Healthcare Operations: Donor Relations and Stewardship, Term Paper Example

Introduction

The development of a successful level of operations for donor relations and stewardship within healthcare organizations requires the development of new approaches and strategies to improve donor visibility and consistent donor support. Healthcare organizations rely on corporate and foundation relations more than ever before due to the challenges of the modern economy and the continuous changes in healthcare reform and regulation that drive the industry in different ways. It is important to recognize these challenges and to focus on how donor relations and stewardship drive modern healthcare systems in achieving their goals and objectives and in developing new approaches to obtaining the funds that are necessary to sustain operations in a successful manner. It is important to recognize the value and commitment of corporate and foundation donors in achieving the required level of support for healthcare practice and the continued development of programmatic efforts to support a higher level quality of care and treatment for all patients. The following discussion will address these objectives in greater detail and will emphasize the importance of creating a vast donor profile to sustain operations and maintain interest in current and future projects.

Body

Modern trends in healthcare practice demonstrate that it is important to identify and secure the services of many corporate, foundation, and individual donors to achieve desired results across different areas of operations. It is important to recognize these challenges and to address some of the most important issues that these departments face in their efforts to attract donations. The key personnel in a department of this nature include a Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship who is experienced in reaching out to donors and developing portfolios to attract donors to provide funding for various projects and for operational objectives, in addition to support staff members and development officers, all of whom research possible donors and direct their attention to donors who might suit the needs of one or more programs at the organization. It is important to enable this type of department to achieve its objectives through active use of networking channels and other key contacts and resources in an effort to produce effective outcomes for the organization as a whole. The primary objective of this department is to recognize potential donors and to work in conjunction with those donors to support and sustain healthcare operations in an effective manner. Typically, this type of department works in conjunction with finance and its subdivisions, such as accounts payable, as well as executive leadership in an effort to secure donors and retain their loyalty in different ways to promote project development and sustainability.

The development of a successful approach to donor relations requires healthcare organizations to evaluate current trends and to take the steps that are necessary to incorporate those trends into their routine practice methods in different ways. This is best accomplished through the use of different tools that are used to attract and retain corporate donors for repeat donations. However, healthcare organizations must also be prepared to sustain donor relations programs in a successful manner over long periods of time and to accomplish these tasks, they must consider how their current operations perform and where changes might be required to sustain growth (Diemer and Garrett, 2011). One of the first steps is to identify the areas of need and to recognize where programs fall flat in order to refocus attention onto other areas, as this will promote greater visibility and strengthening the courtship between the organization and its donors (Diemer and Garrett, 2011).

There are a number of areas to consider with respect to donor stewardship and relations in order to achieve the desired outcomes. These departments are most successful when they demonstrate a commitment to the utilization of technology and other related resources to accomplish their objectives in performing outreach with current and prospective donors (Porter and McKinney, 2011). Under these conditions, it is expected that there will be significant approaches in place to support the acquisition of long-term donors seeking to support the organization based upon its merits and strengths (Porter and McKinney, 2011). Another key area is impact reporting, whereby these departments demonstrate to their donors and to executive leaders that the funds donated by donors are being put to good use for a variety of purposes (Porter and McKinney, 2011). This is a critical aspect in achieving donor visibility and loyalty over the long term and in acquiring new donors in the future (Porter and McKinney, 2011).

The development of stewardship activities is also necessary in order to achieve the desired results for healthcare organizations. By using a combination of methods to attract donors, it is likely that an organization will garner not only one-time larger gifts which typically target specific programs, but also annual giving donors who pledge funds through an annual giving program (Waters, 2009). These efforts require the dedication and commitment of the donor relations staff at the organization in order to obtain sufficient funding not only for specific programs, but also to sustain operations over the long term (Waters, 2009). Each of these elements is critical in supporting successful donor relationships across different groups and in developing the appropriate tools in-house to support these objectives (Waters, 2009). The efforts made by this department will provide positive benefits for the organization over the long term and will demonstrate the impact of different programmatic efforts in supporting donor development and stewardship activities (Waters, 2009).

Finally, corporate and donor relationships must demonstrate that the healthcare organization is committed to supporting the programs associated with specific donations, as well as the development of other efforts to obtain and sustain donor relationships over the long term. This is an important and meaningful tool that should be used to attract donors in different areas to support organization-wide objectives. At the same time, these departments must be mindful of the necessity to be clear regarding these objectives and to recognize that programs involving research may benefit the most from corporate and foundation donors (Jones and Rahman, 2009). With the continued decline in federal and state research funding, it is inevitable that many organizations will look to other resources to secure funding for research-based programs; however, this must be achieved by demonstrating that an organization is worthy of this effort and that they will succeed in conducting the funded research in an effective manner (Jones and Rahman, 2009).

Conclusion

The development of a successful corporate and foundation relations and stewardship program at a healthcare organization requires a group of experienced employees to perform outreach to corporations and foundations and to secure large and smaller donations for a variety of projects and operations. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize trends and to take responsibility in developing successful relationships with all donors. This will ensure that the organization will benefit from the opportunities that are available within these frameworks and to demonstrate the impact of these relationships on supporting effective outcomes for all donors and for the organization as a whole through a collaborative understanding of the needs of the organization and the direction that it will take with the funds that are provided.

References

Diemer, K., and Garrett, C. (2011). Assessing the health of your donor relations program. 8^th Annual ADRP International Conference, retrieved from http://adrpconference2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/3b_assessinghealthofdonorrelations.pdf

Jones, E., and Rahman, S. (2009). The Maudsley Hospital and the Rockefeller Foundation: the impact of philanthropy on research and training. Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, 64(3), 273-299.

Porter, J., and McKinney, N.L. (2011). Trends in donor relations and stewardship. Association of Donor Relations Professionals, retrieved from http://www.adrp.net/assets/Webinars/12-2011_adrp_webinar_presentation.pdf

Waters, R.D. (2009). Measuring stewardship in public relations: a test exploring impact on the fundraising relationship. Public Relations Review, 35, 113-119.