Posted on 02/04/2010 11:00:51 AM PST by truthandlife
President Barack Obama's proposed budget will harm fundraising for nonprofit hospitals by thwarting wealthy donors, according to the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy.
The AHP is particularly concerned about Obama's proposals to reduce tax deductions for charitable donations and freeze discretionary spending.
"Nonprofit hospitals are struggling to keep up with the burgeoning numbers of under- and uninsured Americans that are seeking medical care in their local community emergency rooms," said William C. McGinly, president and CEO of the AHP. "A limit on charitable deductions aimed at those who are in a financial position to make the most significant contributions sends the wrong message at the wrong time."
McGinly said hospitals have cut back on spending, mainly at the expense of necessary capital improvements. He suggested that a three-year discretionary spending freeze would reduce the ability of state and local governments to provide health-related grants and Medicaid funding, making it imperative for individuals, businesses and foundations to step up their philanthropic support.
The AHP is a not-for-profit organization whose members direct philanthropic programs in 2,200 of North America's not-for-profit healthcare providers.
A December survey of AHP members found that three out of four increased involvement with donor relations and many put more emphasis on major gifts. Almost half applied for more grants and put more energy into annual giving and planned giving programs, while at the same time more than half reduced their fundraising budgets and about one-quarter decreased staff.
Despite these extra efforts, McGinly said, 85 percent of survey respondents said their philanthropy programs were negatively affected by the economy last year, forcing almost half to downgrade giving projections for the year.
Overall, far fewer major gifts were secured, with 40 percent of respondents reporting declines in revenue from government and private grants, 80 percent citing declines in investment income and 43 percent seeing a significant decrease.
Twenty-seven percent of development organizations used more of the money they raised in 2009 to meet increased demands for hospital charity care, the report found. McGinly said this highlights the increased need for philanthropic support to cover costs that nonprofit hospitals are no longer able to fund from decreasing margins.
No kidding. This is clearly part of the plan. All the charities I donate to are suffering contribution shortages.
And this will also extend to things like churches. Times will be too tough to fix the church roof or pay the heating bills.
And it’s hardly an accident that Obama is sucking money out of pro-life organizations and spending it on abortions.
Gatta bankrupt the Hospitals so Obama can step in and “Save” you.
Just think of the memes!!
“8 Million People Saved or Resurrected by Obamacare!!!”
Non state entities will be crushed.
Cloward-Pivens at work....cut their source of revenue and overload...causing a systemic failure and the oportunity to remake the system through manufactured crisis.
Why would I donate money to a hospital when it’s owned by the Government?
All within the State; nothing against the State; nothing outside the State. Welcome to Obamerica.
Yes, raise your taxes and reduce or eliminate deductibility, so you cannot donate to charity. That way 0bama and his minions make all decisions as to worthy causes.
There goes Dana Farber and Shriner’s Burns.
Tithes will be next. They want all that money rich people donate to charities and then write off their income taxes.
Having served on various non-profit boards in years past, I can assure you that in most cases a MAJORITY of the do-gooder members of non-profits frothed at the mouth over the Odumbo candidacy. They are overwhelmingly liberal in their philosophy of life and politics.
I have absolutely NO sympathy for ANY of the high-profile charities and non-profits who saw Odumbo as the Messiah.
Let them eat cake.
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