Section Quicklinks
Aspen Institute's Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation (PSI)
PSI seeks to inform and maximize the impact of the social sector through leadership development initiatives and communications so that each can contribute to the good society at home and abroad. Many study and research reports are available for download.
Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits (BSI)
BSI has published several reports on foundation assets and per capita grantmaking in "Philanthropic Divide" states - those states with the least amount of in-state foundation assets and per capita grantmaking. Their recent 2007 report indicates that Montana ranks 49th in assets and 46th in per capita grantmaking. The full report is available for download on BSI's website.
Guidestar
Guidestar is home to a variety of nonprofit data sets, compensation tools and reports, and grantmaker activity. Some information is available for no cost. Additional tools and resources are available for a fee.
Johns Hopkins University Listening Post Project
An ambitious multi-year effort to determine how nonprofit organizations are responding to crucial challenges by recruiting 1,000 nonprofit agencies to serve as organizational "listening posts" on important pressures and changes affecting nonprofit organizations and promising responses organizations are making to them. All reports are available for download.
National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS)
NCCS is the national clearinghouse of data on the nonprofit sector in the United States. Nonprofit statistics and state profiles are available for viewing. Registered users can also download nonprofit data into a variety of software, database, spreadsheet, and statistical programs.
Philanthropy Northwest (PNW)
PNW is a membership organization primarily for Northwest grantmakers. PNW's Trends in Northwest Giving publication provides data on 30,000 grants from 550 organizations, totaling more than $1.1 billion in funds to Northwest nonprofits. The report is available for download on the site.
IRS Information on Tax Exempt Organizations
The IRS publishes data regarding 501(c) organizations on a state-by-state basis on its website in an Exempt Organization Business Master File Extract. While the list from the IRS contains basic contact information, be aware that typographical errors are present. This file contains information on charitable organizations, as well as Family Trusts, Foundations, and many other types of tax exempt entities.
