In 2024, the American Cancer Society raised about $749 million from the public and recorded $840 million in total revenue.
The question on many donors’ minds is simple: how much money does the American Cancer Society raise in a year, and where does it come from? You’ll find a clear, sourced breakdown below, using the nonprofit’s audited statements and filings. You’ll also see how those dollars are generated across gifts, events, bequests, and investment returns, plus how the overall revenue picture has shifted year to year.
Quick View Of Dollars Raised In 2024 And 2023
The figures here come from ACS’s audited 2024 financial statements, which include a side-by-side view of 2024 and 2023. The table shows core inflows that power programs, research grants, patient lodging, rides, and helpline operations.
| Funding Source | 2024 (USD) | 2023 (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Special events (walks, galas, Relay For Life, etc.) | $189,144,000 | $175,252,000 |
| Contributions of cash and other financial assets | $265,093,000 | $262,270,000 |
| Bequests | $197,698,000 | $167,414,000 |
| Contributed services, merchandise, and other nonfinancial gifts | $82,020,000 | $117,782,000 |
| Other public giving (in-kind and misc.) | $15,297,000 | $15,437,000 |
| Total public giving | $749,252,000 | $738,155,000 |
| Investment income, net | $72,800,000 | $88,580,000 |
| Change in split-interest agreements | $28,396,000 | $42,662,000 |
| Government grants and contracts | $5,192,000 | $5,992,000 |
| Other gains/(losses), net | $(15,376,000) | $(9,664,000) |
| Total revenues, gains, and other support, net | $840,264,000 | $865,725,000 |
Those numbers answer the headline question for the latest year on record: ACS’s public giving crossed $749 million in 2024, while total organization-wide revenue reached $840 million across all sources, including markets and planned-giving instruments. Both sets of figures are drawn directly from the Consolidated Statement of Activities in the audited report (pages 7–8).
How Much Money Does The American Cancer Society Raise? Year-By-Year View
To see the pattern across time, scan both the audited reports and the IRS filings. Public giving in 2023 stood at $738 million with total revenue of $866 million. That sits near the band visible in ACS’s Form 990 trend data and helps frame typical annual inflows for the charity.
What Counts As “Money Raised” For ACS
When someone asks, “how much money does the American Cancer Society raise,” they usually mean donations from individuals, estates, and companies, including event proceeds. Audited statements group these streams under public giving: cash gifts, bequests, event revenue, and in-kind items. The same statements also show investment income and grant income. Add those pieces together, and you get total revenue for the year.
Where The Dollars Come From
Individual And Family Gifts
These include one-time donations, monthly pledges, workplace giving, donor-advised fund transfers, and memorial gifts. In 2024, this line totaled $265 million. Large, consistent household giving is a big reason ACS sustains grants and patient programs at scale.
Bequests And Planned Gifts
Estate gifts are a major pillar. In 2024, bequests reached $198 million, up from $167 million the prior year. Planned gifts can vary with probate timelines and market values, which is why the bequest line bounces a bit year over year.
Special Events
Flagship fundraisers like Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and Relay For Life bring in event income and sponsor dollars. Event revenue landed at $189 million in 2024, edging up from $175 million in 2023.
In-Kind Gifts
Contributed merchandise and donated professional services are booked as noncash inflows. This category came to $82 million in 2024. In-kind value can fluctuate because it depends on corporate campaigns and volunteer projects in any given year.
Investments, Grants, And Split-Interest Items
Investment results matter. Net investment income added $73 million in 2024. Split-interest agreements (such as charitable trusts) added $28 million. Government grants and contracts were a smaller slice at $5 million.
How ACS Spends Money Raised
Every dollar raised only tells half the story. Audited statements also show where funds flow. The 2024 expense picture is summarized below, drawn from the same report’s program and mission support sections (page 7).
| Expense Category (2024) | Amount (USD) | Share Of Total* |
|---|---|---|
| Patient programs | $426,291,000 | 50.5% |
| Research | $198,658,000 | 23.5% |
| Advocacy | $59,852,000 | 7.1% |
| Management and general | $35,440,000 | 4.2% |
| Fundraising | $124,626,000 | 14.8% |
| Total expenses | $844,867,000 | 100% |
*Shares use the $844.9 million total shown in the audited statements.
How To Read These Numbers With Confidence
Audited financials are prepared under US GAAP and reviewed by an independent firm (BDO). They provide a full view of ACS, including national operations, the Cancer Action Network affiliate where relevant in combined presentations, and ACS Puerto Rico, depending on the document. If you prefer tax filings, ACS also posts its IRS Form 990s so you can compare revenue and expense lines to the audited set.
Why Public Giving And Total Revenue Don’t Always Move In Lockstep
Event totals can rise while investment returns dip, or vice versa. That’s why total revenue and public giving don’t always track one another. In 2024, public giving ticked up to $749 million even as investment income eased from 2023 levels, pulling the total slightly below the prior year.
How Much Of A Donated Dollar Reaches Mission Work
In 2024, the audited statements show mission program services—patient programs, research, and advocacy—totaling $685 million, or roughly four-fifths of total expenses when combined with mission support lines. ACS also states on its governance page that a large majority of resources go toward mission work each year, aligning with the audited split you see above.
What Drives Year-To-Year Changes
Bequest Cycles
Estate gifts can arrive in waves due to probate timelines. That’s why the bequest line rose from $167 million in 2023 to $198 million in 2024.
Event Calendars
Weather, venue timing, sponsor plans, and volunteer capacity affect event totals. When headline events hit target dates and enjoy strong turnout, the event line climbs.
Market Swings
Investment income responds to equity and fixed-income markets. The 2024 audited set shows a lower net investment figure than 2023, which shaped total revenue even as giving stayed strong.
How Your Gift Can Be Directed
Donors fund current programs through general gifts, cover named research grants, or build long-run strength through endowments and split-interest plans. Each route shows up in the audited statements either as current-year revenue, restricted revenue released to programs, or changes in net assets.
How Much Money Does The American Cancer Society Raise? Practical Benchmarks For Donors
If you’re setting a personal or corporate goal, use these two guideposts from the latest audited year:
- Public giving: roughly $750 million in 2024.
- Total revenue: roughly $840 million in 2024 across donations, events, planned-giving instruments, grants, and investment returns.
Pair those benchmarks with event calendars in your city and the matching-gift options your employer already offers. Many companies match at a 1:1 rate, letting you double the impact without changing your out-of-pocket amount.
Method Notes
All dollar amounts and category names track the audited Consolidated Statement of Activities for 2024 and 2023. Totals are presented as reported; percentages are simple math off the audited rows. When you compare to the Form 990, expect line-item labels to differ slightly due to tax-return formats, but core totals should reconcile across documents for the same fiscal period.
Bottom Line For The Headline Question
For the latest audited year, how much money does the American Cancer Society raise? The answer: about $749 million in public giving, with $840 million in total revenue across all sources, as documented in ACS’s 2024 audited statements.