Political scandals don’t always mean a revenue boost for nonprofits, but in the case of Planned Parenthood, it’s been the one silver lining.
But while the decision early this year by Susan G. Komen for the Cureto suspend grant money to Planned Parenthood could have resulted in fewer breast cancer screenings at clinics that relied on the money, it didn’t.
Instead, Planned Parenthood announced Monday that donors angry about the decision have supplied the nonprofit with enough revenue to expand its breast cancer services.
“There were so many who wanted to contribute that we raised more money than we would have lost,” Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said during a telephone news conference.
Though the Komen foundation quickly reversed its decision, it continues to defend its reputation.
“The further away we get from the situation in January, the more they are coming back to us,” said Komen foundation spokeswoman Andrea Rader. “We reversed this decision, we have apologized for this and we have moved on.”
The foundation gave $680,000 in 2011 to 19 clinics and about $700,000 to 16 clinics in 2012, Rader said.
But prompted critics to accuse the Komen foundation of allowing abortion politics to influence its funding policies. Several of the organization’s leaders resigned in the aftermath. The controversy also resulted in fewer participants at the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, a walk in Chicago earlier this month.
When the controversy first made news, more than 77,000 people donated more than $3 million to Planned Parenthood within four days, according to the nonprofit.
Under the new initiative, Planned Parenthood Federation of America awarded $1 million to clinics across the country for diagnostic tests for low-income women, including a $25,000 grant to its Illinois affiliate.
The nonprofit has 17 health centers throughout the state, including seven in Chicago.
Planned Parenthood plans to launch a website or widget to teach younger women about breast health in time for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Additionally, it is preparing a new way to assess breast cancer risk in young women.
“This is a big day for Planned Parenthood,” Richards said. “We know these kind of early exams help save lives.
nnix@tribune.com
Twitter @nsnix87
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