The Trexler Library: Muhlenberg College

Marketing in Not-for-Profit Organizations

Need help with your research? Contact:

Kelly Cannon
Outreach and Scholarly Communication Librarian
Humanities & Business Subject Specialist
phone: x3602
email: kcannon@muhlenberg.edu
IM (AIM, Yahoo, MSN): refcannon
Reference desk IM: talktotrexler

Classification

The National Center for Charitable Statistics web site describes the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities or NTEE, a classification for nonprofit organizations recognized as tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code. Here is a list of nonprofits by IRS subsection code that are included in the NTEE classification system, explained further here.

For a summary listing of all codes, visit the NTEE-CC Two Pager. For a complete manual with in-depth description, examine the NTEE-CC Manual.

The NTEE is often coordinated with IRS Activity Codes and with the NAICS.

Statistics

The National Center for Charitable Statistics web site is a great place to gather current statistics on total numbers of organizations by category. See especially the section: Data Analysis Tools > "Table Wizard." Note the distinction made between private foundations and public charities.

Additional statistics can be found in the Nonprofit Almanac 2008 (Trexler Library Ready Reference 361.763 N531n, next to Information Services Desk on level A).

Directories

Domestic

Perhaps the single best directory of U.S. nonprofits on the web, GuideStar (http://www.guidestar.org/) (password access only) offers basic directory information plus financial statements, mission and programs, goals and results, and leaders.

For private foundations specifically, Guidestar can be used, but the The Foundation Directory, available on level A of the library, in Graduate Reference 061 F771d, is also useful.

International

For foreign nonprofits, consult idealist.org. This directory is open access.

More information

Run a Google search on your organization as well, for news about the organization and the organizational home page.

For mention in newspapers, visit the library subscription database LexisNexis Academic,

For nonprofits in the Lehigh Valley, visit the library subscription database Morning Call via Proquest.