If the dealer percentage is 60%, that means the charity receives 40% of the sales proceeds from the car.
We have not been able to find dealer percentage data on a nationwide basis.
California reports for 2012
Charities in California received 31% of the funds raised in commercial car donation programs during 2012. That means the dealer percentage was 69%.
The commercial dealers in the three largest campaigns kept more than 86% of the proceeds (less than 14% went to charity). The dealers in the remaining campaigns together turned over 51% to charity.
| Charity | 2012 Revenue | Amount to Charity | Percent to Charity | Dealer Percentage |
| Breast Cancer Research Foundation | $4,756,236 | $475,624 | 10.00% | 90.00% |
| Car Donation Foundation | $3,176,465 | $577,784 | 18.19% | 80.81% |
| Operation Gratitude, Inc. | $1,593,002 | $233,853 | 14.68% | 85.32% |
| Subtotals for largest three | $9,525,703 | $1,287,261 | 13.51% | 86.49% |
| All other campaigns | $8,189,965 | $4,201,936 | 51.31% | 48.69% |
| Totals for all campaigns | $17,715,668 | $5,489,197 | 30.98% | 69.02% |
By law, commercial fundraisers are required to register with the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts. Then, for each solicitation campaign conducted, they are then required to file annual financial disclosure reports that set forth total revenue and expenses incurred.
Source: The 2012 report from the California Attorney General covering charity campaigns by commercial fundraisers.
31% to charity is six-year low
31% is the low percentage going to charities, going back to 2007. The six-year average was a 53.5% dealer percentage. This information is from the 2012 California report and similar reports for prior years.
| Year | All Campaigns Revenue (millions) | Amount to Charity (millions) | Percent to Charity | Dealer Percentage |
| 2012 | $17.7 | $5.5 | 31.0% | 69.0% |
| 2011 | $21.6 | $11.6 | 53.8% | 46.2% |
| 2010 | $23.0 | $11.0 | 47.2% | 52.8% |
| 2009 | $33.0 | $19.0 | 57.8% | 42.2% |
| 2008 | $21.4 | $9.8 | 45.9% | 54.1% |
| 2007 | $27.2 | $11.8 | 43.4% | 56.6% |
| Average | $24.0 | $11.4 | 46.5% | 53.5% |
Posted in: Car Donations