USC Dance Marathon

Name

USC Dance Marathon

Legal name

University of South Carolina Dance Marathon

Website

https://uscdm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Philanthropy Fundraising

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Fundraisers & Charity Events (Gala/Walks excluded) (MPAGAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Road Running Events (Marathons, Half Marathons, 10K/5K) (MPAKAIAA), Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ), School Spirit & Events Programs (Pep Rally, Homecoming, Assemblies) (EDAJAJAL)

Keywords

• Student-run philanthropy
• Charitable fundraising organization
• Pediatric hospital fundraising
• Children's miracle network
• Event-driven fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Fundraising: Participants (Heroes) register and create personal fundraising pages through DonorDrive to collect donations from friends, family, and supporters throughout the year-long campaign.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Local businesses partner with USCDM through percent days, in-kind donations, and financial sponsorships. Various sponsorship tiers are offered including individual, 5K, and organization partnerships.
3. Mini Marathon School Contributions: K-12 schools hosting Mini Marathons contribute to USCDM's fundraising total, with individual schools raising over $30,000 in some cases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

USC Dance Marathon is a student-run philanthropic organization at the University of South Carolina that conducts year-long fundraising campaigns for Prisma Health Children's Hospital - Midlands. Its primary offering is the annual Main Event dance marathon, which serves as the culmination of fundraising efforts, complemented by Mini Marathons at K-12 schools and individual participant registration through the Heroes Program. The organization has raised over $9 million for the hospital since its founding in 1999.

Product overview

USC Dance Marathon is a student-run philanthropic organization operating as a single unified cause-based program rather than a platform-with-modules architecture. The core offering is the annual Main Event—a dance marathon that serves as the culmination of a year-long fundraising campaign for Prisma Health Children's Hospital. Supporting this are Mini Marathons (K-12 school extensions), the Heroes Program (individual participant registration), DonorDrive (fundraising platform), Ignite (leadership development for underclassmen), Morale (energy/entertainment branch), and Team Captain Program (organizational liaison network). These products work together to enable comprehensive year-round fundraising and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USCDM Main Event The annual signature dance marathon event serving as the culmination of USCDM's year-long fundraising campaign. Participants stand and dance for an extended period while enjoying entertainment, games, line dances, and interactions with Miracle Families. Open to USC students, participants, and community supporters.
• Mini Marathons Extension program that brings USCDM's mission into local K-12 schools, enabling students to host smaller-scale fundraising events such as competitions or 4 to 6-hour mini dance marathons. Proceeds directly contribute to Prisma Health Children's Hospital. Active school partners include Cardinal Newman School, Dreher High School, White Knoll High School, Fulmer Middle School, and Saxe Gotha Elementary School.
• Heroes Program Individual participant registration program where USC students and supporters register as Heroes and gain access to a personal fundraising page on DonorDrive plus all USCDM events, including the annual Main Event. Heroes fundraise individually from friends, family, and supporters throughout the year-long campaign.
• Corporate Sponsorship Program Corporate sponsorship program offering partnership packages for local businesses through percent days, in-kind donations, and financial sponsorships at various levels (individual, 5K, and organization partnership tiers). Provides brand visibility and community engagement opportunities for sponsoring businesses.
• DonorDrive Fundraising Platform USCDM's online fundraising platform provided through DonorDrive, used by internal and external participants to create customizable fundraising pages, track personal milestones year-over-year, and accept donations. Enables finance leadership to analyze donation trends, participant retention, and best practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $9 million raised for Prisma Health Children's Hospital - Midlands
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Prisma Health Children's Hospital - MidlandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary beneficiary of USCDM fundraising efforts. The hospital is a member of Children's Miracle Network and the largest freestanding children's hospital in South Carolina, serving over 150,000 children annually. USCDM funds support charitable care, equipment, research, education, and the Child Life Program. USCDM has raised over $9 million for this hospital since inception, including funding for an accessible outdoor playground.
• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSCDM is a member of CMN Hospitals, which encompasses 170 children's hospitals in the United States and Canada. This partnership connects USCDM to a national network of over 400 campus Dance Marathon organizations and provides the operational framework for the organization's mission.
• DonorDrivecoreTechnology or IntegrationDonorDrive is USCDM's fundraising platform used by internal and external participants. Users create customizable fundraising pages, track personal milestones year-over-year, and the platform allows finance leadership to analyze donation trends, participant retention, and determine best practices.
• 2025 Sponsors (Corporate)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal businesses partner with USCDM through percent days, in-kind donations, and sponsorships at various levels. Sponsorship packets are available for individual, 5K, and organization partnership levels. These collaborations help raise awareness for the cause and provide visibility opportunities for community partners.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Miracle Network Dance Marathon: The national Dance Marathon program brand under CMN Hospitals. Operates the shared registration (events.dancemarathon.com used by USCDM) and cross-campus fundraising infrastructure.
• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals): The national umbrella organization of 170 children's hospitals that USCDM is affiliated with. Operates the broader Miracle Network Dance Marathon program framework and 400+ partner campus organizations.

Direct peers

• University of Florida Dance Marathon: A top-tier CMN-affiliated Dance Marathon at a large public university, closely mirroring USCDM's structure: student Executive Board, Heroes/participants, year-long fundraising culminating in a Main Event for a children's hospital.
• University of Maryland Terp Thon: CMN-affiliated student-run Dance Marathon at University of Maryland benefiting Children's National Hospital. Comparable event format, leadership structure, and cause area as USCDM.
• Penn State Dance Marathon (THON): The largest and most famous university Dance Marathon in the CMN network, raising tens of millions annually for pediatric cancer. Directly comparable to USCDM in mission (student-run philanthropy benefiting a children's hospital via an annual dance marathon), structure (year-long fundraising, Main Event culmination), and affiliation with CMN Hospitals.
• Indiana University Dance Marathon (IUDM): One of the largest student-run Dance Marathons in the country, benefiting Riley Hospital for Children. Directly comparable event format, beneficiary type, and operating model to USCDM.
• University of Iowa Dance Marathon (Hawkeye Dance Marathon): CMN-affiliated student-run dance marathon at a public university in the Midwest, structurally identical to USCDM: Heroes fundraising, K-12 extensions, student Executive Board, hospital beneficiary.
• University of Michigan Dance Marathon (Mighty Michigan March): Major CMN-affiliated Dance Marathon at a Big Ten university. Same operating model, donor/participant structure, and event format as USCDM.

Others

• DonorDrive: The fundraising SaaS platform USCDM uses for Hero registration pages and donation tracking. A technology infrastructure partner rather than a peer; relevant for understanding the platform layer supporting USCDM's fundraising operations.

Emerging players

• Big Event at Iowa State University: A large student-run community service day philanthropy at Iowa State. Comparable as a comparable student-run philanthropy but not specifically Dance Marathon format or CMN-affiliated.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/USCDM
• Facebookfacebook.com/USCDanceMarathon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uscdm
• Instagraminstagram.com/uscdancemarathon
• TikToktiktok.com/@uscdancemarathon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 USC Dance Marathon