The Maine Philanthropy Center is an association of grant makers in Maine. The association offers a resource titled “Philanthropy in a Changing Environment” and recently held an event with breakout sessions outlining how nonprofits could work together and on how they can benefit from merging.

Pat James is the press officer of the Salvation Army’s Northern New England Division, which covers Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

The Rev. Larry Snyder is president of Catholic Charities USA, a nonprofit that benefits the poor. In September 2009, he told The New York Times that increasing numbers of the charity’s volunteers are becoming clients.

Gary Rosenblatt is editor and publisher of The (New York) Jewish Week. He and other reporters at the paper have written extensively about the effects of the recession and the Madoff scandal on Jewish philanthropies.

Mary Oates is a lecturer in economics at Regis College in Weston, Mass. She is an expert on Catholic philanthropy in America.

Stephen V. Monsma is a research fellow at the Paul Henry Institute at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., whose books include (as author) When Sacred & Secular Mix: Religious Nonprofit Organizations & Public Money and (as co-author) Faith, Hope and Jobs: Welfare to Work in Los Angeles.

Tami Heim is president and CEO of the Christian Leadership Alliance in San Clemente, Calif., which works with some 4,500 church and parachurch organizations worldwide. The CLA sponsored a study (see in background section) in April on the effects of the recession on Christian nonprofits.

Naomi Levine is executive director of New York University’s Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising and is an expert on Jewish philanthropy and nonprofits.

New York University’s Heyman Program for Philanthropy and Fundraising provides professional development training for nonprofit executives, employees and volunteers.