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Nonprofit Resource Center Bookshelf, with Sarkey's Foundation plaque, and a directional sign for circulating nonprofit collection on the left.

Key Resources for Nonprofit Leaders

Candid offers a variety of tools and resources designed to help you grow and sustain your nonprofit or foundation. Visit these sites to research social issues, learn about individual funders, and more.

Glasspockets 
Glasspockets provides data, resources, and action steps foundations need to understand the value of transparency, be more open in their own communications, and shed light on how private organizations serve the public good. 

IssueLab 
IssueLab is a free online repository of reports that gathers, indexes, and shares the collective intelligence of the social sector. Explore thousands of case studies, evaluations, white papers, and issue briefs addressing the world's most pressing social problems.

Continuing Education & Training

Check out these resources to find training opportunities for nonprofit leaders, employees, and volunteers. 

Candid Learning
Candid Learning is a free online learning community for the social sector that provides tools and and resources to help nonprofits learn skills to find funds and build sustainable organizations. Features include an extensive knowledge base, sample documents, curriculum of training opportunities, and a live librarian offering advice for effective grantseeking.

OKCNP: Training and Professional Development 
The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) offers webinars, certification programs, and classes on a variety of topics. Visit OKCNP's Training Calendar to learn more about their current course offerings. 

Content
Topic Guides

Board Development

Connect with prospective board members and learn about current issues in nonprofit governance.

  • BoardnetUSA
    BoardnetUSA connects individuals interested in board service to nonprofits looking for new board members.
  • BoardSource
    BoardSource is dedicated to advancing the public good by building exceptional nonprofit boards and inspiring board service. BoardSource strives to support and promote excellence in board service, is the premier source of cutting-edge thinking and resources related to nonprofit boards, and engages and develops the next generation of board leaders.

Employee & Volunteer Management

Recruit volunteers for your next project, find examples of job descriptions, and get answers to your H.R. questions. 

Find Volunteers

  • All for Good 
    All for Good brings together volunteer opportunities from local and national organizations to help volunteers and nonprofits match interests.
  • VolunteerMatch 
    VolunteerMatch is database of volunteer openings throughout the country. Simply create a profile, add your organization, and begin recruiting.
  • Volunteer Tulsa 
    Partner Organizations of Volunteer Tulsa enjoy benefits designed to help our community's individuals and groups connect with the most effectively-managed volunteer resource programs--fulfilling volunteers' potential and organizations' mission.

Human Resources for Nonprofits

  • Nonprofit Job Description Toolkit 
    The Bridgespan Group's Nonprofit Job Description Toolkit is collection of sample job descriptions that show how some organizations configure their senior management roles and write their job descriptions for would-be candidates.

Technology for Nonprofits

Read reviews of tech products, find on-demand training, and more.

  • IdealWare
    IdealWare is a nonprofit organization that provides Consumer-Reports-style reviews, articles, product comparisons, recommendations, case studies, and news about software of interest to nonprofits.
  • TechSoup
    TechSoup is a professional community that provides information for technology professionals and connects nonprofits to experienced technology professionals.

Websites for Nonprofit Leaders

Learn about trends in the nonprofit world and find up-to-date research to help your organization grow. 

  • The Center for Effective Philanthropy 
    The Center for Effective Philanthropy publishes free research publications ranging across topics such as foundation staff satisfaction, CEO performance, and grant evaluation process.
  • The Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy 
    The Urban Institute Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy conducts research on and analyzes trends in the operations and finances of U.S. charitable organizations through data developed and maintained by its National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) and other sources.

Form 990

What is Form 990?

Form 990 is the annual return submitted by most tax-exempt organizations to the IRS as evidence of compliance with tax laws. There are different versions of the 990 form: 990, 990-PF, 990-EZ, and 990-N. An organization's type, gross receipts, and total assets determine which of these it is required to file. Note that churches and some church-affiliated organizations are exempt from filing.

The IRS's Form 990 Overview Course includes a detailed explanation of all 990-series forms and filing requirements. 

Unlike tax returns submitted by individuals, all 990 returns are public records. You can find copies of an organization's submitted 990 returns through the IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search database, or through sites such as GuideStar or ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer

What happens if an organization fails to file a 990?

Failure to file a 990 return for three consecutive years will result in the automatic revocation of an organization's tax-exempt status. Under some circumstances, organizations that have had their tax-exempt status revoked may apply for reinstatement. Please see the IRS's publication, Automatic Revocation of Tax-Exempt Status, as well as he Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits's white paper, Reinstating Your Nonprofit Status, for more information. Both of these documents are included as PDFs under Recommended Resources, below.   

How are 990s used by nonprofit organizations?       

A funder's 990 or 990-PF includes a complete list of grants awarded for that fiscal year. Grant seekers often use a public charity or foundation's tax returns to gain insight into its funding preferences, and to determine if it is worthwhile to apply for a grant with that organization. The Foundation Directory Online database provides detailed Funder Profiles that include information about a foundation or public charity's stated funding interests, as well as past projects funded. Funder Profiles are an informative, easy-to-read alternative to a 990 return. Contact the Research Center at rcaskus@tulsalibrary.org to learn more about how the Foundation Directory Online's Funder Profiles can help with your next grant application. 

Recommended Resources

Books You Might Like

Books for Nonprofit Leaders

Cover of Creating Value in Nonprofit-business Collaborations Cover of Creating Value in Nonprofit-business Collaborations
Cover of Streetsmart Financial Basics for Nonprofit Managers Cover of Streetsmart Financial Basics for Nonprofit Managers
Cover of Starting and Managing A Nonprofit Organization Cover of Starting and Managing A Nonprofit Organization
Cover of The Best of Boards Cover of The Best of Boards
Cover of Engine of Impact Cover of Engine of Impact
Cover of Innovation From Within Cover of Innovation From Within
Cover of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations Cover of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations
Cover of Data Driven Nonprofits Cover of Data Driven Nonprofits
Cover of Impact & Excellence Cover of Impact & Excellence
Cover of The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management Cover of The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management
Cover of Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation Cover of Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation
Cover of Managing and Measuring Performance in Public and Nonprofit Organizations Cover of Managing and Measuring Performance in Public and Nonprofit Organizations