Insiders’ Insights

Show Me the Money

For years, philanthropic giving was the way healthcare providers helped raise money for capital improvements. But an uncertain economy, increasing medical costs, and skepticism about the effect of donations has made donor funds an uncertainty. So how can healthcare providers get the most out of their philanthropic efforts?

Francine Machisko
Senior Principal
Noblis Center for Health Innovation
Norcross, GA

Organizations must invest in their fundraising efforts to achieve a return. This means hiring the right people, equipping them with the right technology, and spending the right amount on promotion and other marketing activities. In addition, improving the strategic planning process, increasing the involvement of senior leadership, creating campaigns that are meaningful for donors, increasing planned giving options, and improving donor targeting efforts all enhance the organization's ability to raise funds. The healthcare organization has to be viewed as a good citizen in the community, as well. Organizations that provide excellent quality of care and are community-centered stand to be more successful. Fundraising is about relationships—organizations that have favorable relationships with their communities will fair far better than those that do not.

William McGinly
CEO
Association for Healthcare Philanthropy
Falls Church, VA

Healthcare providers need to become known in the community as a resource for healthcare. The public's perceptions about hospitals are really quite convoluted—they don't think hospitals need money, they see them as big employers. What hospitals need to do is get out there and offer things that let people know what their services are. They can host seminars relative to cardiac care or whatever services they are providing to get people to see firsthand that the hospital is a resource and important part of the community. Once you get people to understand more of what the hospital is about, they are more likely to volunteer and are more likely to get involved in fundraising activities such as serving on committees. Hospitals, especially tax-exempt ones, are structured in a way that they need that support and involvement from the community.

—Ben Cole