Grants are one of the chief funding mechanisms for nonprofit organizations to launch or expand programs. Grants also enable individuals with creative ideas to develop their ideas. The ability to locate grant funders and make a successful application is a task that takes skill, perseverance and access to resources.

The McClintic branch of Pocahontas Libraries is now a Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center. We join public libraries in Charleston and Bluefield, and college libraries in Parkersburg, Shepherdstown, and Wheeling, in offering this service.

Cooperating Collections are free funding information centers that provide a core collection of Foundation Center publications, a powerful online database and training services useful to grantseekers.
A key initiative of the Foundation Center is to reach under-resourced and underserved populations throughout the United States and in other locations around the globe, who are in need of useful information and training to become successful grantseekers.  PCFL made the extensive application while the Pocahontas County Commission provided the fee that now enables anyone to make use of this collection.
Foundation Directory Online Professional is available at McClintic Library public access computers. Comprised of nine integrated databases, this service profiles almost 100,000 grantmakers, over 3,600 grantmaking companies, surveys over 600,000 IRS 990s, and provides information on 1.8 million grants. One can use searchable keywords and phrases to find matches across the nine databases. More than 1,000 indexed search terms assist the user. One can also search by zip code, congressional district or other geographical regions. Grantmaker portfolios are provided in detail along with their funding patterns. Importantly, the nine databases are updated weekly. While the online databases must be used at the McClintic Library, one can save, print or email profiles and records.
The Cooperating Collection also provides numerous print materials. These include The Foundation Directory; The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing; Foundation Grants to Individuals; The Grantseeker’s Guide to Winning Proposals; Guide to Funding for International and Foreign Programs; National Directory of Corporate Giving; After the Grant: The Nonprofit’s Guide to Good Stewardship; and many other print resources including Spanish language materials.
Both experienced grantseekers and newcomers are welcome to use the resources.  One of the criteria for our being a Cooperating Collection is that we hold training programs for the public. Of course, our own staff will develop skills sufficient to help people understand how to access the print materials and online databases.  Please understand that our staff will be happy to point out the services and how to use them, but will not do your research or write your grants.
Our first round of public training will be held at McClintic Library on Monday, May 17.  Two workshops will be held during the timeframe of noon to 4 p.m. Janice Rosenberg, Senior Librarian for The Foundation Center since 1996, will teach a class on Introduction To Foundation Directory Online and another class on Proposal Writing Basics. These classes will be available at no charge, and will be held in the McClintic Library Conference Room. Due to space limitations we may have to limit attendance.  The Family Resource Network (FRN) is co-sponsoring the workshops. We are also considering further workshops on grantmaking that morning. Information will be forthcoming as the program develops.
The Cooperating Collection is an extraordinary resource for our region encompassing not only Pocahontas County but surrounding areas in neighboring Virginia and West Virginia. We hope this service is used extensively and successfully for the further enhancement of quality of life in our region.