Madoffed?
“What we have been affected by is the larger market condition — the scandal writ large, as it were,” Greacen said.
He said that by late 2008 it was clear that some foundations’ budgets were already shrinking, which indicated that 2009 would likely find foundations even tighter-fisted.
“It’s already been very competitive and, frankly, foundation budgets haven’t increased anything like as much as the need for foundation funding has gone up during the Bush administration,” he said. “And, in the 2006-8 period, we saw an awful lot of the discretionary funds available to progressive types going into the election, and for good reason, but there’s very little reason to think at this point that a lot of that might come back into the nonprofit world. It’s just not there.”
Greacen said EPIC will cope by continuing what it’s always been good at: reaching out to more people. That worked well, he said, during the group’s end-of-the-year appeal for donations — responses were up. However, the contribution amounts were, on average, lower. But that could be a good strategy.
“Frankly, I think the hope that we’ve got is probably not that different from a lot of groups — that we can find a way to reach more people and stay alive,” he said. “Kind of the Obama solution. More smaller donations make up for fewer big donations. Traditionally, for a lot for nonprofits, it’s easier to raise a budget by going to a few good donors or foundations — the risk of that strategy is amplified in a bad market, obviously.”
Still, smaller groups may have a glum future, nonetheless. Big groups like the Sierra Club, or the Natural Resources Defense Council, can shed some staff if they have to, Greacen said. Small groups like EPIC have so few employees, and such a high work load, that’s not an option. Some may merge with other groups or, as Greacen puts it, simply “wink out.”
“It was already hard times for little groups, and I think a lot of the smaller nonprofits are going to be in real trouble in the near term,” Greacen said.
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on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent short stories
June 11, 2009
Eye of the Beholder
June 11, 2009
Double Down
May 21, 2009
Pearls and Swine
Hank Sims
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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