Aid Agencies Slash Budgets, Cut Jobs

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. John Donne to speak to us all about the global financial crisis - send not to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for aid agencies everywhere.

(Thanks, thanks - I'll be here all week.)

Anyhows, the bastardization of early English poetry aside, yet another week of depressing disclosures about aid agency budget cuts and layoffs:

- CARE - CARE USA is reducing pay for all US staff - everyone is losing the equivalent of one week's salary, with the reductions spread over the balance of the year.  (To compensate, the organization is providing additional paid days-off this year and next.)

- Catholic Relief Services - The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that CRS cut its international work force by about 8%, and that total private giving has declined by over 13%.  According to IRIN, however, CRS has not laid off international staff, but has cut "several hundred" national staff.  IRIN also reports that CRS has cut international salaries on a sliding scale from 1.5 to 10%.

- International Rescue Committee - The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that IRC expects its private donations to fall by 10%.  According to IRIN, IRC has instituted a hiring freeze, only filling critical positions.

- Mercy Corps - The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that unrestricted support has fallen by 8%.

- Oxfam - The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that Oxfam America has eliminated 9% of its jobs - the organization expects its unrestricted support to fall by 7 - 12% this year.  According to IRIN, Oxfam GB is cutting 50 posts in its 2009-2010 budget.

- Save the Children - Save the Children US has instituted a hiring freeze and deferred salary increases, as well as cut travel.

- World Vision - According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, World Vision expects its support from private donors to remain steady.

For more in-depth information, please see these articles from the Chronicle of Philanthropy and from IRIN.

[Photo from narcist11.wordpress.com]