By M. Diane McCormick 

Since its foundation in 1998, Harrisburg Young Professionals has been a driving force for economic development, beautification, and recreation and entertainment in Pennsylvania’s capital city. 

As a nonprofit, HYP relies heavily on its volunteer board and members to remain vibrant and relevant. Still, even nonprofits need funds to advance their civic causes, and HYP turns to The Library for free assistance in finding grants and getting low-cost, high-quality printing. 

“Our mission is to grow, mentor, and retain future leaders in Harrisburg while making the city a better place to live, work, and play,” said HYP Executive Director Meghan Bachmore. “We like to work with partners in the city and utilize different businesses. We love The Library.” 

The partnership is just one instance of The Library’s support for Dauphin County’s broad network of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits, which form the backbone of the economy.  

In the heart of downtown Harrisburg, McCormick Riverfront Library is HYP’s home Library. Recently, a Library staffer got to know Bachmore from a committee bringing speakers to the city, and he told her about GrantFinder, a free resource available exclusively at MRL.  

GrantFinder allows nonprofits and entrepreneurs to pinpoint funding for their causes and initiatives from foundations and other sources. It’s an invaluable resource, but it can be a pricey subscription for cash-strapped nonprofits and businesses — and few are cash-heavy. 

Bachmore calls her work as executive director a “one-person operation,” so a streamlined resource for finding funds is a welcome asset and a timesaver. GrantFinder introduced her to funding opportunities in professional development, sports, and city beautification.   

“You are able to refine your search by different areas of focus,” she said. “I was able to narrow my search to specifically grantors that concentrate on those things. It was nice that I could log into a Library computer and easily access the database.” 

Bachmore also took along her intern, a Harrisburg University business analytics major who got his first exposure to the grant writing process. 

“That was eye-opening to him, how generous these different foundations are to nonprofits,” she said. “I think he was surprised to see how much they support the arts in the region.”  

As the partnership between HYP and The Library has blossomed, including hosting blood drives in recent years, Bachmore has learned more about The Library’s impact on the economic and social well-being of the city. 

“The Library’s digital offerings are so innovative, allowing people to access the whole library from their phone or computer,” she said. “Just being able to have all of those free resources so close is really neat. So is how The Library helps the unhoused population and youth.”  

The Library’s full menu of business offerings include the M&T Bank Business Center at MRL. Developed during the 2022 renovation of MRL and the Haldeman Haly House, the center offers copying, printing, and faxing; office supplies; and private consultation space. Users can submit documents, file paperwork, and apply for services as they launch their own businesses or nonprofits.” 

The Library’s additional online business tools include AtoZdatabases for job searches, finding sales leads, and conducting market research; Weiss Financial Ratings for investment information; Flipster for access to digital magazines; and the Job Help Center, which offers links to Indeed.com, Resume Builder, and other services. 

 HYP has even leveraged The Library’s new print shop, established with generous help from Penn National Insurance. Services are high-quality and discounted for nonprofits. 

“That has been a great resource because we’re always trying to save money,” said Bachmore. “We don’t have a large budget. They’ve helped us with design and have been super friendly. They brought me in and taught me more about printing and how things work on the back end. We’ve printed programs, business cards, and envelopes. It just helps us to get more information into the community.”