How Much Money From March Of Dimes Goes To Charity? | Fast Facts

Donors ask this a lot, and for good reason: you want to see your gift at work. The latest public data show that March of Dimes directs the bulk of its budget to mission work—research, NICU family support, advocacy, and education—while a smaller share covers fundraising and administration. Below you’ll find the current ratios, how they’re calculated, where the money flows, and how to read the fine print so you can give with confidence.

What The Current Ratios Say

Charity Navigator’s finance analysis—built from the nonprofit’s three most recent IRS Forms 990—lists a Program Expense Ratio of 78.84%. In plain terms, that means roughly $0.79 of every dollar is spent on programs and services across the latest multi-year window. Its Fundraising Efficiency is shown at $0.11 to raise each donated dollar, a typical range for large U.S. health charities. These figures come directly from the organization’s filed returns and are averaged to smooth one-year swings. (Charity Navigator program expense ratio)

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance posts a one-year snapshot from audited financials: for the year ended Dec. 31, 2022, March of Dimes spent 77% on programs, 12% on fundraising, and 11% on administration. BBB also notes how joint costs from educational mailings are allocated among program, admin, and fundraising, which helps explain small swings year to year. (BBB Wise Giving Alliance breakdown)

How Much Money From March Of Dimes Goes To Charity? Breakdown And Context

When people search “how much money from march of dimes goes to charity?” they want a clear share of total expenses that reach programs. Based on the sources above, the working answer sits around eight dollars out of ten. The exact figure can shift with investment gains or losses, event revenue, joint-cost mailings, and pension accounting. That’s why analysts average across filings and also show single-year audit views.

Where Program Dollars Go

Program spending isn’t one monolith. It’s a bundle of grants, services, education, and policy work aimed at healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Here’s a quick map of the major buckets you’re actually funding.

Spending Area	What It Funds	Typical Outputs
Prematurity Research	Grants and research center work on preterm birth drivers and interventions	Peer-reviewed studies, research collaborations, pilot trials
NICU Family Support	On-site staff, family education, parent materials, connection to resources	Classes, support sessions, resource kits in NICUs nationwide
Professional Education	Guidance for clinicians, toolkits, perinatal quality efforts	Training modules, clinical practice resources, quality collaboratives
Public Education	Pregnancy health content, digital tools, community workshops	Online libraries, local events, multilingual materials
Advocacy	Policy work at federal and state levels on maternal and infant health	Legislative wins, policy briefs, coalition campaigns
Community Programs	Grants and outreach to improve care access and outcomes	Local partnerships, screening and referral programs
Data & Reporting	PeriStats, Report Cards, and monitoring of national trends	Annual report cards, state dashboards, trend analyses
Events & Mission Delivery	Mission-driven parts of events that educate or serve families	Mission activations within March for Babies and local events

How Analysts Calculate “Goes To Charity”

Two common methods appear in donor tools:

• Program Expense Ratio = Program Expenses ÷ Total Expenses. This tells you the share of spending that delivered mission services over a year or an average of years. (method detail)
• Dollar-to-Raise-$1 = Fundraising Expenses ÷ Contributions. This tells you how costly fundraising is relative to gifts brought in. BBB lists fundraising costs equal to 13% of related contributions for 2022. (BBB calculation)

Close Variant: How Much March Of Dimes Donation Goes To Programs — Latest Ratio

Here’s the quick read for donors who just want a number to plan a gift. Based on multi-year averaging from Form 990 filings, March of Dimes spends about 78–79% on programs. A recent single-year audit shows a nearby result at 77%. Either view puts program spending at roughly eight dollars of every ten, with the balance shared by fundraising and administration. (Annual reports & filings hub)

What Can Shift The Ratio

Large national charities can see swings from a few levers:

• Events mix: Big events add revenue and mission delivery, but also event costs.
• Joint-cost mailings: Educational mail that also asks for support is split among program, admin, and fundraising. BBB lists the exact allocations for March of Dimes in 2022.
• Pension and investment items: Non-cash pension costs or market moves can change totals without reflecting a shift in day-to-day mission work.
• One-time grants or wind-downs: A big grant cycle or a pause can push the program share up or down for a single year.

How Much Money From March Of Dimes Goes To Charity? Your $100 At Work

People also search “how much money from march of dimes goes to charity?” to picture an everyday gift. Using the Charity Navigator average and BBB’s one-year split, here’s a clear way to think about a $100 donation.

Per $100 Donated	Share	What It Covers
Programs & Services	$77–$79	Research, NICU family support, education, advocacy
Fundraising	~$12	Appeals, events, donor relations, joint-cost mailings (portion)
Management & General	~$9–$11	Finance, HR, IT, legal, governance, audit

How To Check The Source Numbers Yourself

If you like to read the raw filings, you can. The group posts its annual report and Form 990 on its website. The finance pages show program services, management and general, and fundraising lines that roll up to the ratios you see in donor tools. Start at the annual reports hub, then open the latest Form 990 PDF. (Annual reports page)

How March Of Dimes Measures Impact

Ratios are only part of the picture. Donor value also depends on outcomes. March of Dimes publishes a yearly Report Card on preterm birth rates and inequities, along with PeriStats data tools used by clinicians, journalists, and policymakers. The measures track progress, gaps by state, and priority populations, which helps donors see where programs aim to move the needle. (Report Card)

Reading Ratings In Context

Program ratios vary across nonprofits by model. Research-heavy work can carry higher admin and grant management costs. National field programs require staff and travel. The right question is not “lowest overhead,” but “does the mix match the mission and deliver results?” For March of Dimes, the mix shows most dollars reaching mission work, with fund development and admin supporting scale and accountability.

Practical Tips For Donors

Here’s a simple way to make sure your dollars line up with your goals:

1. Check two sources: Look at the Charity Navigator page for the multi-year average and the BBB page for the latest audit split.
2. Scan the Form 990: Open the most recent PDF and find Part I and Part IX for totals and functional expenses. It’s easier than it looks once you know where the lines sit.
3. Skim outcomes: Look at the most recent report card and program outputs. Numbers plus results tell the full story.
4. Consider recurring gifts: Monthly gifts can lower per-dollar fundraising costs over time.
5. Give unrestricted unless you have a project in mind: Unrestricted gifts help the group direct funds to the highest-need areas quickly.

FAQ-Style Clarifications (Without The FAQ Block)

Is The 78–79% Number A Guarantee Every Year?

No. It’s the current outcome of the latest filings and, for Charity Navigator, a three-year average. Single years can land a few points above or below due to the factors listed earlier.

Why Do Different Sites Show Slightly Different Shares?

One site may use a three-year average; another may present a single year with joint-cost allocations spelled out. Both begin with the same audited statements or IRS filings.

Does Fundraising Spend Help The Mission?

Yes. Fundraising brings in future program dollars and often carries an educational message. BBB’s note on joint costs explains how a single mailing can include both mission content and a call to give, which then gets split across categories in a set ratio.

Bottom Line For Donors

If you’re deciding where to give, the latest public data say that March of Dimes spends about eight out of ten dollars on programs that support moms and babies. The rest keeps lights on and campaigns running. If you want the freshest number, check the Charity Navigator profile and the BBB Wise Giving report linked above before you donate.