Is your job at risk in 2008?

I've already told readers that I think a recession is coming in 2008... if it's not already here. I see scary signs that our economy is in serious trouble... and as the economy slows, fundraising will be affected.

But what about fundraising jobs? Is your job as a nonprofit fundraiser, consultant, or vendor serving the nonprofit sector in jeopardy?

Peter Panepento at the Chronicle of Philanthropy moderated an online discussion today with Alan J. Abramson is director of the Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program at the Aspen Institute and Patrick Rooney is director of research at Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy, where he manages the research and writing for Giving USA.

One participant asked what changes in the economy will mean for fundraising sector jobs in 2008 and Rooney had some dire predictions:

...charities face a tough situation in times of fiscal distress: one the one hand they need to reduce costs and for most charities, compensation is 3/4 or more of their costs, so RIF are seen as a necessary solution sometimes.

For those of you that don't know, RIF stands for "reduction in force" and refers to different kinds of layoffs.

Rooney then went on to say:

...we know from our prior research that recessions have a deletarious impact on giving for all subsectors (except religion, which grows throughout all stages of the business cycle--although more slowly than most subsectors in good time and in bad). Human service org's are especially hard hit as they experience an increase in demand for their services at the same time they typically see a decline in their charitable gift receipts.

I'm afraid we are already there.