Taking from the givers

摘要

The world of philanthropy faces a three-pronged attack. First, philanthropic institutions have been hit by the impact of recession on charitable giving. Next, last month, Barack Obama's budget proposed to limit tax deductions on donations by individuals earning over $200,000. But America's proud charitable foundations are also worried about another threat: political pressure to increase the "diversity" of their employees, with hints of racial and sexual quotas on employment and even on recipients.rnIn a paper released on March 12th the Philanthropy Roundtable, a group based in Washington, DC, described this diversity initiative, first instigated in 2007 by the Berkeley-based Greenlining Institute, as a shakedown for the benefit of the already privileged professional elite in the minority workforce (that is, blacks and Latinos).