Shortfall Expected in United Way Drive : Charity: Officials say grants to local agencies probably won’t be cut and that fund-raising effort pleases group’s directors.

With their annual fund-raising drive scheduled to end Thursday, United Way officials say that this year’s campaign will probably fall short of its $5.3-million goal.

About $4.9 million in donations and pledges--nearly 8% less than the target--has been received so far, interim campaign Chairman David Harris said Tuesday.

Harris is projecting that the drive will end up with $5.1 million as money continues to trickle in during the next several weeks. He said the charity’s directors are satisfied with this year’s campaign even though they have not reached their goal.

“Certainly the economy has taken its toll, but we are pleased with how supportive this community has been,” Harris said. “We raised $5 million to benefit local agencies and that’s a lot of money.”

Despite the $200,000 shortfall, Harris said, the United Way probably will not cut grants to its 62 member agencies this year.

The largest decline in giving occurred in the campaign’s federal division, which includes donations from employees of post offices and other federal government sites. Some of those contributions are earmarked by employees for charities outside the county, so the loss of those dollars is not as crucial to Ventura County agencies, Harris said.

“Not all of that money is earmarked for local charities, so that $200,000 loss is not felt by our communities,” he said.

The board of directors will make allocations for the 1994-95 fiscal year next month, he said. The 62 nonprofit agencies provide food, shelter, housing, medicine and education to county residents.

Ruthanne Begun, director of the Conejo Youth Employment Service in Thousand Oaks, said she is anxiously waiting to see how the United Way board distributes the money.

“The need is up and the dollars are down,” Begun said. “We really count on that United Way money.”

The Thousand Oaks charity offers job-search help, training and placement for youths ages 13 to 25. It relies on the United Way for 15% of its $90,000 annual budget, Begun said.

“We really would like it to be a bigger percentage,” she said. “But even if they don’t quite make their goal, I still think they have had a successful year, considering the economy.”

Campaign leaders said Ventura County’s sluggish economy, which prompted some county businesses to trim their work forces, shut down or move elsewhere, is a key reason for this year’s fund-raising decline. It is the second time in three years that campaign receipts have fallen short of expectations.

Contributions fell $500,000 short of a $5.8-million target in 1991-92. Last year, the United Way lowered its expectations and then exceeded its $5.1-million goal by $200,000. The 1993-94 target of $5.3 million was based in part on last year’s giving, Harris said.

Harris said he is optimistic that giving will bounce back in next year’s drive as the economy improves. United Way officials will continue their strategy of raising dollars in individual communities rather than focusing on a countywide goal.

Moorpark had the most successful campaign this year, exceeding its goal of $50,000 by nearly 30%. Teachers and other employees of Moorpark College pledged over $9,000, the largest contribution for that area, United Way officials said.

Giving increased on campus as more people became aware of the effects of a prolonged recession and high unemployment, said Jim Niles, campaign coordinator for the college.

“The longer this economic slump lasts, the more we all know someone who has been laid off,” Niles said. “It’s raised our level of consciousness on how bad unemployment is and how real the needs are.”

FYI

Donations to the campaign may be sent to the United Way of Ventura County, 1339 Del Norte Road, Camarillo 93010. Donations are accepted year-round.

United Way Campaign Percent of county goals reached to date. The campaign ends Thursday. Camarillo: 111% Goals: $354,800 Conejo Valley: 107% Goals: 887,123 Moorpark: 129% Goals: 50,000 Ojai: 108% Goals: 35,000 Oxnard: 99% Goals: 434,250 Santa Paula / Fillmore: 93% Goals: 51,971 Simi Valley: 108% Goals: 261,500 Ventura: 88% Goals: 520,340 Other*: 84% Goals: 2,755,016 * Includes donations from utilities, government agencies and individuals.