March 31, 2008 | Read Time: 1 minute
A blog critical of the Gannett Company, the country’s largest newspaper publisher, has raised questions about the giving of its charitable foundation.
Jim Hopkins, a former Gannett reporter, writes on his blog that Gannett, in McLean, Va., allows chief executives to steer donations to their alma maters and other personal causes.
While not illegal, Mr. Hopkins describes the effort as “monumentally tacky” because the recipients are not in locations with Gannett newspapers or television stations, which is required for nonprofit groups that apply for grants under the foundation’s main giving programs.
The foundation also matches gifts made by any employee, which has no geographic limitations. But Mr. Hopkins points out that the program for the senior leadership doesn’t require them to make personal contributions.
“The company has quietly walled off a part of the Gannett Foundation — a vehicle created for public good works — and turned it into a private reserve for already well-paid senior executives to earmark money for pet charities,” he writes.
Tara Connell, the executive director of the Gannett Foundation, told Mr. Hopkins that the executive-directed giving helps retain leaders. In an e-mail message to Mr. Hopkins, which was posted on the blog, she writes that his statements on the program include “several false and misleading statements.”
Mr. Hopkins writes that he stands by his reporting.
What do you think? Does the executive-giving program violate the group’s mission? Do other corporate foundations provide similar perks to company leaders? Click on the “comment” link below to share your thoughts.
