Dance Marathon at UF Raises $316,902.54
Students raised the funds during the 26.2-hour Transform Today fundraiser held October 20-21 to benefit UF Health Shands Children's Hospital.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Dance Marathon at UF raised $316,902.54 during its fall fundraising initiative, Transform Today, held October 20-21. The 26.2-hour event brings together University of Florida students to raise funds and awareness for UF Health Shands Children's Hospital.
Why it matters
The funds directly support pediatric care and research at the hospital, which serves children across the region. The total contributes to the program's long-running effort to support young patients and their families in Gainesville.
Transform Today raised $316,902.54 over 26.2 hours, part of a program that has raised over $34 million since it began. The source does not break down how the fall total compares with earlier fundraisers.
The players
Dance Marathon at UF
A University of Florida student organization that raises money for UF Health Shands Children's Hospital through year-round fundraising events.
UF Health Shands Children's Hospital
The pediatric hospital in Gainesville that receives 100 percent of Dance Marathon at UF's fundraising proceeds.
The details
Transform Today featured cause-connection programming, fundraising activities, and campus-wide events, and was followed by a Moralloween post-event where Miracle Families wore costumes and witnessed the total reveal. Half of the funds support UF College of Medicine pediatric research, and half go toward patient care, programs, capital improvements, and equipment at the hospital.
Timeline
October 20-21: Transform Today fundraiser held at the University of Florida.
Late March or early April 2027: Next Dance Marathon Main Event expected, pending a location contract still being signed.
Philanthropy Landscape
The Transform Today total adds to Dance Marathon at UF's cumulative record of more than $34 million raised for UF Health Shands Children's Hospital since the program began. The result continues a model in which student-run fundraising supports a single university hospital's pediatric research and patient care.
Students and community members who want to help can join Dance Marathon at UF's year-round fundraising events leading up to the Main Event. Donations and volunteer participation directly determine how much support reaches hospital patient care and pediatric research in Gainesville.
The takeaway
Sustained student participation in year-round fundraising is what keeps a program like Dance Marathon at UF producing six- and seven-figure totals for a local children's hospital. Readers who want to support pediatric care can contribute time or funds through the organization's ongoing events.
What happens next
The next Dance Marathon at UF Main Event is expected in late March or early April 2027, though its date is not yet set because the location contract is still being signed.
Further reading
Explore more Gainesville philanthropy coverage to see how local fundraising supports area institutions.
More information
Learn how to get involved on the Dance Marathon at UF website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mainstreet Daily News Gainesville.
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