Northern California Grantmakers AIDS Task Force

Northern California Grantmakers AIDS Task Force:
The AIDS Task Force (ATF) of Northern California Grantmakers (NCG) began in 1986
as a discussion group composed of foundation and corporate funders concerned about
the increasing numbers of people contracting HIV/AIDS.85 The discussion group
provided an opportunity to learn and share information about the pandemic as well as
to develop specific grantmaking strategies. In 1988 the NCG Board of Directors
formally authorized the work of the Task Force, which has since developed into a
coordinated, focused giving program and a forum for the on-going education of
grantmakers about HIV/AIDS. The ATF evolved into a collaborative funding effort,
currently involving 30 foundations and corporations.
Over the past ten years, the ATF has made over 230 grants totaling $7 million in the
areas of prevention, care, public policy, and technical assistance to organizations in the
San Francisco Bay Area. The ATF’s collaborative approach to grantmaking not only
benefits persons living with HIV and those at risk for infection, but it also has an added
benefit for grantmakers. Outside evaluations confirm that numerous funders might not
have become involved in AIDS grantmaking if they had not joined the ATF. An
additional benefit is derived from pooled funds. Pooling creates a critical mass of
creative, flexible, and focused dollars that attracts innovative proposals. Both small and
large foundations realize a greater impact than they could make through their own
grantmaking programs।
COMPARATIVE DATA COMPARATIVE DATA ON RECENT HIV/AIDS PHILANTHROPY
To fully understand the current state of HIV/AIDS philanthropy, it is necessary to
examine the broader picture of philanthropy and place HIV/AIDS grantmaking within a
larger philanthropic context. From 1995 to 2000, philanthropy experienced record
growth in giving; foundation assets doubled from $226.74 billion in 1995 to $486.08
billion in 2000; 16,000 new foundations were created, bringing the total number of
foundations to 56,582; there was a westward shift in foundation resources; and the
world’s largest foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was established.86
These findings along with other significant trends are valuable in making sense of the
overall philanthropic background under which HIV/AIDS philanthropy is operating.
This section outlines some of the most recent general philanthropy findings and
statistics. These aggregates are helpful in gauging the current state of the foundation
world, such as levels of grantmaking and areas of significant support. Furthermore,
because of the trend to subsume HIV/AIDS efforts under broader funding categories
such as health, it is critical to have knowledge about the state of current health
grantmaking.
(All data is from the Foundation Center unless otherwise noted, although FCAA’s
higher, aggregate number for year 2000 AIDS philanthropy is used throughout this
section. Empty boxes indicate information that is not yet available).