Planning Smarter: Building Your 2026 Health Care Philanthropy Strategy
- Heather Wiley Starankovic, CFRE, CAP®
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
As we step into 2026, the challenge is no longer understanding how giving has changed. It is translating those lessons into smart, measurable strategy. Our experiences from 2025 gave us clarity: donors give generously, but they are selective. They respond to urgency, transparency and relevance. They expect to feel like partners, not just funders. The organizations that succeed in 2026 will be the ones that retool their plans, not based on tradition but based on how donors actually behave.
The organizations that succeed in 2026 will be the ones that retool their plans, not based on tradition but based on how donors actually behave.
Here is what planning smarter looks like in 2026: Start with retention. In 2025, the average donor retention rate across health care hovered under 25% for first-time donors. This is a crisis hiding in plain sight. Fixing it does not require a new CRM or more headcount. It requires a shift in timing and tone. Stewardship should start within 72 hours. Every first gift should trigger a personalized thank-you, an invitation to learn more and a brief story of impact. New donors do not expect perfection. They expect responsiveness. Elevate mid-level giving. These are the donors who give $1,000–$25,000 per year. They are often hidden in plain sight—loyal, capable and open to deeper engagement. But they are also the most likely to plateau if ignored. Assigning relationship owners, creating segmented donor journeys and inviting supporters into early mission-focused conversations—rather than simply sending materials—turns passive supporters into active champions. We have seen mid-level giving increase by two to four times simply through consistent, respectful attention. Activate monthly giving. A low percentage of health care philanthropy revenue in 2025 came from recurring gifts. But in sectors like education and social impact, recurring giving now accounts for up to 25% of revenue. This is not about asking for less. It is about offering a format donors prefer. A strong monthly program builds loyalty, raises average annual gift size and improves forecasting. Brand the program. Make it easy to enroll. Celebrate monthly donors with exclusive updates and impact snapshots. Refresh digital infrastructure. Many donor journeys begin on a website’s donation page or through email. Yet too many organizations have clunky forms, unclear calls to action or mobile pages that do not load quickly. These are friction points, and in a market where attention spans are short, they matter. Review your digital experience as a donor would: Is it fast? Is it relevant? Is it emotionally compelling? Small changes (like pre-filled donation options or adding testimonials) have outsized ROI. Engage donors as partners. Today’s high-net-worth donors are global, entrepreneurial and highly networked. They may not be in your database, but they are watching your institution’s visibility, innovation and leadership. To engage them, institutions must show bold vision, credible execution and the willingness to treat donors as partners in impact. That means involving them in planning, inviting feedback and communicating transparently.
To engage them, institutions must show bold vision, credible execution and the willingness to treat donors as partners in impact.
Use data to drive priorities. Data should not just be for reporting. It should shape who gets called, how often and with what message. Use wealth screening to flag latent potential in lower-tier donors. Use engagement scores to identify high-interest, low-touch supporters. And most of all, listen: feedback from donors—through surveys, conversations or behavior—should drive strategy. Blend automation with human touch. Email automations, AI tools and data dashboards make development more efficient. But they must support, not replace, relationship-building. A timely, thoughtful phone call or handwritten note still moves the needle in ways no algorithm can. Five Strategic Shifts from 2025
Welcome all new donors with a 72-hour response plan.
Launch or elevate a branded monthly giving program.
Identify and steward your mid-level segment intentionally.
Audit your digital donation flow for mobile speed and clarity.
Refresh your case for support to emphasize cause over construction.
Track engagement as closely as you track revenue.
Ensure all major donor prospects have named strategies and next steps.
2026 is not about doing more. It is about doing what works better. Let donor behavior guide the roadmap. Let relationships drive the rhythm. And let stewardship be the thread that connects first-time givers to long-term impact. Donors have not stopped caring. They have become more focused. When we respond with strategy, intention and clarity, we do not just retain support. We build it for generations.
About the Author:
Heather Wiley Starankovic, CFRE, CAP, is a Principal Consultant with Accordant. She can be reached at Heather@AccordantHealth.com or through LinkedIn.
