Business: Finance
This guide will assist you in doing research in the field of business.
Available in the Library
These books, plus many more, can all be found in the Reference section of our library. Search the Library Online Catalog to find additional resources.
2015 Church and Clergy Tax Guide by Richard R. Hammer
Call Number:
KF 6442 .H35 2015
Church Finance: The Complete Guide to Managing Ministry Resources by Michael E. Batts
Call Number:
REF BV 770 .B38 2015
Encyclopedia of American Business by W. Davis Folsom
Call Number:
REF HF 1001 .E463 2004
How to Write a Business Plan by Mike McKeever
Call Number:
HD 30.28 .M3839 2012
People Raising: A Practical Guide to Raising Funds by William P. Dillon
Call Number:
BV 772.5 .D55 2012
Library Databases
These databases will be useful for you in your research:
Provides full-text access to over 3.2 million entries from over 400 reference titles.
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- EBSCOhost is the primary online journal and e-book platform at UVF. It contains multidisciplinary and subject-specific databases. Access over 50,000 full-text journal titles and over 130,000 full-text e-books on this platform.
- Uncover information on hundreds of the most significant people, events, and topics in U.S. history from a variety of sources.
- Search balanced coverage of events in U.S. History. Best for novice historians and academic researchers. Updated daily.
- This collection contains the complete archived holdings of over 1,100 scholarly, full-text journals. New titles and disciplines are added regularly. The capacity for searching across disciplines opens up vast possibilities for scholarship and research.
- Contains full-text documents from over 6,000 news, business, and legal publications.
Specialized Business Search Engines
- Find trends, projections, percentages, etc. in business.
Finance Websites
Here are some websites that will help as you research various aspects of personal and corporate finance.
- Provides links to Fortune, Money and Fortune Small Business magazines, as well as for CNN’s business coverage of financial, business, and industry-specific news for US and world markets.
Beginners Guide to Financial Statements
Published by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), this guides is intended to help readers better understand the data in financial reports and how to analyze it.- Published by IBM, “this guide provides basic information on how to read the financial statements in a company’s annual report.”
- Investing information that allows users to look at it based on where they are in their investing life: as a beginner, experienced investor, active trader or preparing for retirement.
- Includes information on investing and personal finance covering topics such as stocks, mutual funds, retirement planning, portfolio management, estate planning, taxes, and finding a financial advisor.
- “An online knowledge resource for business administration.”
Government Websites
EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system)
“All companies, foreign and domestic, are required to file registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms electronically through EDGAR. Anyone can access and download this information for free.”- A Congressionally chartered secondary mortgage lender offering industry news, pricing on mortgage backed securities and debt instruments as well as market for Fannie Mae owned homes.
Federal Reserve Statistical Release
Provides daily interest rates for selected U.S. Treasury and private money market and capital market instruments. Is updated weekly and includes up to 30 years of historical data on selected items.- The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation is Congressionally chartered and charged with increasing the availability of funds to mortgage lenders through mortgage purchases, guarantees and securitization. Offers consumer guidance on investing in a home and facilitates loan organizations and workouts.
- Agency that guarantees mortgages for sale in the secondary markets. Provides resources for prospective homeowners, issues mortgage backed securities and REMICs and multiclass securities.
- Cabinet level agency charged with promoting homeownership, community development and combating housing discrimination. Offers consumer information for buying, selling and financing homes. Sources for research and data in reports and periodicals on rental and ownership housing markets, policy, homelessness, construction techniques, taxes and assisted housing.
International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities
Similar to the NAICS, this is an international industrial classification system promulgated by the United Nations.Library of Congress Business Reference Services
The Library of Congress Business Reference Services offers a subject guide to online Business reference sources.Monthly Statement of the Public Debt of the United States
Monthly data for treasury bills, notes, and other federal securities. Tables include a description of the security, issue date, amount, and date of final maturity. For more data related to federal bills, notes, and bonds visit the Bureau of the Public Debt.North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
“The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy.”Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)
The SIC codes have been replaced by the NAICS, but are still referenced.U.S. Bureau of the Census: Business and Industry
Trends in business are reflected in the vast number of surveys the Census conducts. HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The primary mission of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is to protect investors and maintain the integrity of the securities markets. The SEC requires public companies to disclose meaningful financial and other information to the public.
Corporate and Company Research Websites
Please also see the Government Websites section. *Remember to consult the official websites of individual companies and corporations.
- “CrocTail provides an interface for browsing information parsed from SEC filings about several hundred thousand U.S. publicly traded corporations and their foreign subsidiaries.”
- Covers almost two million non-profit organizations registered with the IRS. Data is obtained from IRS Form 990. Requires free registration; some data requires subscription.
- This free version of the D&B subscription-based database, Hoover’s, provides basic “insight and analysis about top companies, industries and people.”
- The organizational charts for the worlds largest corporations. This is the free portion. In-depth information is fee-based.
- “The Public Register provides free annual reports of public companies trading on the NYSE, NASDAQ, AMEX, OTC and TSX exchanges.” You must register but it is free.
- Search the full-text of a company’s filing by keyword. Email alert service allows you to monitor filings from specific companies. “The best of EDGAR.”
- “Find industrial product AND company information from around the world in one place.” Basic information.
- “Search ThomasNet to find manufacturers, distributors and service providers – from Actuators to Zirconium and everything in between.”
- Track changes to a company’s website. This archive has close to one hundred billion “old” web pages. Search by a site’s URL.
Stocks and Bonds
The following websites relate solely to the United States:
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
FINRA provides comprehensive market data on equities, options and a wide range of bonds. It also helps investors build their financial knowledge and provides them with essential tools to better understand the markets and basic principles of saving and investing.- Tips and publications that help users to “invest wisely and avoid costly mistakes and fraud.” It also has suggestions on doing research, interactive tools to look at mutual funds and publicly traded companies, information on filing complaints, and links to other investor education sites.
- Quotes and analytical reports for over 16,000 mutual funds and stocks. Mutual fund reports include the Star Rating.
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
The American Stock Exchange (AMEX)has been acquired by NYSE Euronext.
Mutual Funds
- “A guide to the trends and statistics observed and recorded in the mutual fund industry.”
- Information on a large collection of mutual fund companies, fund listings and planning, tracking and monitoring tools.
National Association of U.S. Invesment Companies
From the Investment Company Institute (ICI), access guides to understanding different types of funds.- Check out the Mutual Funds 101 tutorial and much more.
Commodities
- Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)Both the New York Mercantile Exchange and Chicago Mercantile Exchange are part of CME. Provides current and historical market data on futures and options for contracts traded by the exchanges.
- U.S. Commodity Futures Trading CommissionThe Web site has links to all domestic exchanges, market analysis, market surveillance, and market research.
Real Estate
- CCIM InstituteThe mission of CCIM is to be the leading authority for commercial real estate through networking, education and technology.
- National Real Estate InvestorNational Real Estate Investor is the leading authority on commercial real estate trends.
Professional Associations
Here are some finance associations and organizations that may be of interest to you:
American Business Women’s Association (ABWA)
To bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership; education, networking support and national recognition.- The premier academic organization devoted to the study and promotion of knowledge about financial economics.
American Real Estate Society (ARES)
An association of real estate thought leaders. Members are drawn from academia and the profession at large, both in the United States and internationally. The Society is dedicated to producing and disseminating knowledge related to real estate decision making and the functioning of real estate markets.Association for Financial Professionals (AFP)
The Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) serves a network of more than 16,000 treasury and finance professionals. It provides members with breaking news, economic research and data on the evolving world of treasury and finance.Financial Management Association
The Financial Management Association International (FMA) is the global leader in developing and disseminating knowledge about financial decision making. FMA’s members include academicians and practitioners worldwide.Financial Planning Association
The FPA is the leadership and advocacy organization connecting those who provide, support and benefit from professional financial planning.Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship in America
“To reach men everywhere for Jesus Christ, taking particular note that in many instances men can reach others of their same social, cultural or business interests more readily than anyone else.”