Hospital foundation leaders are always searching for the most effective ways to improve healthcare fundraising results with limited staff, tighter oversight, and increasing pressure to demonstrate impact. Instead of reinventing the wheel, let’s borrow a few pages from the operational playbooks of the highest performing hospital foundations in the field. 

The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) defines a high-performing hospital foundation as being in the top 25% for net fundraising returns (revenue minus expenses) compared to peers in their specific category (such health systems, community hospitals, or academic medical centers), and which consistently deliver stronger net revenue, higher return on investment, and closer alignment with health system priorities. Notably, many of these leaders generate returns of $8 or more for every $1 invested.  

Below are five proven hospital fundraising strategies used by these AHP leaders to structure their work, allocate resources, and manage relationships for consistent, long-term results. 

1. Integrate Philanthropy into the Institutional Strategic Plan

High-performing hospital foundations work with executive leaders to embed philanthropy directly into the health system’s multi-year operating and capital plans, ultimately treating philanthropy goals with the same weight as clinical growth or operational objectives.

• Sharp HealthCare Foundation integrates philanthropy into the system’s multi-year operating, cash, and capital planning process. Philanthropic revenue is projected alongside other funding sources and intentionally allocated to priority initiatives. This approach positions philanthropy as a predictable and strategic contributor to the organization’s future.

2. Use Benchmarking Data to Drive Healthcare Fundraising Decisions

To sustain this strategic growth, high-performing hospital foundations use standardized metrics to advocate for resources and prove their value to the C-suite. The AHP Report on Giving provides annual healthcare fundraising data that allows hospital foundations to compare their performance against peer institutions on metrics like Cost to Raise a Dollar, Return on Investment, and Net Fundraising Revenue per FTE.

• LifeBridge Health Corporate Philanthropy uses this type of benchmarking to articulate the "business” of fundraising to hospital leadership. By showing how they are the most profitable unit in the health system—consistently returning 8x the investment—the foundation gains the credibility needed to advocate for further growth.

3. Prioritize "Advisor-Led" Major Gift Relationships

Beyond data, high performers focus on shifting fundraising for hospitals from a transactional activity into an ongoing, relationship-based, and transformational process. This “advisor-led” approach requires development professionals to act as trusted advisors who prioritize the donor's "True North"—their passions, values, and desired lasting impact—over organizational deadlines or immediate monetary concerns. 

• Cincinnati Children's uses digital tools to create personalized donor proposals that bring funding opportunities to life for each donor, enabling sophisticated engagement and customized, personalized proposals. While it’s not an AHP top-quartile foundation, the organization has been recognized for its use of advanced fundraising technology.

4. Build High-Trust Grateful Patient Programs

The most natural source for these major gifts is often within the hospital's own walls. Grateful patients account for approximately 88% of hospital donations and are the only donor group that consistently increases their giving over time, making them a cornerstone of effective fundraising for hospital foundations. High performers coordinate these programs through a partnership between development officers and physician champions.

• Baptist Health found that grateful patient gifts were significantly higher when a physician or C-suite leader participated in the cultivation process. The key is a "development-led" model where the doctor provides the medical context while the fundraiser manages the strategy.

5. Feed the Pipeline with Structured Mid-Level Programs

While major gifts are vital, foundations must also feed the pipeline with structured mid-level programs. "Missing Middle" donors who give between $1,000 and $10,000 account for 30% of individual giving revenue. High-performing hospital foundations recognize that these loyal supporters are the future of the major gift pipeline for healthcare fundraising.

• Intermountain Foundation uses donor journey data to identify signals that a mid-level donor is ready for a major gift conversation. By tracking engagement patterns rather than just gift size, they create a data-informed handoff process that prevents donors from falling through the cracks.

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How Almabase Powers High-Performing Foundations

Designed specifically for hospital foundations that use Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT® or Blackbaud CRM™, Almabase provides a HIPAA-compliant platform to manage events, engage grateful communities, and automate marketing—all while keeping your "source of truth" perfectly in sync.

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Effortless Event Execution & Marketing Automation

Almabase’s event management tools are built to capture engagement signals, reduce post-event cleanup, and move qualified donors into the pipeline faster.

• Streamlined Logistics: Manage ticketing, seating, and sponsorships within a single system that syncs directly to your CRM, eliminating spreadsheets and manual uploads.
• Multi-Channel Automation: Automatically pull segmented lists from your CRM to trigger personalized emails, texts, and video appeals based on attendee behavior.

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HIPAA-Compliant Data Integrity

Almabase supports HIPAA-aligned engagement workflows purpose-built for healthcare fundraising teams and integrates directly with Blackbaud systems.

• Built-in Consent: Collect and track consent, solicitation codes, and communication permissions at the point of engagement, reducing downstream compliance work.
• Zero-Manual Sync: With Almabase’s TrueSync technology, gifts, registrations, contact updates, and engagement activity flow bi-directionally between Almabase and Blackbaud systems in real time, keeping records clean, current, and free of duplicates without manual reconciliation.

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A Secure "Grateful Community"

Almabase enables foundations to support grateful patient engagement without exposing teams to compliance risk or fragmented workflows.

• Peer-to-Peer Empowerment: Allow patient families to request and promote memorials, recovery celebrations, or grassroots fundraisers through a controlled, approval-based workflow that ensures funds are directed correctly and new prospects are identified in real time.
• Pipeline Visibility: Get a clear view of your donor pipeline so you can send personalized appeals to those who are ready to become active supporters.

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Ready to see how your foundation can work smarter? Book a demo with the Almabase team today.

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About the author

Wendy Johnson brings over 20 years of expertise in content strategy and digital marketing to help healthcare foundations and mission-driven nonprofits connect deeply with their audiences. Her unique approach blends behavioral psychology, SEO, and strategic messaging to build high-impact campaigns that drive donor conversions and boost engagement. Having partnered with major organizations like Johns Hopkins Hospital and Geisinger Health Foundation to simplify complex issues and inspire action.

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