ANV: A Case Study
In 2019, the library assisted Arlington’s local nonprofit, Arlington Neighborhood Villages (ANV) to identify potential local funders and directed ANV to Guidestar, an online source for funders to vet grant seekers.
As a result, AVN secured a grant from Arlington-based Cloudbreak Foundation that assists community-based charitable organizations in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The grant will help ANV to do outreach to lower income seniors and keep providing the human connection, support and education needed to help older adults age in place in Arlington.
"It was a huge help to our fundraising team," said Wendy Zenker, Executive Director of Arlington Neighborhood Village.
"The trainings offered to our volunteers, access to a national database of foundations, and crucial one-on-one support are a complete support package offered by the library which set us on a path to success," Zenker continued.

ANV member, V., receives a grocery delivery from a volunteer.
Foundation Directory Online
The free e-source tool “Foundation Directory Online (FDO) Essentials,” contains 235,000+ grantmaker profiles to help nonprofits find foundations that are most likely to fund their projects.
The Library provides personalized instruction to grant seekers on how to search FDO Essentials effectively.
Arlington Public Library continues to offer resources for nonprofits during the pandemic.
The comprehensive service offering provides Arlington-based organizations with the resources they need to increase and diversify their revenue streams, build capacity and empower their constituents.
- Access to Foundation Directory Online Essentials (FDO Essentials) to find grantmakers
- Books and other resources for grant seekers
- Virtual workshops (Introduction to proposal writing, FDO Essentials and fundraising planning)
- One-on-one, virtual FDO Essentials research instruction appointments