Giving to Hospitals and Other Health Institutions Grew 2.9% in 2017, Report Says

Title: AHP 2018 Report on Giving Survey, USA

Organization: Association for Healthcare Philanthropy

Summary: Nonprofit hospitals and other health-care organizations raised $10.4 billion in 2017, a 2.9 percent jump over 2016, according to a new report. The growth was likely driven in part by last year’s strong stock market and an increase in disposable income.

The study is based on a survey of 210 nonprofit hospitals and other health organizations, such as hospice-care facilities, conducted by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy.

After expenses, nonprofit hospitals and other organizations raised a median $3.9 million in 2017, higher than the median $3.7 million raised in 2016.

Donations from corporations and foundations accounted for an average of 26 percent of organizations’ private support, while big gifts from individuals made up about a quarter of fundraising revenue on average. Special events brought in 15.5 percent of private support for organizations on average, small donations made up 13.4 percent, and planned giving accounted for 11 percent. Other types of fundraising and government grants made up the rest.

Among the findings:

• Hospitals and other health-care organizations with seven or more fundraisers collected a median of $14.6 million after expenses, while those with four to six fundraisers brought in a median of $2.8 million, and those with two or three, $1.1 million after expenses.
• Sums raised were much bigger for organizations that spent more on fundraising. Those that spent more than $2 million in development expenses brought in a median $16.4 million after expenses, while those that spent $750,001 to $2 million received a median of almost $3 million. Those that spent $250,001 to $750,000 brought in a median of $711,046 after expenses.
• Nearly 42 percent of hospitals and other health-care organizations said they had more than 5,000 donors, 13.7 percent had 3,001 to 5,000 donors, and 23 percent said they had 1,001 to 3,000 supporters. More than 20 percent said they had fewer than 1,000 contributors.