Raising a record $61 million, the flagship MDA telethon nevertheless accounts for only a quarter of the organization's fund raising.
Washington Post reporter Peter Carlson is to be admired for providing a synopsis of the entire Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon ("The Shtick Shift"). We talked about the Muscular Dystropy Association (EIN 13-1665552 Form 990) earlier this year, right about the time of the passing of its long-time CEO Robert Ross. Ross, who started with the MDA in its public relations department, came up with the idea of the national Telethon (although Lewis and, earlier, Martin & Lewis were involved with an earlier telethon on local New York television).
MDA is a huge charity and highly unusual in its fundraising: over 90% of its $186 million income comes from public contributions. It receives no government grants or contracts and no program service income at all. Most (84% ) of its public contibutions—$145 million—come from fundraising events. And only a quarter of that is from the telethon:
Event
Number
Gross
Event cost
Net
Telethon
1
$54 million
$15 million
$38 million
Sports Programs
1,780
$21 million
$4 million
$17 million
Social events
300
$13 million
$3 million
$10 million
Other events
39,489
$88 million
$8 million
$80 million
Total
$176 million
$30 million
$146 million
In other words, the telethon is just a part of the organization's strategy. It establishes the brand.
This year's $61 million collection compares to last year's $54 million (right after Katrina) and $59 million the previous year (Hurricane Frances). The last non-hurricane-year take was $60.5 million in 2003. So here's pretty good evidence that major disasters do have an effect on other fund raising.
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