High-Value Fundraising for the NHS & NHS Charities: Why It’s Different and How to Do It Well
- Ruth Fawcett
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
For many, the NHS is one of the most treasured institutions in the UK — a symbol of care, equality, and public service. While the NHS is primarily funded by the government, NHS charities play a unique role in enhancing patient care, funding innovative projects, and supporting staff wellbeing.
We’ve supported several NHS charities over the years, and one thing is clear: high-value fundraising for the NHS is not the same as fundraising for a typical charity. Understanding this difference is key if you want your efforts to have maximum impact.
What’s the Difference?
1. Core Funding vs. Extra Support
The NHS is publicly funded to provide essential healthcare services. Your taxes pay for the basics — hospital care, equipment, salaries, and treatments.
NHS charities don’t replace that funding — they add to it. They provide “above and beyond” extras such as specialist equipment, patient comfort items, staff wellbeing spaces, and cutting-edge research.
2. Structure
Many NHS hospitals, trusts, and ambulance services have their own linked charities.
In Yorkshire, this includes York and Scarborough Hospital Charity.
Nationally, examples include Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and NHS Charities Together.
These organisations are legally separate from the NHS but work in partnership with it.
3. Public Perception & Trust
When you fundraise for an NHS charity, you’re tapping into a cause people deeply value and trust.
However, your messaging must be clear: you’re supporting the charity arm, not replacing government funding for essential care. Transparency builds credibility.
Tips for High-Value Fundraising for NHS Charities
High-value fundraising is about deep, long-term relationships with people and organisations who have both the capacity and the motivation to give significantly. The NHS’s strong public trust is a huge advantage, but it comes with high expectations of professionalism, transparency, and measurable impact. Here are some tips to enable strong impact:
Tell Real Stories
Share authentic patient and staff stories (with permission). Emotional connection drives donations far more than statistics alone.
Know Your Prospect Pool Inside Out
Start with those closest to you. Look for those with a personal or business connection — grateful families, ex-staff, or NHS suppliers. We’ve had great success engaging NHS suppliers, whether they support directly, personally, or through a linked corporate foundation, including a recent £30,000 donation for a capital appeal.
Use prospect research tools, Companies House, LinkedIn, and press releases to identify charitable trusts, high-net-worth individuals, and companies.
Give Projects a Clear Narrative
Every major donor wants to know:
Why it matters
Who it helps
What legacy it creates
