When it comes to raising donations from employees, traditional methods of asking for donations can place developers in a delicate and even controversial position. Considering your staff members are already contributing significantly to the institution through their long work hours, night shifts, and volunteering for the community, approaching them for further financial support just feels unfair.

But what if there was a way to harness behavioral psychology to inspire employees to give without the constant need for requests? In this text, you will learn about Ribon—a solution designed to transform the way healthcare nonprofits raise funds from their staff.

The Challenge of Asking for Donations

The sensitivity of soliciting contributions is such that, in some states, Unions have even established rules around these requests to protect employees from undue pressure. Asking employees for money is not just a daunting task; it is a practice that needs to be replaced by more efficient fundraising models.

After extensive conversations with developers and fundraisers in the nonprofit healthcare sector, I realized that the technology I had at hand could effectively address this challenge. In fact, this technology has been demonstrating its potential for several years, raising significant passive funds for important institutions like MBM and Centauro.

How Ribon Works

Healthcare institutions allocate a portion of their unrestricted grants—whether millions or thousands of dollars—and we convert that amount into donation tickets. Employees can then collect these tickets daily, receiving the power to choose how that portion of the grants will be utilized within the institution—and only within the institution.

For example, an employee might collect 10 giving tickets and choose to use them to support one of their institution’s programs that provides nutritional aid to children in the community. They make their donation and see that their tickets will help one child for one day, creating an immediate sense of impact directly connected to their work.

This simple dynamic of active participation in the donation deepens their connection to the institution’s mission. When employees clearly understand the impact of their contributions, the purpose behind their work becomes much clearer. Whether they are doctors or janitors, everyone at the institution shares a common goal: promoting health for those in need. Regular reinforcement of this can promote a powerful collective feeling called the Warm Glow Effect.

 

The Science Behind Warm-Glow

The Warm-Glow effect is a psychological phenomenon where individuals feel happiness and satisfaction from doing good deeds. Studies indicate* that this feeling can elevate dopamine and serotonin levels, lower blood pressure, and alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms. In the workplace context, some research has even shown that warm glow can increase talent retention by 50%, proving that this feeling indeed enhances employee satisfaction in their work.

In high-pressure environments like hospitals and clinics, these benefits are even more relevant. That’s why Ribon’s interface is optimized to ensure the donation ticket experience generates the highest possible perception of warm glow, which explains our high engagement retention rate—most users donate an average of seven times a month.

 

The Path to Additional Funding

You might wonder, if employees are only donating the institution’s existing grants, how does Ribon help raise new funds? The answer lies in the engagement generated by the platform. As staff members donate their tickets and enjoy the experience, they are naturally motivated to purchase additional tickets to amplify their positive impact.

The purchased tickets generate additional funds for the institution. The amount raised depends on the size of your staff. On average, the amount corresponds to 8 times the number of employees at the institution. So, if your institution has 100,000 employees, it is expected that Ribon will raise $800,000 passively over the course of a year.

This is a revolutionary approach for healthcare nonprofit institutions to engage their staff in giving without the traditional pressures of fundraising. By empowering employees to contribute and connect regularly with their institution’s mission, Ribon not only enhances well-being but also raises funds passively throughout the year, freeing up developers to focus on other fundraising opportunities.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Ribon can work for your healthcare institution, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.

 

*SOURCES

  • Venture2Impact, “Unlocking the Power of Corporate Social Responsibility: Boosting Employee Engagement and Fostering a Culture of Togetherness,”
  • America’s Charities, “Facts and Statistics about Workplace Giving, Matching Gifts, and Volunteer Programs,”
  • Satell Institute, “Study Reveals Companies Engaged in CSR Can Reduce Staff Turnover Rates by 50%,”
  • “Employee Voice and Well-being: Mediating Role of Perceived Job Control” (Klaas, B. S., Olson-Buchanan, J. B., 2000).