SOME ARE GIVING MORE

We're counting our blessings as the calendar flips to the new year. Buried among the dire news of joblessness and cutbacks and losses are the facts that people and institutions are stepping up.

The Chicago Community Trust announced a new $3 million initiative designed to expand the capacity of nonprofit agencies working to meet basic needs, such as food and shelter. In response to rising unemployment and increased demand on food pantries and homeless shelters, the "Unity Challenge" will match new donations on a two-to-one basis up to $1 million. The first round of grants will be announced the week of February 1, 2009.

The Ford Foundation has announced that it will honor all outstanding commitments to its grantees and will increase, in 2009 and 2010, the percentage of its endowment that is paid out in grants. The foundation's portfolio was "highly liquid" going into the economic downturn, ensuring the foundation's capacity to continue making grants without disruption. In addition, Ford instituted a series of aggressive internal cost controls early in 2008 that have helped make more funds available for grantmaking.

The GE Foundation will shift its grantmaking priorities next year to include a greater focus on basic needs.

Even as some wealthy individuals are responding to the financial crisis and economic slowdown by giving less, many of America's top philanthropists (George Soros, Eli Broad, Pete Peterson) are choosing to give more, according to BusinessWeek.

These are clear signs that charities cannot afford to stick their heads in the sand and wait "until this is over." They have to keep making the compelling case, inviting people to participate in making things better. That is my New Year's wish!