MARCH FORTH WITH HOPE FOUNDATION INC

What MARCH FORTH WITH HOPE FOUNDATION INC does

March Forth With Hope Foundation Inc is a privately held, community-driven nonprofit foundation headquartered in the Charlotte, North Carolina metropolitan area (Indian Trail / Charlotte), providing direct financial assistance to families of children battling cancer or other life-threatening illnesses. The foundation was established in 2004 by Stuart and Shelby Stout following the death of their 12-year-old daughter Hope Elizabeth Stout, who in November 2003 used her Make-A-Wish to redirect her own wish toward granting wishes for the 155 other children then on the Make-A-Wish waiting list — an effort that culminated in a January 2004 gala raising $1,116,000. The organization operates with a small staff (1–10 employees) under co-founders Stuart and Shelby Stout and runs no technology product surface beyond a donation and merchandise storefront.

The foundation's revenue model is almost entirely donation-based, with three streams: direct monetary contributions via the website shop and at events (suggested $25), merchandise sales (autographed Hope's Wish book at $20), and annual event fundraising. Its two flagship recurring events — the Hope Stout Golf Classic (21st annual in October 2025, held at Rolling Hills Country Club in Monroe, NC) and the Celebration of Hope Gala (historically held at the Ballantyne Hotel in Charlotte) — drive the bulk of fundraising, with event-level proceeds historically ranging from $47K to $170K+. Corporate presenting sponsors have included MW Components, Yadkin Bank (14 consecutive years), Mercedes-Benz of South Charlotte, and Dynacast. The organization also sells branded merchandise and accepts dedicated donations toward an in-development Hope's Wish film, signaling a modest IP/media extension of the core brand.

Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on regional earned media (WBT Radio, Charlotte Observer), word-of-mouth referrals inspired by Hope Stout's story, and sustained relationships with regional corporate sponsors and venue partners. The foundation has no technology platform, no app, no AI capability, and operates within a single vertical (families facing pediatric life-threatening illness) across a Southeast US footprint, with no evidence of geographic expansion, headcount growth, or institutional funding.

Name

MARCH FORTH WITH HOPE FOUNDATION INC

Legal name

March Forth With Hope Foundation

Website

https://marchforthwithhope.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

March Forth With Hope Foundation is a Charlotte, NC-area nonprofit that provides financial assistance to families of children with cancer or life-threatening illnesses, funded through annual galas, golf tournaments, direct donations, and merchandise tied to the legacy of Hope Stout.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Charitable foundation services
• Family financial assistance
• Childhood cancer support
• Community fundraising events
• Nonprofit charitable giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Indian Trail

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The foundation accepts monetary donations through its website shop and at events. Suggested donation amount is $25. Donations support the foundation's mission of helping families of children with life-threatening illnesses.
2. Book Sales: Sale of 'Hope's Wish' book authored by Stuart and Shelby Stout, telling the story of Hope Stout. The autographed book is priced at $20.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including the Hope Stout Golf Classic and Celebration of Hope Gala generate significant revenue through registration fees, sponsorships, auction items, and donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

March Forth With Hope Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation that provides direct financial assistance to families of children facing cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. The foundation raises funds through individual donations, annual fundraising events such as the Hope Stout Golf Classic and Celebration of Hope Gala, corporate sponsorships, and merchandise sales (including the Hope's Wish book).

Product overview

March Forth With Hope Foundation is a charitable organization that provides financial assistance to families battling cancer or other life-threatening diseases. The foundation operates as a single-service charitable entity offering donation-based products including direct monetary donations to the foundation, donations supporting the Hope's Wish movie production, and branded merchandise (the Hope's Wish book). The products are primarily donation mechanisms rather than commercial offerings, serving as ways for supporters to contribute to the foundation's mission of helping families of children facing life-threatening illnesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hope's Wish: The story of Hope Stout who raised over $1MM to grant the wishes of 155 kids as she was losing her battle with cancer. Also refers to the book written by Stuart and Shelby Stout and the planned movie adaptation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped grant wishes for 155 children through the original Hope's Wish campaign
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

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 and minor.

• Make-A-Wish FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal partner in the Hope's Wish campaign - Make-A-Wish Foundation worked with Hope Stout to fulfill her wish to grant wishes for 155 children on the waiting list.
• Rolling Hills Country ClubminorOthersVenue host for the Hope Stout Golf Classic annually held at Rolling Hills Country Club in Monroe, NC.
• Ballantyne HotelminorOthersVenue host for the Celebration of Hope Gala events, held at the Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge in Charlotte, NC.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: National nonprofit providing housing, meals, and support services to families of sick children receiving medical treatment. Highly comparable to March Forth With Hope's mission of providing financial and logistical assistance to families of children with life-threatening illnesses.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: National nonprofit that grants wishes to children with critical illnesses. Make-A-Wish is directly comparable as the original partner in the Hope's Wish campaign and operates in the same mission space of providing transformative experiences to critically ill children, though at vastly larger scale.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Nonprofit focused on funding pediatric cancer research and supporting affected families. Direct peer targeting the same beneficiary population (children with cancer) and operating in the same donor/CSR fundraising space.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Childhood cancer foundation that funds research and provides financial support to families affected by childhood cancer. Direct peer as both organizations address the financial burden of pediatric cancer on families, with comparable family-assistance programs.
• American Childhood Cancer Organization: National nonprofit supporting children with cancer and their families through advocacy, education, and direct support programs. Comparable mission and family-support focus, though operates at a national rather than regional scale.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: National nonprofit accelerating childhood cancer research and supporting affected families. Comparable mission and event-driven fundraising model, including galas and community events.
• National Children's Cancer Society: Nonprofit providing financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer. Direct peer in mission and beneficiary services, particularly around financial assistance for treatment-related costs.
• Children's Cancer Research Fund: National nonprofit funding childhood cancer research and family support programs. Directly comparable mission, beneficiary population, and event-driven fundraising model.
• Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Nonprofit funding pediatric cancer research and treatment. Operates in the same donor/CSR space with comparable fundraising events (galas, golf tournaments) targeting the same corporate sponsor pool.

Broad incumbents

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Dominant national institution providing free pediatric cancer treatment and conducting research. Operates in the same broad space (childhood cancer support) but at vastly larger scale with clinical care as a primary focus rather than financial assistance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/marchforthwithhope
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/march-forth-with-hope-foundation-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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