What Influence Do Death, Dying and Bereavement Have on Philanthropic Giving Within Hospice Care?

Abstract

Hospice care, for people with life-limiting or terminal illnesses, is increasingly in demand due to rising death rates and is increasingly reliant on voluntary income due to rising costs. Lack of understanding of the specific drivers and needs of donors to hospices, and widespread misconceptions about hospice services are combined with cultural difficulties in discussing death, dying and bereavement to result in a particularly complex environment for hospice fundraisers. To help navigate that complexity, this paper presents insights on hospice donor motivation and stewardship expectations, based on data from semi-structured interviews with 10 donors who have experienced a bereavement at one hospice in the UK. It generates three key findings: (1) In memory giving plays a developing role throughout the bereavement journey, providing a distraction for people in the immediate aftermath of their loss, enabling them to maintain a connection with the deceased, but, for some, eventually diminishing as they move on with their lives; (2) Awareness of need, gratitude, reciprocity, and future benefit are key drivers of giving to hospices, such that donors become newly aware of needs met by hospices, appreciative of the care received by departed loved ones, and committed to ensuring that they and others will have future access to hospice services; (3) Affinity and bonds with the hospice, including positive experiences with both frontline care staff and the fundraising team, build and sustain donor loyalty. We conclude that donations by those who have direct experience of the hospice are often a function of the ‘bereavement journey’ and that the extent to which this factor influences giving changes over time and between donors, leading to the recommendation that more bespoke stewardship is needed to best understand and meet the needs of these donors and to maximise the amounts given.