcf.org Arkansas Community Foundation
www.nhcf.org New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
www.mainecf.org Maine Community Foundation
www.nebcommfound.org Nebraska Community Foundation
www.cfozarks.org Community Foundation of the Ozarks | 
