Helpful Tips to Maximize Your Angel Fund

Onboarding

·      Choose a site champion: Appoint one go-to person to drive onboarding, answer internal questions, and keep momentum. Clinics with a clear owner for the program almost always see better follow-through.

·      Two champions: One is great, two is better. Turnover happens, vacations happen, and workflows change. Having two trained champions prevents the program from stalling when one person is out.

·      Pick the right champion: Doctors and owners usually love the mission, but they rarely have the day-to-day bandwidth to run it. A practice manager or a passionate technician/CSR is typically best positioned to keep it moving.

·      Connect your PIMS: The “Free” option can look appealing, but clinics without a PIMS connection typically struggle to raise donations consistently. A PIMS connection reduces manual work and makes fundraising feel like part of the normal workflow.

·      Personalization is key: Every hospital succeeds differently (GP vs ER, private vs corporate, mobile vs brick-and-mortar). If something isn’t working, Customer Success can help you pivot to what’s proven for similar hospitals.

·      Make myBalto a monthly staff meeting topic: Keep it top of mind with a 60-second update (fund balance, a pet helped, whats next). Repetition is what turns this into a habit.

Fundraising

·      You miss 100% of the donations you don’t ask: If you don’t ask or don’t show signage, clients won’t know your Angel Fund exists. Asking doesn’t have to be awkward; it can be a simple, consistent invitation.

·      Trigger the round-up: If your PIMS allows it, add/trigger the donation line item every time an exam is created so staff see it automatically. You can also bundle the line item with the exam charge to make it even harder to miss.

·      Ask with enthusiasm: If you’re not excited about the ask, clients can feel it immediately. Remember: you’re inviting pet lovers to help other pets; most people are happy to say yes when it’s presented confidently.

·      Start small to build confidence: You don’t need to start asking for $5 round-ups right off the bat. Ask for a simple $1 round up to build confidence and see the results. You’ll be surprised by how many people voluntarily give more.

·      Round-up at checkout: There are multiple ways to round-up (manual ask, auto-round up, payment processing), and not every approach fits every clinic. Try a method, gather team feedback, and let Customer Success help you dial in what’s sustainable.

·      Opt-in for myBalto emails: Email campaigns (especially around events and holidays like Giving Tuesday) consistently drive donations. The rare negative reply is far outweighed by the many clients who appreciate the chance to support pets in need.

·      Fundraising challenges: Challenges are fun, time-bound, and easy to promote which makes them great for boosting your fund without adding a big workload. They also create internal momentum because staff can watch progress.

·      Silent auctions: A silent auction can be a high-impact, relatively low-lift community event. Local businesses are often happy to donate items, and a virtual auction can raise thousands in a short window. Ask myBalto about the software to simply set this up!

Reimbursements (Claims)

·      Verify owner ID in-clinic: The #1 reason reimbursements get delayed is missing owner verification. If you can help them complete it while theyre still in the building, it prevents days of back-and-forth.

·      Set expectations: Let owners know myBalto will reach out by text/email so they aren’t surprised. When they expect the message, they respond faster.

·      Text beats email: When possible, choose text for verification. Email is often missed due to spam/promotions filters, while texts are typically seen quickly.

·      A small amount can go a long way: Don’t minimize the impact of offering even a small amount to help support an owner through a difficult financial time. Sometimes even a small contribution can make the owner feel more confident moving forward.

Optimization (Grow + Sustain)

·      Personalize your fund name: Donors want to support your hospital, not a generic organization. A clinic-specific name increases emotional connection for both staff and clients.

·      myBalto as the “buffer” (optional): Keeping the “myBalto Foundation” as the name can be helpful if you’re worried about rare eligibility questions. It gives your team a way to preserve the client relationship while we handle the explanation.

·      Use GoFundMyPet for Angel Fund cases: Even if you have funds available, GoFundMyPet can replenish your Angel Fund and helps the owner feel invested in the outcome. Many hospitals make it part of the standard process.

·      GoFundMyPet “birds of a feather”: If an owner is chronically under-resourced, their network may also be stretched so set realistic expectations. But for unexpected crises or unusually large bills, many owners have networks that rally fast, so don’t hesitate to use GoFundMyPet in those moments.

Marketing & Awareness

·      Use signage everywhere: Place reminders in the lobby, checkout area, exam rooms, and on any digital screens. If clients don’t see it, they won’t think to participate.

·      Add to digital touchpoints: Website, social media, email signatures, and appointment reminders are easy places to mention the Angel Fund. Small, consistent visibility adds up. Simply adding your personalized QR code to your discharges can go a long way for enhancing donations.

·      Tell one story (with permission): A short “pet helped” story builds trust and makes the Angel Fund feel real. Even anonymized stories can increase participation.