Recession Hits Rural Elderly Hard - What can Philanthropy Do?
posted on: Friday, December 18, 2009
By Julia Craig
The New York Times recently ran a story chronicling the disproportionate effects of the recession on elderly Americans living in rural areas. Citing a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the article documents the ways in which state budget woes affect the elderly in rural communities, often out of sight of the general population. According to the report, 24 states have made budget cuts to services for the elderly this year, and more are expected in the future.
In addition to difficulty accessing social services, rural elderly have seen their churches close over the years. Many of the people featured in the story are widows or widowers and their children no longer live in the area. The accompanying slideshow brings the numbers to life, portraying the difficulties of growing older in communities with little support infrastructure.
Rural communities are aging as young people leave for education and work opportunities elsewhere; the decline of farming and manufacturing has led younger residents to migrate to more urban areas. This means the new generation is not available to care for aging family members, which used to be a mainstay in agrarian life.
What does this mean for philanthropy?
According to a research we conducted for Criteria for Philanthropy at its Best released in March this year, over a three-year period, just 1.5 percent of grant dollars could be classified as intended to benefit what the Foundation Center classifies as the “aging/elderly/senior citizens.”
And in our 2007 report Rural Philanthropy, NCRP found that stereotypes of life in rural America deterred some funders from investing there. Further, rural nonprofits expressed frustration at feeling cut off from access to foundation resources, sometimes simply by virtue of geography. Attracting and retaining staff is particularly difficult with limited funds.
It seems that the odds are stacked up against the elderly living in rural America. But philanthropy can do something. Here are some ideas:
- Identifying infrastructure gaps. Help sustain organizations that will support and promote rural nonprofit community interests, including those serving the elderly. A strong nonprofit infrastructure is part of the social fabric of American communities.
- Monitor trends. Foundations can’t replace the role of public investments in services for vulnerable communities, but by monitoring trends, philanthropy can identify gaps in government support and target those needs.
- Change perceptions. Funders can support organizations that conduct and disseminate research and other information on rural issues so that grantmaking priorities and public policy reflects more accurately the realities faced by rural Americans.
What do you think? Are there other ways that foundations and other grantmakers can help rural Americans, including the elderly? Share your thoughts in comments!
Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Julia Craig is research associate at the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP).
Labels: elderly, marginalized communities, New York Times, Philanthropy at Its Best, Rural Philanthropy
By Julia CraigThe New York Times recently ran a story chronicling the disproportionate effects of the recession on elderly Americans living in rural areas. Citing a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the article documents the ways in which state budget woes affect the elderly in rural communities, often out of sight of the general population. According to the report, 24 states have made budget cuts to services for the elderly this year, and more are expected in the future.
In addition to difficulty accessing social services, rural elderly have seen their churches close over the years. Many of the people featured in the story are widows or widowers and their children no longer live in the area. The accompanying slideshow brings the numbers to life, portraying the difficulties of growing older in communities with little support infrastructure.
Rural communities are aging as young people leave for education and work opportunities elsewhere; the decline of farming and manufacturing has led younger residents to migrate to more urban areas. This means the new generation is not available to care for aging family members, which used to be a mainstay in agrarian life.
What does this mean for philanthropy?
According to a research we conducted for Criteria for Philanthropy at its Best released in March this year, over a three-year period, just 1.5 percent of grant dollars could be classified as intended to benefit what the Foundation Center classifies as the “aging/elderly/senior citizens.”
And in our 2007 report Rural Philanthropy, NCRP found that stereotypes of life in rural America deterred some funders from investing there. Further, rural nonprofits expressed frustration at feeling cut off from access to foundation resources, sometimes simply by virtue of geography. Attracting and retaining staff is particularly difficult with limited funds.
It seems that the odds are stacked up against the elderly living in rural America. But philanthropy can do something. Here are some ideas:
- Identifying infrastructure gaps. Help sustain organizations that will support and promote rural nonprofit community interests, including those serving the elderly. A strong nonprofit infrastructure is part of the social fabric of American communities.
- Monitor trends. Foundations can’t replace the role of public investments in services for vulnerable communities, but by monitoring trends, philanthropy can identify gaps in government support and target those needs.
- Change perceptions. Funders can support organizations that conduct and disseminate research and other information on rural issues so that grantmaking priorities and public policy reflects more accurately the realities faced by rural Americans.
What do you think? Are there other ways that foundations and other grantmakers can help rural Americans, including the elderly? Share your thoughts in comments!
Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Julia Craig is research associate at the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP).
Labels: elderly, marginalized communities, New York Times, Philanthropy at Its Best, Rural Philanthropy
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