Walking Through the Web

“Historically, local corporations were the backbone of our annual walk,” AIDS Project Rhode Island Executive Director Chris Butler recalls. “With corporate downsizing and mergers, we were suddenly forced to depend on unaffiliated, individual fundraisers to raise more funds than ever before.”

AIDS Walk Rhode Island felt that pain most sharply while planning its June 2005 walk. Corporate sponsorships, matched gifts and walk teams from companies that previously had been responsible for 25 percent of walk funds no longer could be factored into the fundraising bottom line. For a walk netting approximately $100,000 annually, it was a significant loss.