The Love of Humankind, Understanding Philanthropy at CommonSpirit

The Love of Humankind, Understanding Philanthropy at CommonSpirit

Philanthropy is a concept that has roots dating back to ancient civilizations such as Greece and Rome, where wealthy individuals would make gifts to the poor or to temples. The word "philanthropy" itself is derived from the Greek words "philos," meaning "love," and "anthropos," meaning "humanity." In the Middle Ages, religious orders and the Catholic Church were often the recipients of charitable giving, and the modern understanding of philanthropy as voluntary action for the public good took shape during the Renaissance. In the 19th and 20th centuries, philanthropy became more formalized, with the establishment of foundations and nonprofit organizations devoted to addressing social and humanitarian issues. Today, philanthropy continues to play a vital role in addressing the needs of communities around the world.?

At CommonSpirit Health, philanthropy’s initial roots go back to our founding congregations. Our women religious were instrumental in responding to the needs of our communities, where they established hospitals, clinics, and often delivered direct patient care for the sick, injured, and dying. In order to achieve this deep calling to care for the vulnerable, our women religious were CommonSpirit Health’s first fundraisers. They worked with the larger community to support these noble endeavors – all for the common good.?

Today, we are the nation’s largest nonprofit healthcare system in the United States with 140 acute care locations across 21 states serving roughly one in four Americans. Each community has its own story, and we know philanthropy is deeply personal and often local. This is exactly why CommonSpirit has over 80+ local foundations working alongside their community to bring life saving, superior care, close to home. Learn more about our philanthropy footprint below.

Understanding how philanthropy today impacts the operations and fiscal health of our organization allows CommonSpirit leaders to have context on why collaboration with our philanthropy colleagues is important. Having the vital resources to reinvest back into new technologies, care ecosystems, and training has become ever more challenging as hospital margins continue to erode due to economic conditions, etc. Philanthropic monies by comparison are direct investments from donors who are passionate about these important projects and are willing to partner to make them happen! Learn more about the concept of revenue equivalency below.

When we go into our local markets and think about the specific impacts donors are making in partnership with our 80+ foundations, the results are inspiring! Our local markets continue the early work of women religious by working on upstream issues that affect the health of the whole person, family, and community. Below are a few examples of how four of our 80+ foundations are making an impact.

Dominican Hospital Foundation, Santa Cruz, California:

Mercy Foundation North, Redding, California:

Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation, Grass Valley, California:

St. Mary's Medical Center Foundation, San Francisco, California: