GuideStar.org:
Take advantage of it!
The GuideStar.org database
contains information about more than 850,000 U.S. nonprofits
-- including yours. And each week, tens of thousands of donors,
funders and members of the media use it to find and compare charities,
monitor performance and give with greater confidence.
Funded by nine of the country's leading foundations, GuideStar
has been recommended by publications ranging from USA Today and
the Wall Street Journal to TIME, Oprah and Money magazines as
the place to start when researching organizations before donating.
And as more and more Americans begin to do exactly that, it's
important that your GuideStar profile be as accurate and compelling
as possible.
GuideStar draws its basic listing information from the IRS
Business Master File and Forms 990. You can, however, update
and expand your listing -- at no charge -- to paint a more complete
picture of your organization.
Filling out a free online registration form will give you
password-protected access to your GuideStar record. Once you
have that, you can add information about your mission, programs,
goals and accomplishments. Your website address, PR contact information
and a bio of your chief executive can also be included. GuideStar
provides a free online tutorial to walk you through the entire
update process.
Not sure it's really worth taking the time to register and
update/expand your record? Consider this...
A number of nonprofits have received sizable donations from
people who first found them through the GuideStar search engine.
And organizations who have expanded their listings appear first
in the search results. Further, when you update your record,
you can also add keywords to your profile to ensure that you'll
be found for all search terms applicable to your organization.
Once you've updated your listing, let it serve double duty
for you. Contact GuideStar customer service and get permission
to add a link from your website directly to your GuideStar profile.
That way, in-depth information about your institution will be
instantly available to any prospective donor at your site who
wants it.
Finally, updating your GuideStar information automatically
updates your listing on their partner sites, including NetworkForGood.org
and JustGive.org. As a registered GuideStar participant, you
can, if you wish, even set up "Donate Now" buttons
on your website. Those will link to a donation page of your own
at Just Give or Network for Good, enabling you to accept contributions
to your institution online.
Copyright © 2002 Katherine Khalife
All rights reserved.
For reprint permission, please e-mail kkhalife@museummarketingtips.com
Katherine
Khalife is publisher of MuseumMarketingTips.com
and the Museum Marketing Tips e-newsletter, used every month
by thousands of cultural institutions seeking practical tips
to improve their marketing.
