Fundraise Like a Pro: 6 Tips for Charity Runners

Although it’s said that less than one percent of the world’s population runs a marathon, the odds of getting into an Abbot World Marathon Major feels slim to none. The lottery is inundated with thousands of applicants, and can even cause a website slowdown on the very last step (aka my experience with applying to the TCS New York City Marathon in 2022).

Luckily, there are other options to get into one of the six coveted races, whether it be Berlin, Chicago, Tokyo, Boston, London, or New York. Depending on the race, you can also qualify by time or, if you’re not super fast, choose to raise money for a charity.

After six years of unsuccessfully applying to the TCS New York City Marathon lottery, I decided to fundraise for the charity Team for Kids and, in return, was given a bib for the race. If you’re in the same boat I was in, here are some tips and tricks on how to fundraise for a race.

Most charities will open applications for the following year the day after the race, if not a few days after. When a runner officially joins a charity team, they are guaranteed entry to the race and do not need to apply via the lottery.

You will be able to visit the race’s website and see the list of charities participating in the upcoming marathon. Usually listed next to the charity names is a description along with the monetary amount to be raised and any other requirements. Some charity teams may require you to fill out an application explaining why you want to join that team. You will find out later on if you got a spot or not. Other charities just require you to apply and in this case, you automatically gain a spot on the team. Remember, the earlier you sign up for a charity, the more time you will have to fundraise and share your fundraising page, if given one. There are also limited slots on each team, so it’s better to act sooner rather than later.

If you’re going to put in time and effort to fundraise, choose an organization that has a mission you align with or are passionate about: it’s easier to rally for a cause when you care about it.

Kevin Lock, who is raising money for Team for Kids, chose this charity for a personal reason. “I knew to be able to run the New York City Marathon I would need to engage a charity partner. I was very impressed with [the] Team for Kids mission and organization,” he said. “I grew up in elementary school with an amazing PE coach. He was dedicated to the children for decades and inspired so many including myself to continue in physical fitness and competitive sports. I know not every child has had access to the same programs and instructions and inspiration I have had and after starting my running journey only a few years ago, I want to give kids a head start and chance at it.”

Jose Sanchez, who fundraised for Family Holiday as part of the London Marathon in 2023, also resonated with the charity’s mission. “Entering through the lottery is very difficult for non-UK based runners,” he said. “Contributing to a charity is one of the ways to get in. Other runners get in via international tour operators. But for me a charity was the way to go. I would rather contribute to a cause that I believe in.”

Understand not only how much you have to raise, but also when the deadline is. This is extremely important as funds usually get pulled from the credit card you put on file if you have not already submitted the target amount by the deadline. Ensure you have sufficient funds when the time comes.

Other important things to consider are knowing what happens to your donation amount if you need to defer and special steps when registering for a race as a charity runner. Be on the lookout for emails and don’t hesitate asking questions.

Asking for money is always uncomfortable, but if you don’t ask, you won’t receive. Put the link to your fundraising page in your social media bio and share a story or post every time you get a donation. Ask friends or family to share stories or posts on your behalf. I surprised myself with this tactic - I received three donations this way!

A piece of advice I was given is to post after long runs with a link to my page. Enthusiasm is infectious, and when your followers see the effort you are putting in, they may feel compelled to donate.

This is the time to use your talents, no matter how weird or niche they may seem. Great at jingles? Offer to write a catchy tune every time someone donates. Good with pets? Offer to walk someone’s dog in exchange for a donation. Take on a side gig and put funds aside to reach your monetary goal.

In 2017, Allison Davis Paone had to raise $7500 for the Boston Marathon as part of the Martin Richard Foundation. As she was accepted on the team in December and had to have the total funds in by April (race day), she only had four months to raise this amount. And she did.

“I set up a few events with friends and family and asked local businesses to donate items to raffle off. Social media was a major help as well. I posted before, during and after my runs so everyone felt like they were along for the ride on good runs, bad runs, brutal heartbreak hill training runs, below zero runs (lol to training in Boston winters) and rainy runs,” she said. “[For] everyone that donated during a run, I’d post a video of me singing the song of their choice (yes, embarrassing). If someone donated over $100 they picked my costume for me to run in during my long Saturday runs. I also ran a different marathon during my training and had different people sponsor each mile. I just tried to get really creative, have fun and share the mission of the charity and I think people really appreciated (and had fun) going through the process with me.”

Whether it’s curbing spending or picking up extra hours at work, be sure to prepare for the worst. Realistically, not everyone may be able to crowdsource for money. That’s okay! There’s no shame in donating to your own cause or having income delegated to your fundraiser. Pro tip: place the money you set aside in a high yield savings account to earn extra interest.

Fundraising while training for a marathon may be challenging, but it can certainly be rewarding. Not to mention, it may come with some perks - certain charities offer free training, race day transportation, a heated tent and more. However, the biggest perk of all is becoming a member of a new community and making a difference.