Charities that benefit from the largess of Wall Street, law firms and corporations in New York have begun defensive planning for the end of this social season and next year.

Many fortunes have been wiped out at Bear Stearns, and the rest of the financial world is bracing for more bad news and layoffs, a harbinger of tougher times for fund-raising.

Having come off a stellar year for donations, the charities seem to have adopted a mood more cautionary than dire. But they are looking at ways to put pressure on longtime donors and reach out to new ones even as they brace for fewer contributions directly from corporations.

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