New Highs Reached in U.S. and Canadian Health Care Philanthropy: Donations Top $10.7 Billion in FY 2013

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. and Canadian donors boosted their giving to nonprofit health care institutions to historically high levels of more than $10.7 billion, increasing annual donations by more than $380 million during the 2013 fiscal year, the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) reports today.

"These hopeful figures demonstrate the generosity of thousands of donors in the United States and Canada," says Steven W. Churchill, MNA, president and chief executive officer of AHP.

According to AHP's Report on Giving data, philanthropic fundraising in support of U.S. nonprofit hospitals, medical centers, health care systems and related facilities totaled more than $9.2 billion in FY 2013, up $276 million, or 3.1 percent, over the previous year's giving levels and $1.5 billion more than in FY 2009 when the recession weighed heavily on U.S. donors.

"Donor support is vital to continue the work of health care institutions that serve their communities," says AHP Board Chair William S. Littlejohn, chief executive officer and senior vice president at Sharp HealthCare Foundation in San Diego.

In Canada, FY 2013 donations exceeded $1.5 billion, more than $100 million higher than in FY 2012 and a half-billion dollars higher than FY 2008's recession-related low point.

"As the economy improves, Canadian donors are picking up their pace of giving, which is a testament to their support for our world-class hospital systems," says AHP board member Jory Pritchard-Kerr, FAHP, CFRE, executive director at Collingwood General & Marine Hospital Foundation in Ontario.

Churchill noted hospitals and health systems that invest in philanthropy continue to see at least a $3.50 return for every $1 invested. Return on investment (ROI) figures in FY 2013 for Canada stood at $3.83 for every dollar spent on philanthropic activities, compared to $3.55 in the U.S. Cost to raise a dollar (CTRD) – a measurement of fundraising efficiency – was 26 cents and 28 cents in Canada and the U.S., respectively. 

Putting these results into context with the overall economy, in 2013 the U.S. economy continued to recover at a restrained rate, while it was the best year for the Canadian economy since 2011. 

In both countries, gross domestic product rose by 2 percent or more for the second consecutive year.  In the U.S., the S&P Index, a measure of stock market performance and a proxy measure of people's wealth, advanced 19 percent in 2013, compared to just 9 percent in 2012. For Canadians, real personal income – the amount of after-tax income left to an individual and also an indicator of economic well-being – grew by 2.4 percent, similar to 2012.

The Report on Giving survey and report are sponsored each year by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy and conducted by the independent research firm Association Research, Inc. A total of 242 U.S. and 49 Canadian institutions submitted data on their philanthropic fundraising activities in their 2013 fiscal years, for response rates of 18 and 25.7 percent respectively. AHP will publish its full report with detailed analysis in November. The report is free to organizations that provided data and available for a fee to all others.

Infographics to download and share, as well as a video message from AHP President and Chief Executive Officer Steven Churchill, are available on the AHP website at www.ahp.org/reportongiving.

The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, established in 1967, is the leading authority for standards, knowledge and leadership in health care development. As the world's largest association for health care fundraising professionals, AHP represents nearly 5,000 members who raise funds for community health services throughout North America.

SOURCE Association for Healthcare Philanthropy