Mixed news for pubcasters in Philanthropy 400

The Philanthropy 400, an annual donation overview of the 400 largest nonprofits, is out today (Oct. 18) from the Chronicle of Philanthropy. In general, bad news. Fiscal 2009 donations to those organizations dropped 11 percent from FY08. The 400 raised $68.6 billion in 2009; that drop was almost four times the 2.8 percent decrease in 2001, "when charities also struggled to raise money from recession-battered donors," the report says. The rankings are listed by amount of private support. No. 1 is United Way Worldwide, with $3.8 billion; No. 400 is Voice of the Martyrs in Bartlesville, Okla., with $41.3 million.

Eight pubcasters are in the 400. Best number: WETA, up 15 percent. Worst number: American Public Media, down 17 percent.

Details:

— PBS is No. 53 with private support of $276.9 million in FY09, down 7.7 percent. It spends 0.1 percent of its private support on fundraising.

— WGBH Educational Foundation, Boston, is No. 73 with private support of $231.4 million in FY08; no data for the previous year comparison. It spends 9.4 percent of its private support on fundraising.

— WNET.org, New York, is No. 182 with private support of $105.7 million in FY09, down 5.6 percent. It spends 21.1 percent of its private support on fundraising.

— WETA/Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association, Arlington, Va., is No. 232 with private support of $83.3 million in FY09, up 15 percent. It spends 12.5 percent of its private support on fundraising.

— NPR, Washington, is No. 285 with private support of $64.7 million in FY09, down 9.2 percent. No data on fundraising percentage.

— KCET/Community Television of Southern California, Los Angeles, is No. 337 with private support of $52.4 million in FY09, up 9.6 percent. It spends 16.8 percent of its private support on fundraising.

— Northern California Public Broadcasting, San Francisco, is No. 357 with private support of $49.6 million in FY09, down 7.4 percent. It spends 27.4 percent of its private support on fundraising.

— Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media, St. Paul, is No. 377 with private support of $45.5 million in FY09, down 17.0 percent. It spends 18.3 percent of its private support on fundraising.