A national project is focusing attention on the needs and resources of small and family foundations and nonprofits — those with assets of $2 million or less — by bringing their stories together in the philanthropic version of a shopping catalog.
Though small organizations comprise about 85 percent of all nonprofits, donors and those in need of services often overlook them, say the catalog’s creators, because the groups can’t afford to pay for publicity and advertising.
The Catalog for Philanthropy is trying to bridge that gap by packaging information on the groups’ services and capabilities in an online database and in a printed book, some 30,000 copies of which are distributed for free. The initiative aims to show that smaller groups can offer services that are just as important to the D.C. region as larger and better-known organizations.
The catalog was first established in Massachusetts in 1997 and came to the District in 2003, expanding to the Greater Metropolitan area the following year. It became a fully functional Web document in November 2003.
Organizations must apply to be listed in the catalog. Some 50 professional grantmakers and leaders from 30 foundations and nonprofit organizations then evaluate the applications and make final selections. The online document is continually updated as new organizations are added.
The catalog “put our organization in front of a new audience of potential donors,” said Rena Pina, director of outreach and communications of the D.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Pina said her coalition has received more than $6,000 in new contributions and donations as a direct result of being featured in the catalog. “Our new donors from the catalog make first donations that are much higher than those we typically receive,” she explained.
“Being included in the catalog provides validation of our effectiveness, which in turn helps attract donors and partners to our work,” said Matthew Logan of the Potomac Conservancy. “We’ve received more than $13,000 from catalog donors.”
Five new donors have given more than $2,000, and several current Conservancy donors have increased their giving — “including one that we are fairly certain was due to the Catalog that increased from $55 per year to $5,000!” Logan said.
Have information about area nonprofits? Contact Frank Sietzen at [email protected].
