Rural Areas Need Philanthropic Support

To the Editor:

In a recent Chronicle editorial, Pablo Eisenberg called for redrawing the map of philanthropy to insure a more balanced share of philanthropic assets for the nation’s underserved regions (“Redrawing the Map of Philanthropy,” Opinion, September 9). We in the South have 34 per cent of the nation’s poverty and less than 14 per cent of its foundation assets. Unlike any other region, the concentration of poverty in the South is greater in rural than in urban areas. But like other regions, philanthropy in the South is concentrated in its urban communities.

A recent study by the Southern Rural Development Initiative showed that the South’s persistently poor counties have 11 per cent of the region’s population, 1 per cent of its philanthropic assets, and 3 per cent of the grants from large foundations.

Does the distribution of philanthropy make a difference? Absolutely. Among Southern states, North Carolina has the most mature statewide infrastructure for community-based development. Sophisticated non-profit, rural community-based development organizations in the state are now attracting substantial private and state government investments. It is no accident that per-capita investment in poor rural counties by North Carolina’s largest foundations from 1993 to 1997 was $21, while other states with relatively high foundation assets invested much less in poor rural places: Georgia, $5.85; Virginia, $4.11; and Florida, only $0.18.

Southern philanthropy leaders have initiated a multiyear effort to address the inequitable distribution of our own assets and grants. The Southern Philanthropy Consortium, a collaboration between the Southern Rural Development Initiative, the Southeastern Council of Foundations, and the Consortium of Mid South Community Foundations, is coordinating a regional effort to build philanthropy in rural and other underserved Southern communities.

Mr. Eisenberg calls for a similar nationwide effort. We agree. Investment of large sums of the growing wealth of national foundation assets into underserved regions would leverage substantial public and private dollars and have great long-range benefit. Participants at a recent meeting of the Southern Philanthropy Consortium concluded that the most effective uses of such funds would be: 1) to build an infrastructure in each state for statewide non-profit community building, and 2) to challenge rural communities through matching grants to create or grow local, public grant-making organizations.

While we in the South are committed first to growing our own philanthropic base, outside investment like that urged by Mr. Eisenberg is essential to stimulating and supporting that process. The Southern Rural Development Initiative’s tag line reads, “Claiming the place we call home.” Philanthropic dollars are a critical piece in making that happen in the region’s poorest rural communities.

Deborah B. Warren
Executive Director
Southern Rural Development Initiative
Raleigh, N.C.