Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
204671570
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Charlotte, NC, USA
Phone
7042885317
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Travelers' Aid

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,529,802
Expenses
$2,696,141
Assets
$16,268,074
Liabilities
$1,838,669

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

24 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Denise Cubbedge (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • Denise Cubbedge (CEO): $162,279 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte (RMHC of GC) provides essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare. Charlotte is recognized as a leading destination for pediatric care and research; however, many families face increasing financial, geographic, and emotional challenges when seeking treatment for their children.RMHC of GC offers three core programs that keep families close to the care their children need. The Ronald McDonald House, a 28-bedroom facility, provides private accommodation, daily meals, kitchen access, laundry facilities, play areas, and shared spaces for families traveling to Charlotte for pediatric treatment. The Family Room at Carolines Corner, located inside Hemby Childrens Hospital, offers on-site support including meals, shower and laundry facilities, essential supplies, and a quiet space for respite. The Happy Wheels hospitality carts deliver refreshments, activities, and comfort it

What it reported doing in 2024

The presence of family is an essential part of the healing process for children battling illness or recovering from injury. When families must travel to Charlotte for medical care, they often face significant emotional, financial, and logistical challenges in finding affordable accommodation. The Ronald McDonald House provides a safe, affordable, and caring home-away-from-home that allows families to remain close to their child and their care team. All services, supplies, and support are provided free of charge. In 2024, guest families saved an estimated $1.7 million in expenses by staying at the Ronald McDonald House for nearly 8,600 total nights. Hospital-based programs, including the Family Room at Carolines Corner and Happy Wheels Hospitality Carts, also experienced significant growth. By expanding operating hours, adding a new service location, and increasing staff and volunteer engagement, these programs served more than 5,600 families in 2024 a 42% increase over the prior year. New initiatives, including meal services and community activity programming, continue to strengthen the organizations hospital impact and enhance the support provided to families during their childs treatment.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 67% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 58
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 75
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 58.4%; rating input score 58
  • Program expense ratio: 72.4%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.67 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 6 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 23.6%; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.03; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6%; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.7% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.6% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.6% per year; rating input score 100; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 58.4% of revenue deployed · 72.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 23 of 23 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $162K · 24 people listed · 6 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 31 of 31 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 58/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 16/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 47/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 56/100.