Document text
Donations drop forces United Way cuts Factors combine for slowest fund raising since '97; local programs hit with 25 percent budget shortfall By JONEL ALECCIA For the first time in five years, annual donations to the United Way of Jackson County fell below $1 million. A faltering economy, the aftermath of Sept. 11 and, perhaps, a disagreement with the Boy Scouts of America over homosexual discrimination policies contributed to a 2001-2002 campaign that raised $973,000, 13 percent short of the agency's $1.12 million goal, organizers said. It's difficult to isolate a single cause, they added, in a year marked with furor over the Boy Scouts and a fund-raising campaign that kicked off on Sept. 11. "It would be great to say this many people canceled pledges (because of the Scouts)," said Dee Anne Everson, executive director. "You can try to distinguish between world disasters and everything else, but there's no way to know what it would be if nothing else had happened." Not since 1997, when the agency raised $970,000, have contributions been so low, Everson said. Last year's campaign raised $1.08 million. Corporate donations were down 24 percent as firms, many headquartered out of state, re-evaluated charitable giving. Individual contributions were down 12 percent, Everson said. The most immediate effect of the decline will be an average reduction of about 25 percent to the 52 programs the agency funds through 34 agencies. That's more than twice what the nonprofits were told to expect when United Way announced across-the-board cuts of 10 percent in November. To agencies already reeling from state budget cuts and declines in private giving, the United Way troubles are another blow. "We knew it was going to be bad, but we never thought it was going to go this deep," said Ed Roussell, development director for Community Works of Medford. Last year's allocation of more than $111,000 for programs such as Dunn House, HelpLine, parent education and the Grove will be cut in 2002-2003 to about $68,000, a reduction of nearly 40 percent, he said. For individual programs, the cuts go particularly deep. For example, the Grove, an Ashland resource center, will be reduced from last year's 24,772 to $9,390, Roussell said. Combined with other cuts, the United Way declines could force Community Works to consider reducing programs and staff, even as they boost fund-raising efforts, Roussell said. For smaller agencies, the cumulative effect of multiple cuts is particularly devastating, said Hilary Best, director of Mediation Works of Medford. "We were expecting 10 percent and it's closer to 25 percent," said Best, whose allocation will decline from more than $16,000 last year to about $12,000 for 2002-2003. "It's another tuck and you're wondering when the seams will come unraveled." Most agencies were philosophical about the cuts. "We understand it," said Maggie Sullivan of Planned Parenthood, whose agency lost nearly $10,000. "We're not thrilled with it, but we're going to try to seek other funds to keep our programs going." For the Crater Lake Council of the Boy Scouts of America, some $30,000 donated by supporters will cushion a nearly 40 percent decline in United Way grants, said Alex Modrell, the Boy Scouts' development director. The Scouts' share will drop from about $37,800 last year to about $23,400, United Way records show. Modrell said that encompasses continuing reductions of 15 percent a year as part of the local United Way's reaction to a national Scout policy banning homosexual leaders. "Obviously, we're shocked and disappointed," Modrell said. But, he added, the agency expects community support to continue. "We had an overwhelming response last year," he said. "Cutting programs to kids is not an option." Deciding which United Way programs should be cut, and by how much, was particularly agonizing this year, said United Way allocation panel members Brad Earl and Karen Hoiness. Early on, the group decided against further across-the-board cuts. Instead, they relied on a complex matrix of priorities and needs that included factors such as geographical diversity and whether a program was the only provider of certain services. "In some cases, you're almost too intimate with the agencies and their need," said Earl, an executive with Bear Creek Corp. "You know they've got this huge bucket to fill and you end up saying, 'I'm just going to write them a check myself.'" Plans are just now beginning for the 2002-2003 United Way campaign, which Earl has agreed to lead. He won't say now what the goal is, but he says he'll implement a renewed push for volunteers to help attain it. "I think people will rally this fall," he said. "At times like this, you can tap into that compassion." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.