United Way: Las Vegas Took the Biggest Hit from Katrina

And Atlanta (not Houston) was the biggest beneficiary outside Louisiana, in dollar and percentage terms.  Corporate decisions and special campaigns had a profound impact on local fundraising efforts in the wake of a catastrophe. 

The Chronicle of Philanthropy (Sue Hoye) reported on the final tally for the 2005 United Way campaigns (subscription only, sorry).  The overall nationwide increase of 2.9% (2.2% for individual giving) smooths out some pretty dramatic differences among the individual campaigns. 

The biggest loser was the United Way of Southern Nevada (EIN 88-0071328 Form 990), with a 17% decline that the organization attributed to Katrina.  The impact was direct.  Gaming corporations based in Las Vegas are major supporters of United Way, but after Katrina they directed all their efforts toward recovery of the communities in the Gulf where they had major operations (notably Biloxi). 

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal, here's the story of the post-Katrina pull out by Harrah's (which also now owns Ceasars Entertainment) as well as some of the other gaming industry shifts that have cut into United Way collections.  There's also a more recent story about the return of Harrah's to the United Way camp this year.

On the other hand, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta (EIN 58-0566194 Form 990) enjoyed an increase of 25%, $19 million more than the previous year (which is more than the entire income of the Las Vegas organization).  Atlanta raised nearly $11 million in a special campaign to help those who relocated. 

Houston's United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast (EIN 74-1167964 Form 990) did well, too, but its $12 million increase was only 18% more than the previous year, even though Houston hosted many more evacuees.  The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas (EIN 75-6005352 Form 990) raised about $4.7 million more, a 10% increase.  In Baton Rouge, the Capital Area United Way (EIN 72-0447100 Form 990) raised $3.4 million more than the previous year, an increase of nearly 30%.

So proximity to the disaster certainly affected the fundraising of the United Ways, but the reaction of the local United Way to the catastrophe also appears to have had some impact on its fundraising effectiveness.   

Comments

[Daniel F. Bassill]

I just found your blog via the Non Profit Blog Exchange web site and think the topic is needed.

I focus on the distribution of services, and resources, and the repetition of actions over time to achieve a result in my blog and in my leadership of the Tutor/Mentor Connection.

At http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2006/09/remembering-911-how-much-sacrifice-is.html you can read a sample article.

Have you found examples of GIS maps and databases being used to point to all of the areas of a disaster, a Tsunami, or poverty, where help (volunteers, dollars, etc.) will be needed for many years, or of examples of intermediary organizations/people using blogs and other types of leadership to consistently draw attention and resources from people who can help to places where help is needed on a consistent basis?