The New York Times - November 3, 1985
Kathleen Teltsch

This view emerged at a conference in Manhattan last week on "The AIDS Crisis: Challenges to Grantmakers," which was attended by 80 representatives of foundations and corporations.

Only 18 grants for AIDS assistance -most of them modest - have been given by foundations and corporate contributors since 1983, according to data from the Foundation Center circulated at the meeting. However, heightened interest in responding to AIDS victims was reflected by the participants' decision to form a strategy group to look into the problem and to encourage financing for AIDS research.

Until now, fund-raising efforts by the AIDS Medical Foundation of New York have produced disappointing results, said Dr. Mathilde Krim, a research biologist who is the organization's president.

'A Number Seem to Be Listening'

"When we approach large foundations or corporate donors with requests for money, we're told 'no' and given a variety of reasons," she said. "Sometimes foundations reply they do not fund research, they are not disease-oriented or say AIDS is a local concern. I think they feel the whole subject is unsavory. But now a number seem to be listening."

AIDS, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, destroys the body's immune system and is usually fatal, The conference was sponsored by the New York Regional Association of Grantmakers, whose membership includes leading philanthropic institutions, and Grantmakers in Health, a network of foundations and corporations. The meeting was held Wednesday at 622 Third Avenue at the offices of Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

Richard Dunne, executive director of the Gay Men's Health Crisis, an organization that said it had helped 2,000 AIDS victims and their families on a budget of $1 million, deplored what he said was inadequate philanthropic support.

Few Grants Requested

The organization has a staff of 35 and 800 volunteers. It receives funds from individuals and from fund-raising events run by celebrities. Mr.Dunne advocated an education program to dispel misconceptions about AIDS, to provide increased legal protection for victims of the disease who are experiencing discrimination and to improve hospital care.

Another panelist, Dr. Michael Lange, assistant chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, said he was receiving Federal research grants from the National Institutes of Health but that the money was "given in dribs and drabs."

Panelists said the paucity of organizations responding to the needs has been a major obstacle. The AIDS Resource Center at 152 Eighth Avenue was cited as the only organization working on housing and providing spiritual care to patients and those close to them.

Gesturing toward the panel, Mr. Dunne remarked at one point, "You're looking at the entire AIDS team in New York City, there isn't anyone else."

In turn, the audience of grantmakers said only six had received formal applications, suggesting few groups helping patients were professionally organized or authorized to receive tax-exempt gifts.

A Hospice for AIDS Victims

Panelists gave conference members a gloomy forecast of increasing cases of the disease and overburdened medical facilities.

"We are facing people clamoring for treatment, people worried about infecting families and we have no facilities where they can turn for answers," Dr. Krim said. Other panelists maintained that San Francisco was providing more adequately for AIDS outpatients than New York, which they complained also lacked nursing homes for long-term care.

Among local foundations, the most support has come from the Health Services Improvement Fund, established by Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Grants totaling $210,000 have gone, in part, to study the costs of treating patients in five hospitals in the New York area.

Other major grants were made by the New York Community Trust, one of the first philanthropies to respond to the AIDS crisis. Joyce Bove, senior program officer, said $200,000 in grants were made, mainly for research, but also to help AIDS victims and their families.

The van Amergingen Foundation of New York, a family philanthropy active in the mental health field, provided $100,000 in May to support a hospice for AIDS patients at St. Vincent's Hospital.

Resistance on Park Avenue

The Louis Calder Foundation of New York provided $75,000 to the New York Blood Center for research on a diagnostic test for AIDS, and the Charles A. Dana Foundation of New York gave $20,000 to the Hastings Center for a project on the ethical issues raised by AIDS research.

Dr. Krim, who has been engaged in research on AIDS for four years, also provided $100,000 for research through the Mathilde and Arthur Krim Foundation.

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