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How Healthcare Organizations Are Expanding Fundraising Capacity with Virtual Engagement Officers
- Sara Montgomery
- Apr 25
- 3 min read
In healthcare, fundraising is about more than raising dollars — it’s about building relationships. Whether connecting with grateful patients, passionate employees, or community members who want to give back, the work is deeply personal.
But cultivating these relationships takes time — and capacity. The reality is that most healthcare organizations can only assign a gift officer to about 5% of their donors. The rest, despite best intentions, typically receive one-to-many communications like newsletters, appeals, or general thank-you notes. While important, these communications don't allow for relational fundraising: genuine, two-way conversations or for organizations to truly get to know the donor behind the gift.
That’s why a growing number of healthcare organizations are turning to a new kind of team member: the Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO). A VEO expands personal communications deeper into the giving pyramid of previously unassigned donors by managing personalized, mission-aligned outreach at scale. It's a way to bring more donors into meaningful conversations — thoughtfully, consistently, and in alignment with your organization’s strategy — so that no supporter feels overlooked.
To do this effectively, VEOs source their content from both a fundraising knowledge base and organization-specific sources such as your website, social media channels (ie. LinkedIn), and direct one-on-one donor engagement. This ensures every message is timely, personalized, and aligned with your unique voice and mission.
Here’s how healthcare organizations successfully use VEOs to achieve their goals, strengthen donor relationships, and support their teams:
Parkland Health Foundation: Strengthening Donor Relationships at Scale
Parkland Health Foundation leverages Nicole, a Virtual Engagement Officer, to deepen relationships across a diverse donor portfolio of employees, lapsed donors and giving society members. Nicole’s focus is on re-engagement, retention, and relationship-building at scale.
Throughout the year, Nicole ensures donors:
Have opportunities to deepen their connection with Parkland through strategic donor journeys
Receive timely and thoughtful stewardship
Hear impact stories and news related to their interests
Are led to the natural outcoming of giving through timely and personal messages.
Nicole keeps donors informed and connected by sharing news and events — such as staff awards and recognitions. Nicole has even offered donors the chance to receive a framed print celebrating Parkland’s journey: from the original hospital’s opening in 1894, to its growth in 1954, to the opening of its modern facility in 2015.
Since joining the team just under 6 months ago, Nicole generated $82,491 from 367 gifts, and even handed off a donor to a team member to complete a planned gift. Through consistent, thoughtful outreach, Nicole strengthens donor loyalty, extends Parkland’s reach, and advances the Foundation’s mission of building a lasting culture of philanthropy.
JPS Foundation: Strengthening a Culture of Internal Giving
The JPS Foundation believes in fundraising innovation to better serve its mission — while creating meaningful opportunities that honor and fulfill the wishes of its donors. To celebrate and expand its culture of philanthropy, JPS Foundation introduced Jazmin, a Virtual Engagement Officer, to build even stronger connections across its internal community. Jazmin’s portfolio includes employee donors for both retention and engagement, as well as donors from recent years who have not yet made a gift this year.
Jazmin’s outreach inspires renewed support, welcomes new donors, and celebrates the generosity of existing supporters — reinforcing how internal giving strengthens JPS’s mission and amplifies its impact every day.
What This Means for Healthcare Fundraising Teams
Because VEOs source content dynamically — from organizational updates, social media, and real-time donor feedback — they’re able to deliver highly relevant, personal communications that align perfectly with your voice, values, and goals — keeping donors connected not just to the organization, but to missions they believe in. The VEO extends the reach of fundraising teams, creating more opportunities for meaningful donor engagement.
By focusing on reactivating past supporters, strengthening internal giving, and helping donors deepen their commitment over time, VEOs make it possible to deliver personalized, mission-driven communication at scale — ensuring every donor feels valued and connected to the cause.
