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The Nonprofit Sector in the United States: A Resource Guide

This guide provides resources for researching the nonprofit sector and includes information on associations, datasets, statistics, and consumer information, as well as details on starting a nonprofit, including grants and fundraising,

Introduction

[Evangeline Cory Booth, 1865-1950, full length, standing, holding several toys, facing slightly left, girl with arm around boy in front of her; posed "poverty" photo for Salvation Army?]. 1907. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

This research guide is designed as a starting point for locating primary and secondary resources relevant to the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors in the United States, including pertinent associations, management resources, grants, and fundraising. There is a page devoted material on starting a nonprofit, as well as a page of consumer research resources for locating information on nonprofits, including details concerning the IRS Form 990. Resources cited include print, databases, datasets, statistics, online resources, and Library of Congress materials.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide, but rather to provide credible starting points for research on the nonprofit sector. It is important to note that each research project will be different, and it is not possible to include every possible resource and industry that may be of interest; but the resources included here should provide a foundation for those seeking an understanding of this field on which to conduct further research.

If you have a topic of research that you want to explore, please refer to the Search the Library's Catalog page to find additional resources using the provided subject headings. You can also submit a question through our Ask a Librarian service. This guide is one of several research guides produced by the Business Reference Services focusing on business and economics topics

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About the Business Section

Part of the Science & Business Reading Room at the Library of Congress, the Business Section is the starting point for conducting research at the Library of Congress in the subject areas of business and economics. Here, reference specialists in specific subject areas of business assist patrons in formulating search strategies and gaining access to the information and materials contained in the Library's rich collections of business and economics materials.