Hospitals

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Health is a priority of many donors, and hospitals receive a lot of philanthropic support compared to other sectors. Major donors name hospital wings or centers dedicated to particular aspects of health. Foundations back research at academic medical centers. But not all hospitals are equally well resourced by philanthropy. Children’s hospitals and academic medical centers tend to receive a lot more philanthropic support than community hospitals do, according to the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy. These community hospitals, almost three-fifths of which are nonprofits and many of which struggle to provide adequate care to vulnerable populations, could use more support from donors motivated by equity concerns. Most typically, though, donors choose to support hospitals because of a strong connection to a particular institution or community. This brief offers advice about how donors can support hospitals. It highlights leading philanthropic strategies and offers guidance for donors new to this space.  

Strategies for Impact

Below, we discuss five areas where donors interested in giving to hospitals might focus their funding and spotlight several organizations in each that represent the kind of nonprofits that donors might consider supporting.   

  • Give to a hospital that has impacted you or someone you care about. Many funders of hospitals give to organizations that made a big impact on their life or the health of a loved one. So-called “grateful patient programs” make up a good share of philanthropic support for hospitals. If there is a hospital that has made a difference for you or someone you care about, consider contributing to thank them and pay it forward. 

  • Support a hospital in your community. Even if you have not been personally impacted by your local hospital, it is an important community resource. Giving locally has advantages — you are supporting your community broadly, and you also have the opportunity to form an ongoing relationship with a community institution. Individual major gifts and planned gifts are the largest sources of private funding for community hospitals, while academic medical centers tend to receive a larger share of private support from foundation grants, according to the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy.   

  • Support healthcare access and health equity. Access to healthcare and health equity are top concerns of many health funders. Individual donors can give to increase healthcare access and health equity in many ways, including giving to hospitals in under-resourced communities. Rural communities, low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately affected by hospital closures or lack of nearby hospitals. Donors can also support initiatives to address health disparities at a given hospital. 

  • Back the healthcare workforce. The pandemic put enormous strain on already overburdened doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. High rates of burnout have led many to leave the profession, and the U.S. is now facing a healthcare workforce shortage that threatens the entire healthcare system. Donors can support initiatives to educate and train new healthcare providers, including initiatives to diversify the hospital workforce. ElevateMeD provides financial assistance to medical students from communities traditionally underrepresented in medical professions. The California Nurses Foundation supports nurses and other healthcare workers.  

Insights and Advice 

In considering which impact strategies to support, donors should take into account their personal interests and outlook to find the best fit. They should also watch for emerging opportunities to give to hospitals with maximum impact. Here, we offer a few insights and suggestions:

  • Don’t go it alone. Philanthropy-serving organizations can do a huge amount of the leg work of identifying opportunities in the field, and getting involved with one of these groups is a great way for donors to save time and give more effectively. Notable groups include Grantmakers in Health and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy. 

  • Give for the long term. If you are giving to a hospital that made a profound impact on your life or the life of someone you care about, consider how you might support that institution over the long term to provide care for others who similarly need it. Some options include a multi-year pledge, an endowment gift, or including a planned gift for the hospital in your estate plans. 

For Donors Getting Started

Donors who are new to this space should take the time to learn about the overall landscape of health-related philanthropy. A good place to start is by reading IP’s State of American Philanthropy briefs on Giving for Cancer Research and Giving for Public Health. In addition, peruse recent articles that IP has published about philanthropy for hospitals. Some of the philanthropy-serving organizations mentioned above also offer reports and articles to help donors understand the giving terrain, such as Grantmakers in Health and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy.

To identify and learn more about hospitals and healthcare groups, including in your community, Charity Navigator is a reputable place to search for worthy organizations around the country.

But the best way to get started giving for hospitals is to make some initial gifts, get to know the work of the groups you’re supporting, and connect early with a funding intermediary that can help you learn more about this giving area and increase your giving in a thoughtful way.

Have suggestions for improving this brief? Please email us at editor@insidephilanthropy.com.