A Sun Magazine article in 1991 asked, "Who's got the clout? Who in the business community has it? It's a short list, and getting shorter."
In fact, that list of corporate leaders who contributed funds and leadership to all manner of civic enterprise has nearly vanished in a decade. Were it not for the vitality of Baltimore's foundation community that might have boded disaster for social service, health, eduction and cultural agencies here.
With their activities, Baltimore-area foundations have brought vigor and new ideas to this region - and for that they deserve our deepest gratitude and continuing support.
In the 1990s, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, now the 13th biggest foundation in the country by assets, moved to Baltimore; the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, founded in 1959, received $900 million upon the death of its founder, and is now the nation's 22nd largest; the Open Society Institute of New York, 13th largest nationally ranked by giving, opened an office here.
Also ranking among the largest here, according to the Maryland attorney general, are the Abell Foundation; the France-Merrick Foundation, and the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation.
Jankowski Associates in Frederick, which tracks foundations for grant-seeking clients, reports that Baltimore and the surrounding five counties in 1999 housed 567 private foundations, with total assets of about $8.1 billion and charitable contributions that year of $316 million. Growth was vigorous. Nearly one-third of the Maryland foundations tracked by the Jankowskis in 1999 had been created since 1996.
This and the great stock market gains of the 1990s have increased the role of foundations immeasurably in the Baltimore area. Increasingly, the answer to "Who's got the clout?" is the board activists and professionals - some well known and others little known - who lead or staff Baltimore-area foundations. Their talent, vision and commitment are helping to transform Greater Baltimore - mostly by helping to set its priorities.
Foundations can do many things. Their funds are a drop in the bucket compared to government's, but they can move faster, take bigger risks and wait longer to claim success, or even not bother.
In Baltimore, their priorities include support services for children of poverty, drug treatment slots that government does not provide, a role in the west-side development that private business normally fills and - soon to be more apparent - community support in East Baltimore.
