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By ANDREW DONOHUE, Special to the Daily Transcript
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Folks in San Diego were in the giving spirit in the year after Sept. 11, 2001, but they didn't have as much money to give.
The number of grants doled out through The San Diego Foundation in the year following the terrorist attacks on America increased by nearly 200 compared to the year before. But even with the number of donations rising, the total amount given out by philanthropists dropped by nearly $8 million.
"Because of the market conditions, the dollars available for distribution has been decreased," said Deborah Hoffman, the foundation's vice president of donor relations.
The foundation manages more than 680 charitable funds and provides guidance on giving and community needs throughout San Diego. It's goal: to make San Diego a better place to live, work and play. However, the foundation's donors looked outside the city's boundaries following the attacks.
The foundation corralled more than $190,000 from its various funds and sent it to the Sept. 11 Fund in New York.
Locally, Hoffman said she's seeing a difference in the involvement of fund advisers.
"Fund advisers are requesting research on various community issues and organizations and are more open to going on site visits to see the organization in action," she said. "They want to be an informed investor when choosing organizations to receive their charitable support."
For the past several years, foundation officials have stressed the promotion of civil society, Hoffman said. This includes bringing groups of people together, strengthening neighborhoods by encouraging teamwork between neighbors, advancing community dialogue and promoting leadership and philanthropy.
Since 9/11, Hoffman said more donors have taken stock in these sorts of programs, bringing more funds to civil society causes. In fact, the San Diego Women's Foundation chose civil society as its funding theme last year and contributed more than $130,000 to such causes.
Donohue is a free-lance writer based in San Diego.
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