St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a well-known institution that provides medical services to children who are suffering from cancer and other catastrophic illnesses. St. Jude takes cases that are beyond the scope of expertise of other medical centers. The research hospital stands apart from other facilities because families never have to pay. Because the hospital helps children without charging, many people think of it favorably and choose to donate to help fund the treatment and research of these health conditions. These funds are necessary for St. Jude to continue to operate.
Philanthropists may wonder whether St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a worthy organization to donate to. According to Charity Navigator, the hospital has an overall rating of 91%. It’s 100% transparent, while the financial rating is slightly lower. With a four-star rating, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital ranks among the higher causes. The hospital has maintained this rating since 2017.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital makes it easy for people who want to donate to get involved. Donors can search for fundraising events such as fun runs, lemonade stands, or sports events near them. If there are no events, donors can choose to create their own fundraisers. Donors will be set up with their own fundraising websites, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provides email templates, multimedia, and tips to help promote those fundraisers.
While fundraisers certainly help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, fundraisers make up only a small portion of overall contributions. Gifts, grants, and other large donations make up the bulk of funds donated to St. Jude (93.8%). This is followed by government grants at 5.4% of the total funds. Federated campaigns and fundraisers make up less than 1% of donations together.
Knowing exactly where those contributions go encourages donors to participate. In 2018, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital spent approximately $1 billion in its programs. St. Jude spent $457 million on patient care and slightly less on research. Education and training take up a smaller portion of funds at $153 million spent. All of this was covered by the year’s contributions, which accounted for a revenue of $1.8 billion. There was an excess of $442 million after all of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s expenses were accounted for.