A Consideration in Strategies for IndividualMajor Gift Fundraising to Medical Research: A synthesis of utility-based and appeal-basedapproaches and implications for practice

Abstract

Monetary donations are becoming an important source of research funding in Japan. I compare two hypothetical nonprofit organizations, a medical research institution and a hospital providing medical assistance to the needy, using the concepts of charity and philanthropy. I use Impact philanthropy and Warm-glow model for the theoretical analysis. I derive some practical implications. Utility-based approach reveals that Impact philanthropy model does not fit the medical research fundraising. Appeal-based approach is suitable for major gift fundraising. There are some effective tactics in major gift fundraising for medical research: legitimizing paltry donations, making victims visible, and others. To decrease the perceived cost of donations, it is helpful to propose periodic donations and bequest donations. Scientific thinking in fundraising and donation allocation will strengthen the donors' perceived utility. Although this study is a review of foreign studies, there is potential for future integration of societal-based studies to discuss applications appropriate for Japan.