UGA Miracle

What UGA Miracle does

UGA Miracle is a student-run philanthropic organization founded in 1995 at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, operating as the official philanthropy of UGA Greek life. It benefits Children's Healthcare of Atlanta—one of the largest pediatric healthcare systems in the U.S., with three hospitals and over one million patient visits annually—specifically directing funds to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Rehabilitation Services. The organization began as "Dance Marathon at UGA" and was rebranded in 2008 to reflect its broader mission beyond a single event; it now supports 45 Miracle Champion Families and engages over 50 Greek chapters annually through dedicated Team Captains.

The core product is the annual Dance Marathon capstone event hosted at Stegeman Coliseum, supplemented by year-round fundraising pushes (Beyond Limits, Ring the Bell, Building Our Legacy), an IFC Golf Tournament, and Greek Week competitions. Revenue is generated through donations collected via the Dance Marathon event platform, branded merchandise sales through a Squarespace e-commerce storefront (items priced $7–$40), $10 event day passes, and tiered corporate sponsorships ($250–$750). The organization is entirely volunteer-driven by UGA students under an Executive Director, Executive Council, and Executive Board structure, with an active Alumni Board providing post-graduation continuity.

There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on a Squarespace website, Instagram, email, and the events.dancemarathon.com donation portal. The organization raised $1,352,705.17 in 2017 (its highest reported total) and $1,075,281.24 in 2024, positioning it as the single largest scholastic donor to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The GTM motion is event-driven: recruit student volunteers through campus events and committee applications, convert participation into donations at flagship events, and retain alumni donors through mentorship and chapter-based outreach.

Name

UGA Miracle

Legal name

UGA Miracle

Website

https://ugamiracle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

UGA Miracle is a student-run philanthropic organization at the University of Georgia that raises funds for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta through the annual Dance Marathon, year-round fundraising events, merchandise sales, and corporate sponsorships, engaging thousands of students, 50+ Greek chapters, and an alumni network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Healthcare Fundraising / Pediatric Philanthropy

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Advancement Services & Donor Operations (CRM, Gift Processing, Stewardship) (EDALAOAD), Community Fundraisers & Charity Events (Gala/Walks excluded) (MPAGAEAK)

Keywords

• Student philanthropy fundraising
• Pediatric healthcare donations
• Dance Marathon events
• Greek life philanthropy
• Branded merchandise store

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: UGA Miracle generates revenue primarily through donations and fundraising events. Students, alumni, and supporters make donations during annual fundraising pushes and at events. The organization raised $1,075,281.24 in 2024 and $1,352,705.17 in 2017. The organization also accepts donations through its website and event donation pages (e.g., events.dancemarathon.com/ugamiracle27/donate).
2. Merchandise Sales: The organization operates an online store selling branded merchandise including sweatshirts ($40), sweat pants ($35), t-shirts ($20), hats ($25), beanies ($18), socks ($7), tumblers ($15), and bundles ($22). Sales are conducted through the organization's Squarespace e-commerce store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UGA Miracle is a student-run philanthropic organization at the University of Georgia that raises funds for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, specifically the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Rehabilitation Services. The organization generates donations through annual fundraising events (notably the flagship Dance Marathon at Stegeman Coliseum, IFC Golf Tournament, and year-round pushes) and operates an online merchandise store selling branded apparel, accessories, and event day passes.

Product overview

UGA Miracle is a student-run philanthropic organization at the University of Georgia benefiting Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The organization's primary offerings include an online merchandise store selling branded apparel and accessories (sweatshirts, sweat pants, t-shirts, socks, hats, beanies, tumblers), and the annual Dance Marathon capstone event. The merchandise store and event passes serve as fundraising mechanisms supporting pediatric healthcare services at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, including the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Rehabilitation Services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dance Marathon Annual Event Annual 13.5-hour Dance Marathon held at Stegeman Coliseum at the University of Georgia, serving as the flagship fundraising event for UGA Miracle; day passes are sold for $10 and the event mobilizes thousands of students, Greek chapters, Miracle Champion Families, and supporters to raise funds for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
• IFC Golf Tournament Annual Interfraternity Council Golf Tournament providing branded sponsorship opportunities (Silver $250 / Gold $500 / Platinum $750) to local businesses and supporters as a fundraising event for UGA Miracle benefiting Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
• UGA Miracle Branded Merchandise Store Online Squarespace e-commerce store selling branded apparel (sweatshirts $40, sweat pants $35, t-shirts $20, fuzzy socks $7), accessories (rope hats $25, beanies $18), drinkware (tumblers $15), vintage merch ($15), and event bundles such as the Winter Bundle ($22) to support UGA Miracle's fundraising mission.
• Event Sponsorship Packages Tiered corporate sponsorship packages for UGA Miracle events, including Silver ($250), Gold ($500), and Platinum ($750) levels for the IFC Golf Tournament, providing sponsor recognition and community association with the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Raised $1,075,281.24 in 2024 for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Children's Healthcare of AtlantacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA Miracle's primary beneficiary is Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, a local Children's Miracle Network hospital. The organization raises funds specifically for the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Rehabilitation Services at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is one of the largest pediatric healthcare systems in the U.S. with three hospitals (Egleston, Scottish Rite, Hughes Spalding) and over 1 million patient visits annually.
• Children's Miracle Network HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's Miracle Network Hospitals is the umbrella organization that originally approached the University of Georgia's Greek Life Office in 1995 to establish a Dance Marathon program on campus. This partnership spawned UGA Miracle.
• University of Georgia Greek Life OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA Miracle is the official philanthropy for Greek life at the University of Georgia. The Greek Life Office originally helped establish the organization in 1995. Over 50 Greek chapters participate annually, each led by a Team Captain.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON): THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, operating as the official Penn State IFC/Panhellenic dance marathon benefiting pediatric cancer patients at Penn State Hershey. It is the most comparable direct peer to UGA Miracle in structure (Dance Marathon, Greek life philanthropy, children's hospital beneficiary) and scale ambition.
• University of Maryland Dance Marathon: UMD DM is the official philanthropy of Maryland Greek life, raising funds for Children's National Hospital. Same Dance Marathon/Greek life model and CMN affiliation as UGA Miracle, making it a close structural peer.
• Indiana University Dance Marathon (IUDM): IUDM is a year-long student-run philanthropy at Indiana University benefiting Riley Hospital for Children. It mirrors UGA Miracle's structure (Dance Marathon, Greek life partnership, Children's Miracle Network affiliate beneficiary) and directly competes in the same collegiate philanthropy category.
• University of Iowa Dance Marathon: University of Iowa Dance Marathon is a student-led, year-long fundraising effort benefiting the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. It is structurally equivalent to UGA Miracle as a campus-based Dance Marathon supporting a local CMN-affiliated children's hospital.
• Ohio State University Dance Marathon (BuckeyeThon): BuckeyeThon is Ohio State's largest student philanthropy, a year-long fundraising effort culminating in a Dance Marathon benefiting Nationwide Children's Hospital. Same model, same beneficiary type (CMN hospital), and overlapping Greek life volunteer structure.
• Pitt Dance Marathon: Pitt Dance Marathon is a student-run philanthropy at the University of Pittsburgh benefiting UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Same Dance Marathon structure, CMN hospital beneficiary, and Greek life campus integration.
• University of Florida Dance Marathon (FTM): FTM is a student-run philanthropy at UF benefiting Shands Hospital for Children, structured around a 26.2-hour Dance Marathon. Operationally and missionally near-identical to UGA Miracle, with comparable annual fundraising scale.
• Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NU DM): Northwestern Dance Marathon is a student-run philanthropy benefiting Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Same year-round Dance Marathon model and CMN hospital beneficiary category.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: CMN Hospitals is the umbrella organization that originally partnered with UGA's Greek Life Office to launch the Dance Marathon program in 1995. It is the broader network/incumbent that supports UGA Miracle and its peer Dance Marathon programs.

Others

• Children's Healthcare of Atlanta: Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is UGA Miracle's sole beneficiary organization and primary strategic partner, receiving 100% of funds raised. Included for context rather than direct comparability, given it is the operating hospital partner, not a peer fundraiser.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ugamiracle
• Xx.com/UGAMiracle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uga-miracle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 UGA Miracle