An article published yesterday in Education Week notes that the recession is taking a toll on education philanthropy.  According to Dini Partners, two-thirds of big donors say they will scale back their contributions this year.  Besides the Gates Foundation (which plans to increase its grantmaking by 10 percent) most education grantmakers expect decreased budgets this year.  The organizations that may be affected the most are the “next generation of entrepreneurial ventures in education,” organizations that are forward-thinking and creative.  If this prediction is true, the recession will stall the progress of much needed innovative solutions to our education problem.