Most databases, whether they are a library catalogue or a specialized database, allow you to search for books, journal articles, and more, with a single search.  You can then narrow your results with filters, or more advanced search options.

• Some suggested subject headings or keyword search terms:
  • nonprofit
  • leadership
  • management
  • philanthropy
  • charities
  • voluntarism
  • entrepreneurship
  • social surveys
  • qualitative research
• Once you've decided which terms are the most useful for your search, combine them in a boolean search. For example:
  • (philanthropy or nonprofit) and canad*
    • the quotes will keep the words together
    • the * will look for alternate endings
    • AND/OR will modify a component to narrow or expand your results
• Some filters to consider applying are:  books, or Journals, or Scholarly and/or Peer Review
  • You can then narrow your search further by:  Publication Date or Discipline, or Subject, etc.
• watch for any other words that are being used in your results, for example, 'charity' may be more common in some contexts than 'philanthropy', search both

Also:

1. Never limit to full-text only as we may subscribe to the journal you find from another vendor.  Use the Get it! icon to search for the full text when it is not immediately available.
2. Look for the option to set up an RSS feed  or to Create an Alert.  You are then notified when a new entry is added to the database that meets your search criteria.
3. Use the Interlibrary Loans RACER form to request items not held at Carleton’s library.  
4. For additional relevant databases, look at the Subject Guides that best relate to your topic, such as Public Policy and Administration, Canadian Studies, Business, Sociology etc.​

Once you've used the Search strategies, and tried Databases for finding journal articles above, you may want to see what government, think tanks and other agencies are doing within your subject area.

Government Information 

Government Information custom search will search only government agencies. Filter your search by geographic area (try searching multiple regions for your topic, including Intergovernmental Organizations). Look at which agencies are doing research for your topic, going directly to the agency website may offer further areas for investigation. Don't forget to search for countries that have similar circumstances - they may be doing relevant work (eg. Indigenous, health care, etc.).

Think Tanks

• Think Tank Search (Harvard University custom search) – think tanks can give an appreciation of government action or inaction in an area
• findpolicy – results from 17 leading think tanks working on foreign policy, in the US and Europe

Public Policy Collections and Working Papers

• Brookings Institute
• Canadian Public Documents Collection - Curated collection of monograph publications from Canadian research institutes, government agencies and university centres working in the area of Canadian public policy, health and medical research. 
• Conference Board of Canada eLibrary - Browse by topic, select Centre for the North, Centre for Food in Canada, How Canada Performs, etc.
• National Bureau of Economics Research (NBER) Working Papers
• Policy File Index - Indexes research on U.S. public policy with content from public policy think tanks, university research programs, research organizations, etc.
• ​Social Research and Demonstraton Corporation A non-profit research organization, created specifically to develop, field test, and rigorously evaluate new programs.

Further resources for grey literature

• GreyNet International Directory of organizations in grey literature
• Grey Matters 
• Grey Literature Report - provides updates to grey literature on health services and topics.
• Alternative Press Index
• Economics Search Engine (American Economic Association)