The recession appears to be cutting significantly into giving at the peak of the fund-raising pyramid.

Only two individuals have announced gifts of $100-million or more in 2009, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s database of America’s top donors.

Both of those contributions — William P. Clements Jr.‘s gift to the Southwestern Medical Foundation in Dallas and J. Ronald Terwilliger’s donation to Habitat for Humanity International in Americus, Ga. — were for $100-million.

By comparison, The Chronicle documented 21 gifts of $100-million or more in 2008. And 10 of those gifts exceeded $200-million.

The largest was the late Leona M. Helmsley’s controversial $5.2-billion bequest.

While it is likely that some other megagifts will be announced before the calendar hits December 31, it now appears unlikely that 2009 will produce nearly as many contributions of $100-million as were made in 2008.