Signs of the Recession: Attendance Falls at Fund-Raisers Meeting

The number of fund raisers attending the annual meeting of the Association of Fundraising Professionals has dropped by about 20 percent from 2008 — a drop that organizers attribute to the recession.

Other signs of the pressure organizations face from the economy: Social-service groups outnumber those from other causes — a first for the annual meeting — and many more participants than ever are attending the meeting for the first time.