For Immediate
Release
Jan. 11, 2007
WHITMAN-WALKER CLINIC ELECTS TO DISCONTINUE RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIONAL AIDS MARATHON TRAINING PROGRAM
Clinic To Focus on Community-Based Events, Lower Cost of Fund Raising in 2007
WASHINGTON - Whitman-Walker Clinic has elected not to sign a new contract in 2007 with Walk-the-Talk Productions, the company that operates the National AIDS Marathon Training Program, the Clinic’s chief executive announced today.
“Our fund-raising approach for 2007 is to offer community events that directly promote Whitman-Walker Clinic and, more important, the needs of the clients we serve,” said Whitman-Walker CEO Donald Blanchon. “Whitman-Walker Clinic made this difficult yet prudent decision after careful deliberations. We recognize that runners and supporters may be disappointed by this decision but, in the final analysis, Walk-the-Talk Productions could not accommodate our fund-raising objectives in 2007.”
Walk-the-Talk Productions is a for-profit, privately held corporation that specializes in producing various AIDS fund-raising efforts across the nation. In recent years, Walk-the-Talk Productions selected marathons in major destinations such as Honolulu, Florence, Italy, and Dublin, Ireland, for which to train runners.
Whitman-Walker Clinic’s decision to end this contractual relationship reflects the following important strategic considerations regarding its overall 2007 fund-raising objectives:
- To restore credibility and integrity with Clinic donors by maximizing the amount of fund-raising dollars that directly support health and health-related services for clients;
- To expand Whitman-Walker Clinic’s financial investment in specific local community events (such as AIDS Walk Washington, which the Clinic itself produces);
- To raise its community profile by supporting events that directly brand and promote Whitman-Walker Clinic; and
- To reduce or end Whitman-Walker Clinic’s participation in any event that has a disproportionately high administrative cost-to-fund-raising ratio (i.e., 50 percent or greater).
Blanchon outlined the ways in which the Clinic believes the National AIDS Marathon Training Program failed to meet Whitman-Walker Clinic’s 2007 fund-raising objectives:
- The program has an extremely high administrative cost-to-fund-raising ratio. This ratio, which has been increasing over the nine years of Whitman-Walker’s involvement, is well beyond an acceptable level, according to guidelines set by industry authorities, such as the United Way.
- The program does not actively contribute to raising Whitman-Walker Clinic’s community profile in the greater Washington area.
- The program offers very limited direct branding benefit for Whitman-Walker Clinic. For example, at last year’s Marine Corps Marathon, some participants did not know that they were actually running to support Whitman-Walker Clinic.
- Walk-the-Talk Productions has fallen short of its fund-raising projections in recent years, yet its expenses as a percentage of funds raised have continued to increase.
In August 2006, Whitman-Walker Clinic leadership met with Walk-the-Talk Productions to review that year’s contract and options for improving contract results. In October, Whitman-Walker Clinic leadership met again with Walk-the-Talk Production to begin 2007 contract negotiations and discuss Clinic proposals including:
- Initiatives to increase overall program participation;
- Initiatives to lower Walk-the-Talk Production’s administrative expenses; and
- Initiatives to provide Whitman-Walker Clinic with financial relief/protection in the event that actual fund-raising does not meet contract projections.
In October 2006, Walk-the-Talk Productions submitted a draft 2007 contract that included the dates and choices of marathons, a proposed budget, and a nominal reduction in the administrative fees paid directly to Walk-the-Talk Productions. Walk-the-Talk Productions declined to address any of Whitman-Walker Clinic’s major contract concerns for 2007.
In November 2006, Whitman-Walker Clinic leadership notified Walk-the-Talk Productions that the Clinic would not be participating in the 2007 program.
“Whitman-Walker Clinic greatly appreciates the contributions of Walk-the-Talk Productions and marathon participants and supporters in the fight against AIDS,” Blanchon said. “We respectfully ask that marathon participants continue supporting Whitman-Walker Clinic’s HIV/AIDS care programs.”
Established in 1973, Whitman-Walker Clinic is a non-profit, community-based provider of health care and social services in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Through three sites, in the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia, the clinic offers primary medical and dental care; mental health and addictions counseling and treatment; HIV care, education, prevention and testing; legal services; case management; and a food bank. Whitman-Walker Clinic is committed to meeting the life needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community and people living with HIV/AIDS.
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