Fund-raising at races - what works for you?
Races are athletic events. Runners compete against other runners or against their own previous finishes. Some run for fitness or social reasons. Others just want to enjoy the fun of participating in an organized event with lots of other people and receive lots of entertainment-type amenities.
Entry fees rarely cover costs, so most races would lose money if they didn't have sponsorship income (many lose money anyway and write off their losses as community relations or marketing expenses).
Runners are usually not contributors or fund-raisers, yet fund-raising by charities and other not-for-profits continues to grow in the running community. There must be a reason.
Many charities realize that races offer far greater publicity than other fund-raising events and present a connection to a previously untapped market. They recognize that runners comprise the core of the event but that sponsors, donors, walkers, and non-participants are the real financial contributors.
Some, beginning with Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Team in Training," have offered travel to marathons, triathlons, and bicycle races as part of a fund-raising package. A slew of other organizations raise funds through competition in marathons and other running events.
Some, like the American Cancer Society, create their own events that involve running but draw primarily from their own community of supporters, not from the athletic community.
Only a small number of race participants are charity runners, but in events as large as the Chicago Marathon, their contributions can add up to millions of dollars.
As economic woes make fund-raising more challenging, not-for-profits are looking for new and better ways to prospect for dollars through running events.