According to Giving USA, philanthropic contributions to the overall health sector increased by almost 50% between 2012 and 2017. During that same period, contributions to hospitals and health systems—a component of that sector—grew by only 17%. The implication is alarming. While U.S. donors are increasingly interested in health-related causes, that interest is not benefiting hospitals and health systems.

This report sheds light on these macro-level forces and their impact on a hospital’s overall case for support, before proffering a new narrative tool—the “impact advantage”—for philanthropy leaders to reposition their organization as the health charity of choice in their marketplace.

This report includes two main sections, summarized below:

Section 1: Confronting a shift in the philanthropy marketplace

Review the evidence and causes behind a shift in donor attention away from hospitals and toward other health-related organizations. Jump to page 4.

Explore the ways hospitals are using their incumbent advantages—size, financial strength, and business incentives—to develop a more compelling value proposition for health-focused donors. Jump to page 7.

Section 2: Crafting your own impact advantage

Use the embedded instructions and worksheets to develop, pressure test, and roll out your own "impact advantage." Jump to page 12.