Philanthropy executives put on brave face for 2009 - Boston Business Journal:

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No corporate philanthropy executives contacted by the Bostob Business Journal this week said they plan to severf any of the significant commitments they have to the nonprofitzs with whichthey work. Only one company — — said nonprofit organizations that have receivedthe company’s smallestg grants should expect less next year, or maybre nothing at all. “Our theme is to be consistentr in ourgiving but, to do so, we have to be said Meg Clough, director of communications for Loomis, Saylea & Company, which now is committesd to working closely with a core group of approximately eighft organizations and expects to reduce or cut funding for anothefr 25 or 30 organizations that receive $20,000 or less.
“We could see the subprimwe crisis was upon us and things would be more difficultgoin forward. I started thinking about this last year. I could see the tsunamj coming.” Although foundation leaders and corporatde executives said they are in the process of budgetinbgfor 2009, they predicted maintaining at least the same contribution levels they set this For example, will maintain its $7 milliom community commitment in 2009, which is the same as said Trish Robinson, senior vice strategic communications and corporate responsibility.
Canton-basedd Dunkin’ , which started its foundationm threeyears ago, is considering grant applications right now and, while the lineup of organizations receiving funding is likely to change year to year, the amounft distributed will stay the same, said Paul Leech, chietf administrative officer. The is finding it “a littled hard to predict the economic climate, but I’xd say it will be at least the same if not saidMolly Santry, program managert for charitable giving. “We were hopinb to distribute an additional million dollare from 2007to 2008, but we couldn’t do Similarly, also is considering a slighgt increase for 2009, said Karen executive director.
With an eye to the situatio n beyond 2009, however, “if the market gets ugly down the that couldbe changed,” said Mike Harvard Pilgrim’s community servicw program manager. The rough economyy has prompted Eastern Bank executives to seriously considedfunding increases, not decreases. They are reevaluating the foundation’s giving formula and weighing it against the urgency ofcommunitu needs, said Laura Kurzrok, executive directo of . Although the bank’s like most, has been hit hard by the stockimarket turmoil, Kurzrok said this is not the time to be cuttingy back on corporate giving.
“It would be naïvs to assume that the endowmen hasn’t been hit,” she said. “But we know this is the time to give not less. Do we increase givinyg in the short term? Do we use the same formula ? That’s exactly the conversations we’re having right With the severe downturmn inreal estate, has seen a decreasee in the amount its employeesz and sales associates are contributing from theif paychecks and commissions to the company’s but that is no predictor of the company’s overall commitment to said Roni Boyles, regional director of “If we donated $15,000 to a housing nonprofit last year, we’re doing the same thingh this year,” Boyles said.
However, the company is seeiny a clear decline in its annual Spiritr of Home Awards galaand fundraiser, whic h is scheduled for Nov. 14. Proceeds go to support three local “Normally by now we’ve raised $120,000, but we’re down this year aroun $20,000.” Many foundations and corporate philanthropy leaders said they were scramblinv to finish their 2009 budgets while others are more hesitan to comment definitively on their givintg commitments until the 2009 budget processwraps up. Loomiss Sayles has taken a creative approach totraditionak fundraising.
The company has brought together three of the organization with which it worksclosely , , and — and together they agreedc upon a central issue of concern: childhood obesity. Loomis worked with the three organizations to put on a coordinateed fundraiserin September, which raised The money was split among the three organizations, and was an add-onh to the annual contributions they receive from Many foundations and corporate philanthropy leaders said they were scrambling to finishj their 2009 budgets, but a couple were more hesitanf than others to comment definitively on their giving commitments untilp the 2009 budget process wraps up.
“It would be inappropriatd for us to comment at this time as to what the 2009 budgegt looks likewhen we’re stil l in the process,” said Rachel Riccardella, spokeswomenm for . “We’re not tryingv to be evasive.” Riccardella pointed out that George Russell Jr., president of the State Street Foundation, recently was quoted as sayingh that next year’s giving levels will be close to those for 2008 — but the Foundation’s 2008 figures will not be releasexd until the end of this she said.