How to use it: The people who work in our hospitals and clinics often know very little about philanthropy. What they do know is shaped by their prior personal giving experiences—which are often mundane. It’s up to us to shift the perception of what the foundation does, the healing power of generosity, why it matters …

Continue reading “Generosity Curriculum I”

These cards (with more to come) are the beginning of Part II of the Generosity Curriculum. Part I describes why generosity matters to us—beyond the obvious economic impact. Part II goes more deeply into how clinical teams and the foundation can innovate together. The cards are most potently used in combination with conversation and personal …

Continue reading “Generosity Curriculum II”

This piece captures some of the most compelling research about the therapeutic value of generosity. Use it with physicians as part of coaching curricula or with clinical teams. Donors of both time and money also find this research intriguing. The piece is designed for use either as a booklet or as single cards.

These video clips stimulate higher-level imagination and wisdom about generosity. Some revolve around ways of thinking that are radically different than the norm. Others capture things we may already understand deeply but have trouble articulating. Use them for your own expansion or for foundation board meetings and internal leadership groups. For projection to a larger …

Continue reading “Going Beyond Institutional Ego”

How to use it: This describes a new generosity experience through the eyes of a patient. When a clinical or executive team is just beginning to explore how to bring generosity alive in new ways, this piece helps them imagine possibilities.

How to use it: This tool provides a list of things to think about when beginning a prototype unit for generosity innovations. A prototype unit is a place where new ideas are developed, measured, and refined before introducing them to the broader organization.

How to use it: This tool is designed for boards and internal leaders needing to understand the broad strategic impact of generosity beyond the dollar value of philanthropy. It provides sample metrics for a more encompassing way to measure progress.

How to use it: A generosity menu is a list of experiences made available to patients and families. Volunteers provide many of these experiences. Others may be sponsored by local organizations. This tool contains a list of things that could become part of such a menu. It is useful as volunteers or chaplains begin to …

Continue reading “Generosity Menu Items”

How to use it: People think first of how to give of themselves—not only their resources. Yet in most health systems, volunteers are not strategically integrated and there are few creative pathways attracting people with diverse abilities. Use this tool to begin a new conversation about the broader strategic value of people who invest their …

Continue reading “Strategic Value of Volunteers”

Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota Foundation has a robust way of engaging each foundation board member, including a personal engagement plan for each one. That has been integral to their five-fold increase in funds raised over the past six years.

Our featured guests were Susan Jepson with Upstream Health Innovations and Susan Begin with Hennepin Healthcare Foundation speaking about their innovation center.

St. Elizabeth Healthcare Foundation describes their Vision movement (employee campaign). The last two campaigns averaged 81% of associates giving. St. Elizabeth Healthcare has 7,400 associates and is located in the greater Cincinnati region.

How to use it: These stories may be given to patients in the evening. They are about patients who learn to give and receive in new ways as part of their healing. You can use the story in this example or insert your own.