I used v2 of Prospector's Choice from The Taft Group at my previous
institution. It is MS-DOS based but will run in a window under Windows.
(The new version is a Windows program, but I've not yet installed it.)
The database contains approximately 12,000-14,000 entries, all of the
major foundations and a large number of the mid-sized to smaller
foundations. The information provided is very complete, much more
information than available in The Foundation Directory. Searching is by
just about anything, but I most often use the free text search which can
be ANDed and ORed, but not NOTed. Really nice is the option to restrict
the search to the geographic area of the recipient so that you don't
have to go through a long list that funds in areas other than where you
are located. Problems:  restrictions are at the bottom of a screen and
the user must scroll down in that window to read them (I look at
restrictions very early in deciding whether I have a viable hit) and
only one record can be printed at a time (i.e., you can't select
records, then print them all at once).

Prospector's Choice links with BoardLink (more information on members of
the boards) and GrantsOnDisk (which provides information on recent
grants). Both of these provide extensive cross-referencing back and
forth with PC.

The Foundation Center has released FC Search. It is available at
selected locations for examination, locations which have agreed to serve
as such sites. Screens can be observed at their website
(http://fdncenter.org). It contains approximately 43,000 entries along
with information on directors and recent grants. We are considering it
along with Prospector's Choice.

Capitol Publications has just announced GrantScape which contains
information on approximately 13,000 foundations. From the description it
seems to contain about the same information as Prospector's Choice and
sells for less. I have not seen the software.

Either FC Search or GrantScape will have to perform very well to
displace Prospector's Choice. I've found PC easy to use and the
information is more extensive than was available through The Foundation
Directory.

************************************************
* Bill Caskey                                  *
* Director, Research & Grants Administration   *
* The Children's Mercy Hospital                *
* 2401 Gillham Road                            *
* Kansas City, MO  64108                       *
* Voice:        (816) 234-3879                 *
* Fax:          (816) 855-1982                 *
* E-mail:       xxxxxx@cmh.edu                *
************************************************