11 Giving to health

Estimated contributions to healthcare organizations reached $21.64 billion in 2008. This is a drop of 6. 5 percent (­ 10.0 percent adjusted for inflation) compared with the estimate for 2007.

Contributions to the health subsector are 7 percent of total estimated giving in 2008.

Contributions to healthcare organizations include, but are not limited to: Gifts to hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities; —

Organizations providing support for and conducting research on a vast — scope of diseases and disorders;

Institutions providing services, research or advocacy about mental — health issues; and

Medical research centers independent of other types of charities, such — as a university.

 

Giving USA findings for giving to health organizations, 2008 The Giving USA estimate is based on a tested model incorporating economic variables and the historical record of giving to healthcare organizations. The economic variables are changes in stock market prices, personal income, and other economic trends. 1 Giving USA will revise the estimates of giving to health and all other subsectors as more data become available. The final figures will be based on data compiled from IRS Forms 990 by the National Center for Charitable Statistics, which are expected to be available in about two years.

Trends in giving to organizations in the health subsector In prior recession years from 1967 to 2006, giving to health organizations averaged an inflation­adjusted increase of 0.6 percent from the prior year. 2 The range was from a growth of 8 percent (2001) to a decrease of 7. 7 percent

(1980). Giving to this subsector increased (adjusted for inflation) in six of eleven recession years from 1967 to 2006.

Using a standardized measure of giving to health allows us to compare contri­ butions to this subsector over time. One standard measure is to estimate giving per household. To do this, the sum of contributions from all sources (not just households) is divided by the number of households in the country. Table 1 shows the results for giving to health organizations per household since 1988. IRS Forms 990 are used as the basis of estimation of giving to charitable subsectors.

Philanthropic Giving Index “present situation” for giving to the health subsector drops to 62. 2 in 2008 from 95. 1 in 2007 In December 2008, the Philanthropic Giving Index (PGI), which measures the fundraising confidence of nonprofit fundraisers and is conducted semi­