8 Creative Ideas for Your Hospital Fundraising Events
When you are tasked with planning hospital fundraising events, we understand that is not always up to you. If you are following fundraising best practices, you will keep your fundraising events to an absolute minimum.
However, if you have to have them, success hinges on how well you execute, engage donors, and follow up afterward. Below are eight ways to elevate any event—no matter which event type you choose—to raise more funds and strengthen community ties.
1. Pre-Event Promotion
Begin promotion and support for the event well before the big day. Encourage event attendees, sponsors, and community members to engage and RSVP early, creating a sense of momentum. This might sound like elementary advice, but it’s a good place to start and gets overlooked more often than you might think.
Why It Works
Builds anticipation for the main event.
Lets you announce a head start on fundraising goals if contributions are made early, adding urgency for last-minute donors.
Helps you forecast your budget and plan the event with more confidence.
2. Tiered Sponsorship and VIP Experiences
Offer sponsors different contribution levels—each with special perks. This can be done for your event, or even better, in a longer term pledge. Top-tier sponsors and donors might receive naming opportunities, behind-the-scenes facility tours, or exclusive receptions and areas. Make those who have contributed already stand out to create some healthy FOMO with other attendees.
Why It Works
Encourages larger gifts by giving sponsors valuable, visible recognition.
Provides a framework that’s easy to replicate across different event types.
Rewards sponsors for their generosity and motivates them to renew support in the future.
3. Engage Volunteer Ambassadors for Peer-to-Peer Promotion
Identify enthusiastic supporters—patients’ families, staff, or local leaders—who can help spread the word about your hospital fundraiser. Supply your fundraiser volunteers with personal fundraising information and talking points if appropriate.
Why It Works
Expands your outreach beyond the hospital’s immediate network.
Humanizes the campaign through authentic stories and personal connections.
Demonstrates grassroots support, encouraging others to chip in.
4. Incorporate a Matching Gift Challenge
Secure a promise from a major donor or corporate partner to match contributions up to a certain amount or during a specific timeframe (e.g., “all donations received on event day are matched 1:1 / 1:2”).
The best way to do this is to approach an individual or a corporation well before your event and request an amount for the matching gift in private. You can either publicize their name or keep it anonymous depending on the preferences of the donor.
Why It Works
Doubles or triples the impact of individual gifts, prompting donors to give more.
Adds a deadline: people are motivated to give sooner, before the matching gift is up.
Increases overall campaign visibility when heavily promoted.
5. Personalize Donor Recognition
Go beyond a simple “thank you” note for those who contribute. We love a “thank you” note as much as anyone. During or after the event, offer each donor a personal, meaningful acknowledgment—like a personalized video message, or a direct phone call with nothing more than a thank you.
Why It Works
Creates stronger genuine emotional connections with donors.
Encourages repeat giving because supporters feel genuinely appreciated.
Reinforces the message that their donation is vital to your hospital’s success.
6. Highlight Patient and Staff Stories
Invite patients (with permission) or medical professionals to share short, impactful testimonials about their experiences. Feature them via video, live presentations, or displays at your event.
Why It Works
Humanize the mission, reminding donors how their support directly benefits real people.
Generates empathy and direct emotional resonance, which can translate into higher giving levels later on
Works for any children’s hospital event by amplifying the voices of young patients and their families.
7. Showcase Impact During the Event
Don’t wait until after the fundraising event to demonstrate progress. Set up screens, displays, or live announcements showing how funds raised so far will be used—or have been used in the past.
Why It Works
Keeps attendees top-of-mind connected to the mission. An event is not just a party.
Adds transparency, building trust and credibility in your organization.
Reinforces that donations lead to tangible improvements in patient care or hospital facilities.
8. Plan Structured, Deliberate Follow-Up
After the event, make a concerted effort to reconnect with attendees and volunteers—especially if they showed interest but did not donate, or if they gave modestly but have higher capacity.
Why It Works
Much of a fundraising event’s real revenue potential comes from post-event followup.
Allows you to invite deeper conversations or larger gifts once rapport is established.
Strengthens long-term donor relationships, paving the way for future support.
Get Help With Your Fundraising
Crafting memorable hospital fundraising events is about strategically weaving in opportunities for engagement and subsequent follow-up to maximize giving. Whether you’re planning a children’s hospital event or a general hospital fundraiser, these ideas can help you raise more money if you go the route of doing fundraising events.
If you’re looking for a partner for your next fundraising campaign, contact Pride Philanthropy.
