AHP’s Response on April 14 Globe and Mail article “Six-Figure Salaries the Norm at Top Charities”
Dear Editor:
Paul Waldie’s April 14th story, “Six-figure salaries the norm at top charities,” provides a sensational story. Unfortunately, he ignored the size and scope of the organizations these executives are charged with running. The largest of the hospital foundations raised individually in the range of $31 to $73 million in 2009, with operating budgets from $4.6 to $8.8 million. Their financials and ROI/cost-to-raise-a-dollar are openly available on their Foundation websites, as are their significant accomplishments: major funding of equipment and research addressing heart disease, cancer, diabetes, strokes and arthritis, to name just a few. This level of fundraising requires experienced, dedicated and innovate leadership.
The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy represents over 400 hospital foundations in Canada. According to AHP’s Report on Giving, hospital foundations raised $1.068 billion in FY2008. Over 47 percent of these gifts were used for the purchases of equipment and 22 percent for construction and renovation projects that would not have been funded otherwise. Waldie’s story focuses on the largest hospital foundations in Canada. The “rest of the story” is the hefty contribution they are making to Canada’s health care system. We hope that they will continue to employ the best and brightest to lead their important mission.
Very truly yours,
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William C. McGinly, Ph.D., CAE
President, Chief Executive Officer
Association for Healthcare Philanthropy |
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Nancy Hewat, FAHP
Executive Director
Grand River Hospital Foundation
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