Need for better marketing and leadership
Posted by chgotherapist  |  November 19, 2009 11:06:11 AM

I think the MOD could increase its revenue if its mission were more clearly delineated and an up-to-date marketing strategy were implemented. Utilizing its outdated methods and gimmicks (mailing labels, phone calls and dimes)to increase donations is wasteful. The March of Dimes has not strongly capitalized on its mission of preventing premature births. The most valuable part of a recent mailing is the INFORMATION contained in the "Preparing for Pregnancy Checklist" and the "Five Tips for a Healthier Baby." It should be readily available as handouts in doctors offices, libraries, etc. The MOD states that it funds "research and medical support, public and professional education, and community services." What specifically? The public needs to have evidence of what they are being asked to support. The President AND the Board have failed miserably at this. I will donate when I see change and its 2 star(out of 4) rating by Charity Navigator improves.

mailings
Posted by Trish  |  November 3, 2009 11:03:17 AM

I am checking out MOD because of mailing I received yesterday with the dime in it and of course the address labels. If I could sell all the address labels I have received from every charity, I could make a fortune. I used to give years ago when it was the old MOD and once or twice in recent years. I think I am more confused after reading the comments here. Since they all make sense, it is harder now for me to make up my mind. That being said, I think the naysayers have convinced me more than the supporters. I give to many charities and I like another here have a few dollars to give and want to give wisely and cannot give to everyone.

Another thought before I close, I have a piggy bank in my kitchen and everytime I receive nickels, dimes and the occasional quarter it goes in that bank. It is about half full. Does that give you an idea of all the money being misspent by charities?

Administration not the mission
Posted by Oscar  |  November 3, 2009 10:13:47 AM

Their mission and research funding is good. Managers and irresponsible spending is very bad.

In order to change that, they will need to replace some of their management. They have an unbelievably high turn over rate among lower level coordinator positions. That should be a HUGE red flag, especially when year to year turnover is in excess of 20% of staff?!?

Sending out mailers w/dimes in them?!? That's insane from just an objective cost analysis. Telemarketing phone calls - an absolute waste of donor dollars. Some of the managers I've met are just plain over their heads.

I agree with Mr.H, get good people with the proper motivation and a forward thinking mindset, that will fix what ails March of Dimes.

Motivation
Posted by mrh  |  October 30, 2009 2:56:48 PM

Why not look for a PhD/CEO motivated not by greed, but with a huge streak of altruism (peppered with some guilt) to match that expected of their donors? With the magic of computers, huge databases, and mass mailings, how much expertise does it take to produce mail-outs, labels, calendars, and cards to blanket the nation twice-over with monthly appeals? This organization still has recognition power from a dwindling older generation that remembers the original campaign against polio, but that won't last much longer. - From a PhD who doesn't think Charities should be run like Wall Street.

waste of contributions
Posted by Matilda  |  October 20, 2009 10:55:16 AM

Honestly, in the past month, I have probably received more than 50 phone calls from the MOD. Their telemarketers are unrelenting. They call Sat. nights, Sunday morning at 8 AM, etc. - without mercy - from several different locations. When I see their name on my caller ID now, I just disconnect them. I never expect to contribute to the MOD again. Such a waste of contributions is inexcusable.

Prematurity
Posted by JustADonor  |  October 14, 2009 9:45:35 AM

No other major charity does prematurity prevention work. Charity Navigator considers MOD's peers to be charities that do birth defect prevention--search "prematurity" and MOD is the only charity that shows up. If your concern is preventing premature birth (now 12.7% of births and growing), MOD is the only game in town. I think it probably ought to have its rating bumped for that reason alone: the rating is supposedly based on comparing it to other charities in its "cause." As another thankful mom, I will continue to give money to the MOD.

However, if anyone from MOD is reading, I really hope you'll stop sending out dimes and address labels--I'd rather you spend the money on research than gimmicky solicitations.

response
Posted by Oscar  |  October 14, 2009 8:45:48 AM

Thankful Mom: I'm sure you were responding to the overall postings. The organization has good intentions. My point is simply, if you knew the waste that goes on, the arrogance and the unethical behavior of some, you would want them to over haul their management. This is money that is wasted when it could be spent on the research that helps those that have been in a situation similar to you.

To knowingly continue to waste money undermines the good work that the research accomplishes. The mission is not what most of these posters have issue with, it is the administration.

March of Dimes
Posted by Thankful Mom  |  October 12, 2009 5:54:34 AM

WOW! Have any of you people ever lost a child to prematurity? Grand child? Have any of you ever been told that you may lose a child, laid up on bed rest for the final four months of your pregnancy? I can tell you that it is heart wrenching and I can also tell you that the March of Dimes has some AMAZING people and programs to help people in those situations. You need to do some more research and possibly expose yourself to a NICCU unit in a hospital. You are condemning an organization that has done so much to help so many. OK, so the CEO may be overpaid, granted, but that does not mean that the organization has not done what it claims it will do. Have you ever actually studied the amount of research that this organization funds each year for many medical breakthroughs? Have you ever actually spent any amount of time during one of the walks that are organized and put together? Do you have any understanding of the time and energy volunteers alone put into this every year? It appears NOT!

The Truth
Posted by Oscar  |  September 3, 2009 6:33:19 AM

Big Picture & NonProfit CEO sound like they memorized the "company line."

The Truth is that this charity is extremely wasteful, and a very bureaucratic clique-y girls club. Year to year, the amount of waste in paper supplies, signage, and "marketing material" is horrible. Their method to fundraise is extremely outdated and their arrogance offensive.

I have seen, first hand, this waste and the unethical behavior exhibited by staffers. Items that have been donated by well intentioned companies and individuals is taken for personal use, pressure to toe the company line and not speak up about these conditions is encouraged, and overall inefficiency is abundant.

Simply look at the turnover of staff from year to year. I was told that it was acceptable to have 30% turnover of staff. Acceptable?!? That is outrageous, to say the least.

While the mission is very ambiguous, the organization, as a whole, has good intentions. However, I would simply not waste my time, energy, and money for a charity that permeates the idea that you are fortunate to be allowed to be associated with them.

They should be overhauled from top to bottom. It won't happen because there are managers & executives in place that "cover" for each other and simply replace those that do not fall in line.

To take a once noble charity and reduce it to this, is shameful.

Big money
Posted by elderjack21  |  August 18, 2009 6:06:32 AM

So what if it is a big company. There should be plenty of big caliber people out there willing to volunteer their time for jobs like these. How hard can it be to manage March of Dimes. It is like a self licking ice cream cone. With a name and history like that, I could run it without a PhD. Taking my money elsewhere.

March of Dimes
Posted by albuck  |  August 11, 2009 9:33:12 AM

You people really don't get it do you? The March of Dimes received a 2 star rating not because of the CEO's Salary. The CEO of the AHA makes $1M. The reason MOD scored so low was because of not enough growth in program expenses and overall revenue. Actually the program expenses are very normal for a non-profit that size. MOD could actually stand to take a hit on fundraising expenses and still get a better score. The easiest way I see for MOD to get a better score is to either look at fundraising expense as an investment and use wisely to increase revenue even if fundraising expenses increase slightly and/or to make sure all fundraisers are being proactive in meeting their goals for each event they work.

salaries
Posted by NONPROFITCEO  |  July 19, 2009 6:11:25 PM

WOW! I cant believe the pounding The March of Dimes is getting. All from people who have NO idea what it takes to run a non profit, especially one as large as this.

Your tax dollars are bailing out banks with CEO's that make 20-30 million dollars a year and you say nothing.

Being the CEO or Executive Director of an organization such as The March of Dimes is a TREMENDOUS undertaking. The Board of Directors sets and reviews the salary of the CEO. I think they are in a much better position to evaluate their salary structure better than anyone on this forum.

Could you bring that salary down? Yes but not by much. What they need to do is reevaluate how they fundraise.

The Real Picture
Posted by Big Picture  |  July 16, 2009 12:02:01 PM

Think about what you're saying before you say it. Take a look at the rest of the charities around... you may be surprised. The March of Dimes is one of the oldest, honest and efficient charities that exist, especially considering that 1 out of every 8 babies born is born premature, nearly 500,000 in the US every year! Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality. We must help fund the mission to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, prematurity, and infant mortality!

If you donate $1 to the March of Dimes. $.76 goes to the mission, $.15 goes to the supplies and tools necessary to achieve the mission, and only about $.09 goes to the salary of thousands who work for the organization.

Yes, the CEO of the March of Dimes has what seems to be a high paying job but when you figure in the statistics above they are efficient in their spending.

From Polio to Greed
Posted by Wayfarer  |  April 24, 2009 7:34:29 AM

Remember that the March of Dimes' early mission was to cure or prevent polio. Once that mission was accomplished, did the organization dissolve? Of course not. Highly paid staffers wanted to keep their jobs so they found a new mission. So the real mission is to keep their highly paid jobs. Just like Congressmen's mission first and foremeost is to get reelected. So we just keep pumping in dimes just like we keep reelecting scavenging politicians.

inefficiency
Posted by Dianne Bodeen  |  April 22, 2009 1:32:07 PM

I cannot believe the number of mailings I have had from this organization, as well as one phone call. And I had already been identified as a volunteer. I sent in the several contributions I had received from my neighbors, along with my own, over three weeks ago, and still got another notice today. What about computerization? I was not surprised to see this charity receive only two stars with inefficiency noted. I will not volunteer again until I see some improvement; my dollars are few, but they need to be well spent.

valuable organization
Posted by Aunt Mary  |  April 22, 2009 6:06:07 AM

If the CEO was worth the salary, she would have figured out how to streamline the org. and improve this rating. If she was serving for the right reasons she would work for much less. That being said, the March of Dimes does some very important, life changing work. I am a nurse and see the direct benefit of their work. I will keep giving, but will also communicate my concerns over the allocation of funds.

CEO Salary
Posted by Leslie J.  |  April 14, 2009 8:35:30 AM

I've long believed that the Red Cross CEO is overpaid. As for March of Dimes, Dr. Howse is also overpaid. PhD or not, there is only so much work that can be done in a day. Ultimately, I'm sure the Board (Is there a Board? How much are they paid?) could find someone with a caring heart who would gladly perform as well, maybe better, for much, much less.

Dr. Howse
Posted by MOD  |  April 13, 2009 5:46:49 AM

The CEO at Red Cross and American Cancer make MORE MONEY than the CEO for this organization. Please note: She holds a PhD. The March of Dimes has employees across the US and overseas. They have very little admin support. One person has to manage an average of 800 fundraisers and volunteers. Dr. Howse is underpaid. I think a lot of people have a very nieve and unrealistic view of large non-profit organizations.

Wasteful Shame
Posted by Philanthropist  |  April 6, 2009 6:05:54 AM

March of Dimes is a charity gone wild.

1. Countless expensive mailings 2. Mailing dimes to people 3. Outrageous CEO salary

Fire the CEO and the marketing department and get back to doing charitable work.

They market themselves like a timeshare!

mailings
Posted by ald  |  April 3, 2009 6:15:16 AM

The number of mailings and volume of address labels and note pads is ABSURD. What a waste of resources.I am discontinuing contributions for that reason.

Ethics
Posted by GJK  |  February 19, 2009 2:01:53 PM

The crass attempt to intimidate people into donating violates ethical standards established for charities operating in the United States. Huge fundraising expenses, a half-million dollars on one employee... forget it!

Efficiency
Posted by TJ  |  January 7, 2009 8:34:26 AM

Too much money spent on fundraising especially since others like me are doing the mailing... $500k should buy a more creative approach!

ceo salary
Posted by guy  |  January 5, 2009 7:11:07 AM

Ceo salary is heavy, but it is 0.22 % of their overall revenue. Running a $240 million dollar charity has a lot of responsibility. Finding someone with the talent to run that kind of operation may well require mid six digit salaries.

Mailings and CEO salary
Posted by Barb  |  December 23, 2008 3:55:03 AM

am sad to see the mission not focused on saving to continue doing so much good. When mailing decrease and salary decrease will start to give again

dimes
Posted by wesley/sadie  |  December 15, 2008 6:57:21 AM

must have tons of money to send out dimes to everyone

mailings
Posted by hardtimes  |  November 18, 2008 7:38:23 AM

I have to wonder if their rating would improve by lowering the ceo's salary and reducing the number of mailings asking for money.

CEO salary
Posted by Yvette  |  June 17, 2008 12:13:52 PM

Half a million bucks? No way!