UNSTRUCTURED
Higher education institutions, including medical schools, increasingly rely on fundraising to bridge funding gaps and support their missions. This article outlines a four-step approach to creating an effective, end-to-end, data-driven fundraising plan, emphasizing the crucial stages of data collection, data analysis, goal establishment, and targeted strategy formulation. By leveraging internal and external data, schools can create tailored outreach initiatives that resonate with potential donors. However, the fundraising process must be grounded in ethical considerations. Ethical challenges, particularly in grateful patient fundraising, necessitate transparent and honest practices prioritizing donors’ and beneficiaries’ rights and safeguarding public trust. By integrating data analytics with fundraising best practices and ensuring ethical practice, medical institutions can ensure financial support and foster enduring, trust-based relationships with their donor communities.