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Marketing + Foundation Makes Cents

By Felicia Struve posted 07-24-2018 12:56 PM

  
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I sat down with Penny Cowden, executive director of the Columbia Memorial Hospital Foundation, to pick her brain on the synergy possible between marketing and development teams at not-for-profit hospitals.

Penny began her career at Weyerhaeuser Company in marketing, communications and business development. She transitioned to health care philanthropy in 1993 and has since held executive positions at major health systems and institutions in Washington, Colorado, Virginia and Arizona.

She serves on the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations and Executive’s board of governors and is known as an expert in donor communications.

Felicia Struve (FS): Why is it important for hospital foundations and marketing to collaborate?
Penny Cowden (PC): To not do so is to miss the opportunity for dual messaging. The foundation only exists to support the hospital, so communications about philanthropy should incorporate hospital messages as well and vice versa.

FS: What gets in the way of collaboration?
PC: I think the main obstacle is the misunderstanding about what is philanthropic marketing versus marketing. They both use various outreach methods but the audiences are different. Foundation messages are geared toward individuals while most marketing efforts attempt to influence large groups of people. The differences are subtle but distinct. So, each needs to respect the others’ targets and the best ways to reach those targets. It’s this that seems to cause the most dissonance.

FS: What is the No. 1 thing that the marketing team needs to know about the foundation, and vice versa?
PC: The foundation needs you! Placing philanthropic messages in hospital communications is a huge awareness driver.

FS: How does marketing benefit by promoting philanthropy?
PC: When marketing promotes the foundation it helps people realize mission is at the heart of the hospital’s services and that the hospital is a not-for-profit and cares deeply about its patients’ health and welfare. It tells patients and families that the hospital is so admired that donors willingly invest in its success.

FS: How does the foundation benefit by promoting the hospital?
PC: By doing so, the foundation creates awareness of the programs the hospital wants people to invest in. By the time we’re talking to donors, the programs or projects have already achieved high value in their minds. So we spend less time educating and more time asking.

FS: What needs to happen to create alignment between marketing and philanthropy?
PC: Communication! A monthly roundtable to talk about opportunities, key messages and priorities, sharing publications and social media plans. Sharing patient stories that highlight philanthropy and “brag” about hospital services is a win-win. This kind of proactive meeting of the minds will go a long way toward helping solidify a mutually beneficial and collaborative relationship.

FS: What do you consider the “low hanging fruit” for a marketing-foundation collaboration?
PC: Philanthropy creates PR as a byproduct and PR paves the way for successful marketing. Since new services are really attractive to donors, I think bringing on a new service line is a prime opportunity for marketing and foundations to collaborate.

In our hospital, we saw a powerful feedback loop with the opening of a cancer center last year that resulted in tremendous media coverage and interest in the community as well as several spin-off fundraisers and gifts from new donors.

FS: How should messaging change in light of the new federal tax laws?
PC: Given the changes, we need to focus on the desire to give, not financial incentives in messaging. Sharing stories about the impact donors could have will become even more important than it has been.

By Felicia Struve | Posted July 24, 2018
SHSMD Digital Engagement Task Force Member
Marketing & Communication Coordinator
Columbia Memorial Hospital
Astoria, Ore.
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