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FeedMotivated Spending
The truth still stands: Anyone can afford to give.
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round here, “philanthropy” is practically a colloquialism — and that’s a good thing. We live in one of the nation’s wealthiest suburbs and within a half-hour of some of the poorest areas. The contrast can be startling, but it can also be motivating.
Philadelphia has a long history of noble philanthropic pursuits and an equally long list of people who, year after year, support a growing number of causes. It takes an enormous amount of funding to keep these organizations alive and strong—but the way most of us see it, if we can’t spare any money or time for a good cause, well, who can?
Right about now, between the mayhem on Wall Street and the annual holiday wrapping-paper drives, black-tie galas and such, many of us have had our fill of charitable giving. But allow us to bend your ear with a few more reasons to reach a little deeper into those pockets.
According to the 2008 Commonwealth Giving philanthropy report released by Delaware Valley Grantmakers (DVG), Pennsylvania is the seventh most generous state in the nation, with the Philadelphia region leading the state in charitable contributions. Foundations are the source of about one-fourth of the region’s philanthropic giving. The remainder comes from corporations, bequests and individuals.
As a DVG board member and the executive director of Plymouth Meeting’s Claneil Foundation, Mailee Walker has plenty of stats at her disposal based on research by Campbell & Company and the Giving USA Foundation, two organizations that track such trends. Among the most impressive findings: Charitable giving in 2007 cracked the $300 billion mark for the first time ever, with individuals contributing the lion’s share of all donor dollars—more than $229 billion. Adding to that is another $23 billion in bequests. “These reports reiterate just how critical individual gifts are,” says Walker. “And organizations such as DVG and the Philadelphia Foundation make it easier for funders to be more strategic and better informed.”
Far less impressive: DVG’s Commonwealth report indicates that Pennsylvania is falling behind national trends due to slow economic growth—and the problem is likely to be exacerbated by our current economic instability.
DVG’s association of grant-makers bridges the gap between funders and organizations in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. It serves as a network for connections and learning, a resource of information for and about the region’s grant-makers, and a voice to encourage and advocate philanthropy.
One of outgoing executive director Nancy Lanham’s goals during her four-year tenure was to encourage non-member philanthropies and donors to join forces with DVG. “Foundation giving is frequently seen as social venture capital,” Lanham says. “Because of this, foundations look for improved approaches to service delivery, increased productivity, or improved outcomes as a result of their grants. The funding needed to stimulate these changes often requires cooperation among funders.”
Ultimately, DVG provides members with resources and connections, and enables them to improve their own grant making through peer learning and focused programming. All of this falls under the organization’s central goal, which is to build stronger communities through the increased impact and effectiveness of philanthropy. “In general, DVG encourages donors to give with purpose and to support general operations, rather than designating funds for a specific use,” says Lanham.
It doesn’t take an actuary to figure out that corporate giving ebbs and flows with profit margins—or that financial anxiety translates into a reluctance to spread the wealth. Leaders in all sectors of the philanthropic loop are well aware of the immediate challenges facing both givers and receivers. In these tough times, Lanham and others are working to keep the pipelines open.
