Interview with William C. McGinly, president and CEO at the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (Falls Church, Va.)
How would you assess the state of healthcare philanthropy in 2009?
At the moment, we only have definitive data for 2008. One of the things we saw clearly at the end of 2008, however, was a real dip in philanthropy the last quarter driven by the economy.
Throughout 2009 we’ll likely see a pretty significant drop in all healthcare giving. Last year we saw an increasing reliance by hospitals on major gifts. There are fewer of these gifts available, however, and those hospitals that work on maintaining relationships with major givers will come out of this downturn stronger than those who do not.
We also discovered during the downturn that philanthropy is not simply regional, it’s all very local. There are communities around the country where the hospital has been very successful. But in local areas where the economy has not held up very well, you seeing giving drop off.
What is the 2010 outlook for healthcare philanthropy?
People are making smaller gifts and extending pledges over longer periods of time, because they are uncertain about the short-term. The organizations that do better in the down economy are those that gain wider support within the community. They do not ignore any segment of the community in their appeals.
If the stock market sustains its gains, and unemployment starts to come down, we’re going to find more confidence among donors. Healthcare giving should be stronger in the second half of the year.
What suggestions do you have for healthcare fundraisers?
We have to be cautiously optimistic, nurture that optimism and communicate it more consistently. We have to keep donors engaged. We need to focus on what we’re doing with the dollars that we raise, and on what the return on investment will be.