Health Fund-raising Organizations

Health Fund-raising Organizations
Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter:

Organizations in this industry raise money for disease research, disease prevention, health education, and patient services. Major organizations include the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, March of Dimes, and Muscular Dystrophy Association (all based in the US), along with Cancer Research UK, SickKids Foundation (Canada), and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (Switzerland).

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The revenue of health fund-raising organizations depends on consumer income and consumer profits. The long-term viability of individual organizations depends on strong marketing and public perceptions of usefulness. Large organizations have advantages in name recognition. Small organizations can compete successfully through superior marketing or by having a wealthy sponsor. The US industry is concentrated: the 50 largest organizations account for about 60% of revenue.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Private contributions, including gifts and grants, account for about 70% of US development assistance for health organizations revenue. Other sources include trading securities (about 10%), program service revenue including government fees and contracts (about 10%), and government gifts and grants (more than 5%). Services supported by health fund-raising organizations fall into three major categories: medical research, public education, and direct services such as testing programs, support groups, patient care, and rehabilitation and training.