Innovation Keeps Hospice Philanthropy Afloat Despite COVID

Hospices are finding opportunities to bolster their philanthropic fundraising, which took a dip for many organizations due to the pandemic. As some events and other fundraisers start to rebound, providers are carrying with them lessons learned during leaner years.

Fundraising and philanthropy are often a primary source of financing for programs such as complementary therapies, hospice houses, programs for those experiencing homelessness and palliative care services. Reduced fundraising dollars brought on by the pandemic has led to a considerable drop in revenue for some organizations.

Some providers, like Maryland-based Hospice of the Chesapeake, were able to swiftly adapt to the changing conditions to keep their programs afloat. After the organization had to cancel its annual gala — its largest fundraiser of the year — it realized that it had to adjust its strategies.

By moving quickly, the hospice was able to exceed its annual fundraising goal, even during the height of the pandemic.

“When we realized we weren’t going to be able to have the event, we asked our donors to support us through the pandemic. So many of them actually shifted their funds to a COVID fund for us,” Chris Wilson, director of advancement and volunteer Services for Hospice of the Chesapeake, told Hospice News. “We have a very well-rounded program where we really have a strong major donor program. We do events, but it’s not our primary source of fundraising. We were able to really shift and be very nimble. We did actually achieve our revenue goal.”

Hospice of the Chesapeake did see a dip in memorial donations, in which families ask mourners to donate to the organization that cared for their loved one in lieu of sending flowers or other gestures.

But early in the pandemic, fewer families were able to hold the funerals or memorial services they otherwise would have, which slowed the flow of those donations, according to Wilson.

Some providers were hit harder than others. Among them were the many organizations that operate thrift stores to raise money for their hospice.

Many of these stores had to close during the pandemic, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) wrote in a November 2020 letter to then U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar. The letter sought clarification as to whether lost fundraising dollars could be included in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) requests. 

Revenue from these thrift stores paid for care provided to uninsured patients as well as bereavement programs, NHPCO indicated. In one case, a provider was losing $100,000 for every month their store remained closed.

Ultimately, HHS did allow hospices to recoup some of their lost fundraising dollars through the PRF. Currently, no specific data are available as to what extent this alleviated the losses.

One encouraging note is that, while many fundraising efforts suffered nationwide, in some cases the pandemic galvanized donors’ commitment to support the hospice providers caring for their community, according to Kathy Rabon, chief philanthropy and marketing officer of Suncoast Hospice Foundation, a member of Empath Health.

“I think people saw the news. They watched it on television. People were sick. People were afraid. People were alone and isolated, and our donors tended to be there,” Rabon told Hospice News. “And for some people, their motivation actually increased because of the pandemic. People who give for those types of reasons want to give more.” 

Anecdotally, one trend that seems to have developed is that while some providers now have fewer donors, they are giving larger dollar amounts, Wilson from Hospice of the Chesapeake indicated.

As with increased telehealth services for patient care, many providers leaned on technology to make up their difference.

For example, when its annual fundraiser was postponed due to sheltering in place, Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Kentucky created an online event website as an alternative. The site featured an online silent auction and social media photo postings to encourage participation in a Kentucky Derby-related fundraiser.

Suncoast Hospice Foundation stepped up its telephone outreach to prospective donors, as well as leveraging online videos, social media and video-conferencing calls to stay connected with financial supporters. 

In some instances, outreach that was specifically intended for fundraising nevertheless yielded donations.

“We created a small group of people with like-minded interests and had informational Zoom calls. Not to ask for money, but just to let them know how we were responding to the pandemic because they wanted information. They wanted to be educated. They wanted to be inspired, and they wanted to help,” Rabon said. “We used new tools; we tried new things.”

Hospice of the Chesapeake also worked to reach donors through multiple channels of communication, according to Wilson.

This included a phone call campaign and a printed, mailed newsletter as well as social media and other modes of communication. The hospice also offered a virtual memorial service for families and the public to celebrate the lives of their deceased loved ones and offer some comfort to one another in their grief.

This too generated donations, though it wasn’t the event’s primary purpose.

“We all had to learn some new lessons. First and foremost I think is to really keep an open and innovative mind and seek to understand your donors’ needs. We need to support them; they don’t just need to support us,” Wilson said. “We did a phone call campaign, reaching out to everyone, not to ask for money, but to check in on them. They’ve been there for us for so many years supporting our organization and mission, so we wanted to be there for them.”

So far in 2020, fundraising options are once again expanding. Many of the thrift stores have been able to stay open, and some live events have returned.

Nevertheless, many providers, including Empath Health and Hospice of the Chesapeake, will continue the new methodologies they adopted during the pandemic to augment their traditional approaches.

“We had to get really creative in the ways that we could talk to people, and we were successful in those campaigns,” Rabon said. “I think we’re seeing people now have a deeper understanding of the differentiator that hospice brings. That we were still there every step of the way doing whatever it was we had to do to bring comfort and care to the family regardless of where they were.”