The Foundation Center (New York, NY)
Historical Foundation Collection
1909-1990

Mss 005

In May, 1997, the Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives became the repository for the Foundation Center Historical Foundation Collection, consisting of records gathered since its creation in 1956. It will take at least two years to fully process this recent acquisition, but the staff of the Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives is allowing access to the collection. During processing, parts of the collection may be closed to researchers so it is requested that potential researchers contact the Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives at (317) 274-0464 or email at bburk@iupui.edu to inquire about the current status of the collection. Below is a brief history and description of the Foundation Center Historical Foundation Collection.

HISTORY

The Foundation Center is a nonprofit service organization incorporated in 1956 by a group of foundation leaders as the Foundation Library Center. This new endeavor was lead by the field's foremost scholar, F. Emerson Andrews. It was established out of the need for accountability by foundations due to Congressional hearings on foundations in the early 1950s which raised concerns about secrecy and "un-American activities."

The Center's mission is to foster public understanding of the foundation field by collecting, organizing, analyzing and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects. Its audiences include grantseekers, grantmakers, researchers, policymakers, the media and the general public. The Center accomplishes its mission by:

• operating five professionally staffed field libraries,
• coordinating a nationwide network of over 200 Cooperating Collections that offer local access to a core collection of Center material,
• publishing books ranging from comprehensive reference works to basic primers on fundraising and nonprofit management and offering a variety of related online services,
• conducting research on the growth of the foundation field and on trends in foundation support of the nonprofit sector,
• maintaining a unique electronic database containing information on virtually every active grantmaking foundation in the United States,
• offering educational programs on the funding research process, proposal writing, grantmakers and their giving, and related topics.

The Center built its holdings with an impressive library collection of books and published materials about foundations. To complement the published holdings, the Center collected current data on foundation finances and activities from foundation IRS returns, annual reports, correspondence with the foundation, and miscellaneous pamphlets, news releases, and newspaper clippings. The Foundation Center disseminates the information it collects in its publications which include The Foundation Directory, Guide to U.S. Foundations, The Foundation 1000, and Corporation Foundation Profiles and various subject-based guides to assist grantmakers, grantseekers, and the general public.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Foundation Center's Historical Foundation Collection combines materials obtained from private foundations, the Internal Revenue Service and public sources. The collection consists of four series: 1) IRS Tax Document Collection, 2) Historical Information Files, 3) Annual Reports, and 4) Directories.

The IRS Tax Documents Collection, 1956-1989 consists of copies of the IRS tax reporting forms and detailed statements of assets, receipts, and grant disbursements of individual foundations and other nonprofit organizations.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged alphabetically by state and therein alphabetically by foundation name. This collection is partially indexed in The Foundation Directory.

The Historical Information Files, 1945-1990, consist of correspondence, Foundation Center questionnaires and surveys, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, press releases, and newsletters.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged alphabetically by foundation name.

The Annual Reports, 1911-1993, consist of bound and unbound copies of annual reports from various foundations and organizations throughout the United States and also contains some international foundations. A searchable table (CAUTION: LARGE TABLE @ 722KB) is available listing the current holdings of annual reports.

Arrangement: The annual reports are arranged alphabetically by the foundation name.

The Directories, 1971-1993, contain state directories, regional directories, and subject-based directories.

Arrangement: The directories are arranged alphabetically by state, region, and subject.

OTHER FOUNDATION CENTER PUBLICATIONS

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