The Chronicle of Philanthropy carried an article on the Beldon Fund – which had the great idea to create a foundation with the purpose of spending $100 Million in 10 years instead of growing an endowment.

This is at a time when other foundations are, almost without exception, choosing to protect their diminished endowment rather than spend it down a bit in the current crisis. Hundreds of thousands of nonprofits are in dire straits (a recent United Way of the Bay Area survey revealed that a third of respondents were unsure they would make it to the end of 2009), and the communities that depend on them are left with both fewer tax-supported services and less private charity.

Yet some foundations are more interested in preserving themselves at a reduced endowment level of say $50M instead of keeping their spending levels up through the crisis and emerging with, say, $45M. Priorities?

What are your thoughts on the Beldon Fund? Post a comment about what you think should be most important to foundations during an economic downturn.

The White House recently called for Americans to donate relief aid to Pakistan by text message. I doubt this is a first for the Obama White House, but it sure makes sense. Americans are generous to a fault, and these days, they seem to be texting like it is going out of style. So why not combine the two?

Has your organization incorporated cell phone texting as a fundraising medium? Let us know and we might feature your campaign in our latest research initiative, Nonprofit Next.