Komen Foundation to continue funding some Planned Parenthood affiliates - for now

by Ben Johnson

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 2, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – Although the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation has decided to immediately end most of its funding for Planned Parenthood around the nation, three clinics will see their grants renewed for at least another year.

Ambassador Nancy Brinker, Susan Koman’s sister and the group’s founder, confirmed Thursday afternoon that the foundation will extend grants provided to three of the 19 Planned Parenthood affiliates currently receiving funding into the 2012-2013 year. This is in addition to five grants which have already been approved but not yet dispersed.

The Komen foundation’s Denver affiliate stated on its website that it the national organization granted a waiver to continue funding Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which operates facilities in Greeley, Aurora, and Fort Collins, because most of its clients are poor and uninsured.

Komen announced it would no longer fund the nation’s leading abortion provider earlier this week, based upon new guidelines not to fund organizations that are under investigation, as well as more rigorous standards to ensure grant effectiveness.

Brinker told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Thursday afternoon these grants may be extended in the coming years. “We have three grants that will go on this year, and they will probably be eligible for the next grant cycle,” Brinker said. “We have not said that we won’t accept grants that meet our criteria.”

Austin Ruse

Austin Ruse, president of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-Fam), told LifeSiteNews.com these three grants were made “on a hardship basis until they can be replaced. At this time next year, it will all be over.”

Ruse said it was unlikely the philanthropic foundation would renew its ties to the nation’s leading provider of abortions. While the current congressional investigation into Planned Parenthood temporarily limits funds, Ruse noted that Komen has also adopted new criteria focusing on organizations that “provide primary care of women or research.” Planned Parenthood is disqualified from funding under this new policy, since it does not directly provide such services but acts as a “pass-through” organization, referring women to other providers for mammograms.

However, Ruse added, there is another reason Komen may reassess its relationship with its former beneficiary. “Planned Parenthood’s vicious attacks against Susan G. Komen for the Cure has engendered a great deal of hurt and anger inside the organization,” he said. “Planned Parenthood is utilizing a scorched earth policy against Komen and burning all their bridges.”

“Nancy Brinker may be trying to make conciliatory gestures to her former friends, but she is discovering what we have known all along, that Planned Parenthood are dishonest thugs,” Ruse said.

Karen Malec, president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, told LifeSiteNews.com, “There’s a possibility that they may return to funding Planned Parenthood. I think that people really need to let Komen know where they stand on this, and that they support Komen’s decision to cut off all funding of Planned Parenthood, because there may be some testing of the waters going on right now.”