{"id":17149,"date":"2020-01-22T16:27:13","date_gmt":"2020-01-22T21:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/?p=17149"},"modified":"2021-05-28T15:07:06","modified_gmt":"2021-05-28T19:07:06","slug":"what-rage-donating-means-for-medical-organizations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/what-rage-donating-means-for-medical-organizations\/","title":{"rendered":"What Rage Donating Means for Medical Organizations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Before we get into this blog article: this is going to reference some political goings-on that have made an impression in the nonprofit world and have affected the way donors spend their money. While Qgiv does not endorse any one political view, we\u2019re going to look at some very politically charged examples of rage donating in this article. If you\u2019re open to that, we\u2019re glad! There\u2019s a lot to learn here. If you\u2019d prefer to stay away from politics entirely, we understand. It can be exhausting! <\/em>Here\u2019s a different article<\/em><\/a> written about different stories your medical organization can use in your fundraising campaigns. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What do the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned\nParenthood, and the Southern Poverty Law Center have in common?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A: They\u2019ve all been recipients of what is being referred to\nas \u201crage donations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are rage donations?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re donations made to organizations out of outrage about a situation. This kind of giving is on the rise. In fact, in 2017, GQ magazine published a piece called \u201cThe Rise of the \u2018Rage Donation\u2019\u201d<\/a> that examined this interesting new phenomenon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The article explores how several donors made impulsive gifts\nto nonprofits after they became angry or hopeless about different situations.\nMost of those situations were political.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical care is a highly emotional topic<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Now, tuck the concept of \u201crage donations\u201d into the corner of\nyour mind for a moment. Think instead about all the emotions surrounding\nconversations about medical care and medical costs. Tune into any news network\nand watch how passionately people on both sides of the aisle discuss how\nhealthcare should work in the States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about the rising prevalence of GoFundMe campaigns to\nhelp people pay medical bills. I can think of three different campaigns I\u2019ve\nseen in the past week that are set up to help people pay astronomical medical\nbills. I\u2019ve seen scads of posts from friends of mine despairing over their\nfamilies\u2019 medical costs\u2014one family received a bill for almost $3,000 for three\nstitches on a toddler. Another friend skipped a surgery because she couldn\u2019t\nafford the co-pays. A friend set up a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for her\nmother\u2019s chemo treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combine the two. What you can see is a rising awareness of\nand frustration around medical costs and a societal willingness to support causes\nthat make them angry or hopeless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As of publication, two of the top three fundraisers on GoFundMe are raising money to cover medical expenses.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We can use these trends in our fundraising<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This is fertile ground for medical fundraising. But that\nfertile ground is also volatile. In today\u2019s world, healthcare is almost\ninherently political. Any fundraising campaign we level to support our work in\nthe medical field must be carefully constructed lest a well-meaning social\nmedia post devolve into a flame war. There\u2019s a time and place for political\ndebate, but it is (ideally) not on a Facebook appeal. Here are some ways you\ncan effectively address donors\u2019 frustration in your next fundraising campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decide how your organization fits into today\u2019s\nconversations<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Are you providing medical care to patients? Do you support\npeople who live with a particular illness? Are you involved in end-of-life\ncare? Do you support medical research? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your mission gives you a unique position in the\nconversations that surround the healthcare industry. Figure out how your\nmission addresses people\u2019s fears and frustrations, then use that as your\ncampaign\u2019s basic appeal. Maybe your organization\u2019s research will someday lead\nto a cure that will help make treatment more affordable. Use that! Maybe your\nfacility is largely donor-funded so you can provide healthcare to people who\ncan\u2019t afford health insurance. That\u2019s a great reason to give! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put a face to your story<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the reasons GoFundMe is such a popular platform is\nbecause it allows for very individual campaigns. When you donate, you\u2019re not\ngiving to an organization that, while it looks good on paper, is hard to\nconnect with emotionally. Instead, you\u2019re giving to real-life people who post\ntheir stories, share updates, and post personal appeals to social channels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your hospital foundation or patient advocacy group (or whatever you may be) can reach donors using similar tactics. People prefer to donate to people, not to organizations. Instead of telling your organization\u2019s story and using it as a basis for an appeal, tell someone else\u2019s story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take the Ronald McDonald House Charities as an example. Their\nmarketing focuses primarily on sharing stories from real families who benefit\nfrom their services. They take some big fears and frustrations\u2014exhausting\nmedical treatments compounded by separation from family, the expense of staying\nnear a sick child, family dynamics disrupted by illness\u2014and show donors how\nthey can solve those problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is a fantastic example of how you can put faces and stories at the forefront of your organization’s appeals.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Show donors their role <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest motivators behind \u201crage donating\u201d is a\nsense of hopelessness or anger about injustice. People can\u2019t solve deep,\nsystemic issues on their own, but they can <\/em>donate to individuals\naffected by those issues. They might not have the power to change the way\nhospitals accommodate young children\u2019s families during extended stays. But they\ncan donate to support a family that needs help with travel and living expenses\nwhen their child undergoes treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you address your donors\u2019 fears and frustrations, focus\non showing them how their donation will improve another person\u2019s situation. Remember,\npeople give to other people; the more you can show your donors how their\nsupport will change real peoples\u2019 lives, the more likely they are to give.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay sensitive<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When you share stories from real clients, be sure you have their buy-in around the story you tell. The way you frame your clients is important! Focus on telling empowering stories instead of exploitative ones. The dignity and empowerment of your clients is paramount! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reinforce your donors\u2019 generosity throughout the donation\nprocess<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Since the phenomenon of rage donating is tied to donors\u2019\nfear, frustration, or outrage, you can improve their donor experiences by\nreiterating how their money will address the same problems that sparked those\nnegative emotions. You can do this by including elements from the story you\u2019ve\ntold in the actual giving process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are tips that will help you do that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n