The Chronicle of Philanthropy Surveys Corporate Giving

(8-10-10) On August 7, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported on its survey of philanthropic programs at 162 of the largest U.S. corporations. In summary:

• Seventy-three percent of businesses polled said they expect their cash and product giving to be about the same as in 2009, reflecting a 7.5 percent reduction from 2008 giving.
• With less money to give, some companies are focused on responding to needs aggravated by the economy.
• Businesses continue to pare the number of causes they support, favoring social issues that align with their business goals and expertise.
• Thirty-five percent of businesses are moving away from multi-year grants.
• More companies are working to share stories about their giving, perhaps as a public-relations move to exhibit impact on local and affiliated communities.
• Companies that gave significantly more in 2009 generally did so because they acquired another business and took on responsibility for its philanthropy.
• Still, many of the nation's most profitable businesses (Amazon, Apple, Google) do not provide information about their giving, making it difficult to know if they do any philanthropy at all.

Read the full report here.