How local nonprofits are affected by a downturn in charitable giving

By Evan Dawson,

Published October 3, 2024 at 2:50 PM EDT

Five people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman front left has short dark blonde hair and is wearing a multi-colored floral-patterned dress; a man front center has very short dark hair and is wearing glasses, a white and blue plaid long-sleeved-button down shirt, blue pants, and black shoes; a woman back left has shoulder-length brown hair and is wearing a white blouse; a woman back center has shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair and is wearing glasses, a blue blazer, and a light blue t-shirt; a man on the end of the table at right has short dark hair and is wearing a grey plaid blazer, a black button-down shirt, and jeans. — (foreground) Ann Marie Cook, Ron Thomas, (background) Elaine Spaull, and Jaime Saunders on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Thursday, October 3, 2024

A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.

Local nonprofits are facing challenges after losing funding that has helped run their programs. Last month, the United Way of Greater Rochester announced that the agency had to severely cut or not renew funding for a number of organizations.

United Way president Jaime Saunders acknowledged the “crisis moment” for nonprofit leaders, while explaining that the organization could not commit dollars it does not have. She cited a nationwide downturn in charitable giving.

What has caused this shift? How will it affect families in the Greater Rochester area? And what can be done to address the gaps in philanthropic giving? Our guests discuss it.

In studio:

Jaime Saunders, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
Elaine Spaull, executive director of the Center for Youth
Ron Thomas, executive director of Baden Street Settlement
Ann Marie Cook, president and CEO of Lifespan

*Note: WXXI's Brian Sharp also covered this story. You can read his report from August 8, 2024 here. His report from August 23, 2024 is available here.