Dance Marathon at the University of Florida

What Dance Marathon at the University of Florida does

Dance Marathon at the University of Florida (DM at UF) is a student-run philanthropic organization founded in 1995 that operates yearlong to raise funds and awareness for UF Health Shands Children's Hospital, a Children's Miracle Network (CMN) affiliate. Entering its 33rd year, DM at UF structures engagement as a multi-event calendar — Fall Kickoff, Transform Today (a 26.2-hour fall fundraiser), Miracles in Color 5K, Moralloween, Mini-Marathons for high schools, and a signature 26.2-hour Main Event at the O'Connell Center — anchored by peer-to-peer fundraising through the DonorDrive platform. In its most recent cycle, the organization raised $1,152,326.32 via 26,160 donations from 1,035 active fundraisers, bringing cumulative funds raised to over $34 million since inception.

The operating model is community-led and event-driven. Participants apply as Miracle Makers, Emerging Leaders, Ambassadors, or Captains (a $25 one-time application fee applies), and 14 specialized Captain teams (Digital Marketing, Event Management, Family Relations, Finance, Hospitality, Leadership Development, Marathon Relations, Member Development, Merchandise, Morale, Multimedia, Public Relations, Recruitment, Sponsorships) execute against the annual plan under an Executive Director and 18-person Overall Team. The fundraising base draws from UF students (primary), 44+ registered student organization teams, high school students via Mini-Marathons, 74 corporate sponsors providing cash and in-kind support, and individual donors reached through floridadm.org, social media, and email. There is no proprietary technology platform; donor acquisition, page management, and donation processing are outsourced to DonorDrive.

DM at UF routes 100% of net funds to UF Health Shands Children's Hospital, allocated 48% to pediatric research, 42% to patient care, and 10% to education, with a governance commitment (CMN founding pledge) that all donations remain local. Beneficiary scope spans pediatric patients from 66 Florida counties, 49 U.S. states, and 7 countries, with 27 Miracle Families serving as the public face of the cause. The organization is non-commercial in nature — there is no equity, no venture funding, no parent company, and no disclosed operating budget; financial scale is best understood through annual pass-through fundraising totals rather than traditional revenue.

Name

Dance Marathon at the University of Florida

Legal name

Dance Marathon at the University of Florida

Website

https://floridadm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Dance Marathon at the University of Florida is a student-run philanthropy that raises funds year-round for UF Health Shands Children's Hospital via peer-to-peer fundraising on DonorDrive, a 26.2-hour Main Event, and a portfolio of supporting events, distributing 100% of proceeds to pediatric research, patient care, and education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Healthcare Philanthropy Fundraising

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Fundraisers & Charity Events (Gala/Walks excluded) (MPAGAEAK), Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Student philanthropy fundraising
• Pediatric hospital donations
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Nonprofit charity events
• Children's healthcare fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Miracle Makers and participants raise funds through personal DonorDrive fundraising pages, collecting donations from friends, family, and supporters throughout the year leading up to the Main Event.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: 74 corporate sponsors provide financial support and in-kind contributions to support Dance Marathon operations and fundraising efforts.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from events such as Miracles in Color 5K, Moralloween, and Transform Today, as well as merchandise sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Dance Marathon at the University of Florida is a student-run philanthropic organization that mobilizes University of Florida students to raise funds year-round through peer-to-peer fundraising on DonorDrive and a series of on-campus and community events, with the proceeds directed entirely to UF Health Shands Children's Hospital (the local Children's Miracle Network hospital). Its signature offering is a 26.2-hour Main Event celebration that caps the year of fundraising, supported by leadership development programs (Captain Teams, Emerging Leaders, Ambassadors) and recruitment of Miracle Makers who raise money from friends, family, and sponsors.

Product overview

Dance Marathon at the University of Florida is a student-run philanthropy organization, not a technology product company. The organization offers a portfolio of fundraising events and leadership programs centered around its annual 26.2-hour Main Event. The core offering includes the Main Event celebration, various fundraising events (Fall Kickoff, Transform Today, Miracles in Color 5K, Moralloween), and peer-to-peer fundraising via the DonorDrive platform. Leadership development programs include Captain Teams (14 specialized teams), the Emerging Leaders Program, and the Ambassador Program connecting with student organizations. The organization also supports Mini-Marathons for high school students. All fundraising benefits UF Health Shands Children's Hospital through Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Event
• Fall Kickoff
• Transform Today
• Miracles in Color 5K
• Moralloween
• Mini-Marathons
• Captain Teams Program
• Emerging Leaders Program
• Ambassador Program
• Miracle Makers Program
• DonorDrive Fundraising Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• $34+ million raised over 32 years with $1,152,326.32 raised in 2026 alone
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 74 Corporate SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 202674 corporate sponsors provide financial and in-kind support for Dance Marathon operations and events. Includes local Gainesville businesses and national companies.
• UF Health Shands Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Children's Miracle Network hospital and primary beneficiary of all fundraising efforts. 100% of funds raised go directly to this hospital. Ranked one of top 50 pediatric hospitals in the nation in seven categories.
• Children's Miracle Network HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for children's hospitals. Founding pledge keeps all donations in the area in which they were raised.
• DonorDrivecoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline fundraising platform used by participants to register, create personal fundraising pages, track donations, and manage their fundraising campaigns. All donations processed through this platform.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON): THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raising $20M+ annually for pediatric cancer. It is the most directly comparable peer to DM at UF as a university-based, student-run Dance Marathon benefiting a Children's Miracle Network hospital.
• Dance Marathon at Indiana University: Indiana University's Dance Marathon is one of the other five founding Dance Marathon programs alongside DM at UF. It operates the same 36-hour student-run model benefiting Riley Hospital for Children, making it a near-identical peer in structure, scale, and mission.
• University of Iowa Dance Marathon: One of the other five founding Dance Marathon programs. Runs an annual 24-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping student event benefiting the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital — directly comparable in mission, structure, and beneficiary type.
• Dance Marathon at Florida State University: FSU's Dance Marathon is a direct in-state peer with a similar student-run 40-hour model benefiting a Florida children's hospital. Closely comparable donor base (Florida families) and shared Children's Miracle Network affiliation.
• Dance Marathon at the University of Georgia: UGA's Dance Marathon is a Southeast peer running a similar student-led 24-hour event benefiting Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Comparable scale, model, and Southeast US fundraising market.
• Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan: University of Michigan's Dance Marathon is a comparable Big Ten student-run philanthropy benefiting C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Direct structural peer with similar leadership team and corporate sponsorship model.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: CMN Hospitals is the national parent network to which DM at UF is affiliated. It operates 170+ member hospitals and is the broad incumbent setting standards, branding, and infrastructure (including DonorDrive) used by all Dance Marathon programs.
• Miracle Network Dance Marathon (national movement): The Miracle Network Dance Marathon national organization represents 400+ Dance Marathon programs across the U.S. It is the broader incumbent body through which DM at UF collaborates, shares resources, and benefits from national marketing campaigns.

Regional players

• Hands On Nashville (community philanthropy peers): While not a Dance Marathon program, Hands On Nashville is a comparable community-based student/young-adult volunteer and fundraising organization in a different geography, useful for benchmarking youth-led philanthropic engagement models.
• Relay For Life (American Cancer Society): Relay For Life is the largest student/community peer-to-peer fundraising event format in the U.S., structured around extended-duration events similar to DM at UF's Main Event. Comparable in operating model, peer-to-peer fundraising, and youth volunteer base, though benefiting a different cause.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/floridadm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dance Marathon at the University of Florida