A More Personal Approach to Philanthropy and Fund Raising

Typically, fund raising efforts by not-for-profit groups, such as the American Heart Association, are often focused on encouraging large masses of people to contribute relatively small amounts through campaigns such as Heart Walks and workplace giving.

The Midwest Affiliate of the American Heart Association recently shared with The Millionaire Corner, a more personal approach to fundraising: salons held in peoples’ homes.

Paul Millman, vice-president of Leadership Gifts for the American Heart Association explained, “An AHA salon is essentially an evening of education and information sharing. It’s not a fund raiser. We don’t invite people to come and then twist their arms, and say “You’ve got to give. Someone hosts a salon in their home.  It’s a small and intimate party.  Typically, there will be supper or hors d'oeuvres and beverages served.  An expert speaker gives about a twenty minute presentation about current heart research, and then we have a survivor talk about their own personal experience.”

Millman, who is responsible for individual major gifts, continued, “After the salon, I’ll follow up and ask for feedback and advice.  What did you think? What did you learn? And if there is somebody who is clearly touched by it and wants to get involved, I look for ways to bring them into the organization. People who are motivated to get involved, can volunteer to host a salon.  But if they come and just have a nice time…that’s fine too.”

The combination of scientific edification, along with a survivor relating their often heart-wrenching experiences dealing with a heart condition, such as a congenital heart defect, strikes a chord with most attendees.  Survivors have included: a young women talking about being born with a severe congenital heart defect, and thriving despite having almost no chance for survival, to a woman relating the confusion and helplessness she felt when her child was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease.

 

The salon program tries to focus on potential contributors, who have the means to donate ten thousand dollars or more, and highlights specific research programs and cause initiatives of the American Heart Association  at each gathering.  At the salon we attended, the Legacy of Life Endowment was spotlighted.  This is a fund started about four years ago, to support research in the area of congenital heart defects.

With 1% of all live births in the U.S. affected by some form of heart defect, and 40,000 babies born each year born with one or more heart problems, congenital heart defects are America’s No. 1 cause of birth defects.  Almost all of us know someone, often in our own families, who has been affected.  While much has been spent to help babies with heart defects live beyond infancy and into adulthood, the cause of congenital heart defects is still unknown.

The American Heart Association’s intention is to raise one million dollars in the Legacy of Life endowment, as a starting point. This will provide an ongoing source of funding revenue for congenital heart defect research. So far, they’ve raised $450,000, mostly though small individual donations. They are hoping that the recent shift in focus to individual and targeted major gifts, as well as salon parties will be a successful strategy.  Donations to the Legacy of Life Endowment will be invested in perpetuity, the earnings from which will continue to support Research into CHD.

Joseph Goldzweig with Mended Hearts, a not-for-profit partnered with the American Heart Association, noted, “One-hundred percent of every dollar contributed to this particular endowment will be contributed to congenital heart defect research. No money will be taken out for overhead or expenses of any kind.” Because the American Heart Association is such a large organization, they have made the commitment to cover all administrative expenses for the endowment.

They do note a contribution limitation, in that the Legacy of Life campaign specifically serves the Midwest affiliate of the American Heart Association (the largest regional affiliate), and it funds research in the Midwest, although anyone is welcome to contribute to the endowment. 

How can you contribute if you live outside the central states?  Since research is being conducted nationally, if someone in California wants to make a gift in support of  congenital heart defect research, it could go to the Midwest’s Legacy of Life Endowment, or fund CHD research in other communities.  In recent years, the American Heart Association has funded 157 research studies in congenital heart defects, which was five times the total number of awards made by the second leading private funding agency.

A More Personally Involved Philanthropy

Guests at an American Heart Association Salon Program, in

Chicago, January 2008, listen to an informal talk about

Kawasaki Disease and learn about the Legacy of Life

endowment for research into congenital heart defects

Some philanthropists enjoy a more personal touch, or want to see how their contribution is being used.  Millman stated, “If someone wants to support a specific fund, such as the Legacy of Life endowment, we can put them in contact with one of the funded researchers.  They can interact directly with the researcher: have dinner with them, and get a private tour of their research lab, look through microscopes, and experience that research…so they can actually see what is going on.”

Those interested in possibly hosting a salon or contributing to the various congenital heart defect endowments of the American Heart Association, should contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , and the Midwest Affiliate at 312-476-6634, at 208 S. LaSalle St. Suite 900.

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