Bay Area Foundation Giving Grew Faster Over Last Decade
Giving Outpaced California and U.S. Foundations Overall, Despite Drop During Recession
New York, NY — June 23, 2011. A new report from the Foundation Center finds that, since 2000, Bay Area grantmakers experienced faster growth in total giving and assets compared to California and U.S. foundations overall. According to Key Facts on Bay Area Foundations, grantmakers in the nine-county Bay Area awarded $3.1 billion in 2009, a 77% increase over 2000. The assets of these foundations rose 34% during the same ten years, despite a steep decline in 2008.
The report also finds that Bay Area foundations prioritize giving for education and the environment, which is consistent with California grantmakers overall. As a group, they have also targeted the largest share of their funding to the economically disadvantaged.
"For the first time since the recession hit, we now have hard data that tell us the true impact it had on Bay Area foundations," said Janet Camarena, director of the Foundation Center's San Francisco office. "Though these funders saw a significant loss of assets, they fared better over the long term than their colleagues statewide and around the nation."
Key Facts on Bay Area Foundations examines the assets and giving of 2,498 private and community foundations in the Bay Area. It is available for free download at the Gain Knowledge area of the Foundation Center's web site.
Cheryl Loe
Communications Project Manager
The Foundation Center
(888) 356-0354 ext. 701
communications@foundationcenter.org
About the Foundation Center
Established in 1956 and today supported by close to 550 foundations, the Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit the Center's web site each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of 450 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and beyond. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230.
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