Some 150 of the 250 companies surveyed failed to respond to written requests for 1996 data. Seventy companies declined to participate, and many others failed to return messages. Only 57 companies voluntarily provided information for the study, and only 30 fully provided the comprehensive data researchers requested, the study said. With an expanding economy and more money around than ever before, charitable giving is reaching unprecedented levels and philanthropy is a growth industry as America enters the 21st century. The fact that so many companies conceal these gifts calls their stewardship into question.
Large corporations are increasingly reluctant to publicize the details of their giving.
When the CRC conducted an informal study of the web sites of over 200 leading companies, it found that less than half posted any contributions data on the Internet. Only a fraction posted itemized lists of grantee organizations, and still fewer posted the dollar amounts of individual grants.