WOMEN NEGLECTED BY FOUNDATIONS

When the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy recently released a study on the Financ ing of women's programs by grant-makers, the results were startling. The report, sponsored by the Ford Foundation, Tound that of the more than $2 billion in private foundation grants in 1976, only six tenths of one percent went to women's programs. And while that figure represented a considerable im provement over previous years grants from private foundations to women's projects increased from $1,7 million in 1971 to some $12 million by 1976 it was roundly denounced by representatives of women's groups.

Terming the figures "shocking and outrageous,' Mary Jean Tully, co-chairperson of the committee, said, “There is simply no way to justify such a shods dy performance. We are talking about a minority group that is the largest in the nation, that is in fact a majority 53 percent of t} • population. We believe this failure to fund programs for women indicates a serious failure on the part of most foundations to live up to their obligations."

Tully called on women to put pressure on Congress, the only body that has any power over the taxexempt private foundations, to see that foundations are fulfilling their function as outlined in a 1965 Treasury Department report: "to initiate thought and action, experiment with new and untried ventures, dissent from prevailing attitudes and act quickly and flexibly." She also urged the selection of more women trustees for foundations, noting that “men trustees outnumber women six to one."

According to the report, over two-thirds of the foundations studied had never made any grant to a women's project. Moreover, the actual percentage of such contributions nationwide is probably even less than the study indicates.

Such findings are not unprecedented. Last year a Proup called Women and Foundations Corporate Philanthropy did a survey of six foundations whose derave primarily from the sale of cosmetics to Although they make their money off our ! one found eriam oflical put it, even the Jilat on for pro

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the way the system Junctions, women's programs are excluded. And then my guess would be that there is a sort of studied indifference as well, with cases where foundations were deliberately ignoring or discriminating against women's programs, either because they are too controversial or because the men didn't consider those programs important."

An increase in the currently small number of women trustees, board and staff members was a factor cited by many as crucial to the process of changing the attitudes of foundations in response to

women's programs Alter examumune those WOJCIE proprams which did receive prants, the Ford Founda tion study stated, “Avatalyst in many propraHIS WIS the presence of a woman in a position of power who helped mobilize the effort.”

Mastering the techniques of acquiring grants was another point mentioned. In response to this need, the Ms. Foundation for Women is establishing a Women's Funding Assistance Project this fall, to provide such guidance.

Many officials caution, however, that attitudes. will change less rapidly than logistical factors. "Whether you're talking about the foundation community, the business community, the university.com munity or any other community, I do think the old boy networks and a lack of sensitivity to the ine qualities women have suffered have characterized them all," said Harold Howe, a Lord Foundation vice president. "I think we have a job to do to change the atmosphere of all those institutions on this sub ject, ranging from the church on down. It's a process. that moves slowly, and I think it's got a long way to go."

Excerpted from -The New York Times July 23, 1979

Chicago Dinner Party Cancelled

By Linda Jane

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What's shaped like a triangle, measures 39 feet on each side, and should be sitting in a of course, somewhere? The answer, of is Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party, which closed in San Francisco on June 17 and now sits in storage anxiously awaiting a new invitation.

This massa e piece, designed by Judy Chicago and produced with the help of over 200 women and me Over a five year period, feature. 39 place setting around an open triangular table. Each plate setting represents the role of such mythical or historical jprates d Amazon, Sirsan B. Anthon, and I mul. elebratispy na! somcat combat emphasizes ar edlework md

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Project, centered on control of the piece. Gallery's contract stated that it wanted control over "all programming and publicity in the greater Rochester area". Chicago wanted joint control by herself, the Gallery, and Doubleday (which published the catalogue of the exhibit). She also felt it was essential that different women, especially feminists, be involved in the various activities around the ex habit The Gallery's response was to set up an ad visory committee representing the laire educational IE TRUPORE in Pochester No femust group w., ID becam they did not Jeg! J

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According to Susan Berresford, chairperson of the research commiftee Women for and founda tions/Corporate Philanthropy. "An amount of resistance springs from a tremendous fear of the ways changing sex roles will change how families and busines.es/operate." Leeda Martine, manager of national contributions for the Lest Strani, Foundation, added, "We're talking about a red: tribution of power."'

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Certamix no one can say the show hasn't been sic cessful both on an artistic and a financial level. The response in San Francisco during its 12 week showing was overwhelming. Over 90,000 came from all over the country, many waiting in line for over 4 hours. The museum took in over $58,000, which more than covered its costs (a rarity for a museum exhibition). After Seattle cancelled its invitation, San Francisco wanted to extend its show dates, but the space had already been committed to another exhibit.

Rochester's cancellation was particularly discouraging. The reasons stated by the Gallery were "conflicts of policy concerning programming and fund-raising by the artist and problems of financing the exhibition after cost estimates had increased dramatically over original estimates". The acting director of the Gallery, Bruce Chamber, admitted that the financial reasons were secondary. (Since negotiations beran over two years apo, Chicapo red the prix by $3,500 to cover an installatioJ upervisor and other amount to cover increased hipping.)

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The future of The Dinner Party is uncertam at thi time. There is a good possibility that the Brooklin Museum may take it, and groups in Cincinnati and Washington, D., are organizing to bring it to them cities. (Incidentally, the Cleveland Museum of Art has one of the best display areas for the piece in the country--and is also one of the most conservative museums, restricting itself almost entirely to "dead" art.) The Dinner Party Project is hopeful that something definite will be scheduled by the end of August.

In the meantime, a great tribute to our heritage sais gathering dusi.

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