Earlier this year, we asked 6,000 JustGiving fundraisers which activity they prefer when raising money for charity.
Over half said sporting events!
But successful event fundraising can be hard. Each year, many charities struggle to convert supporters into fundraisers, keep people engaged, and hit their targets.
And if you work in Events or Fundraising, the stakes are high. Without engaging campaigns or programmes, supporters can lose interest or find a different charity to support.
However…
- Running events like marathons are the most popular personal challenge events.
- Running is one of the fundraising areas on JustGiving (it grew 50% in 2023!).
- And more people than ever are creating JustGiving pages.
Which means the support is out there – you just have to learn how to tap into it.
4 steps to get your charity involved in running events
It’s clear: running events are the best opportunity for charities to raise more in 2025.
Here are our top five tips for engaging a wider audience, building a bigger community, and raising more money for your cause with running events.
1. Choose the right event
Does your charity’s community include people who like to get active, or value health and wellness?
Asking them to join a running event to raise money for you is a great way to connect with them and align your cause with their interests! Some of the most popular choices include 5Ks, marathons, and the rising ultramarathon scene.
2. Set clear goals
What do you want your supporters to help you achieve with their fundraising? Don’t be afraid to get specific.
During your planning, define and communicate clear fundraising targets to your supporters. Specific goals and milestones motivate people to raise more money, plus provide a huge sense of achievement when they hit them!
3. Use an event provider
Make your work life easier. Event providers like our partners at Threshold Sports host an array of exciting public events. That means they do all the complicated logistical work (including recruiting participants for you)!
4. Give people simple tools
Making it easy makes the difference. Give your fundraisers access to simple fundraising tools, and they’ll be more likely to use them (in turn, raising more money).
Read on for an example of how Macmillan raised £35,000 in the UK’s biggest 24-hour trail race.
How Macmillan Cancer Support raised £35,000 in the UK’s biggest 24-hour trail race
Macmillan Cancer Support leveraged the power of running events and saw an average of £775 raised per JustGiving page.
How’d they do it?
Here’s where we tap into the No. 3 step listed above: using an event partner!
Macmillan participated in these two events:
- Threshold Trail Series: 50km and 100km ultramarathons that let fundraisers of all skill levels push their limits. This event raised more than half a million pounds for participating charities in 2023!
- Endure24: the UK’s biggest 24-hour trail race for the ultimate test of endurance. This race boasts an average of up to £775 raised per fundraising page.
Threshold Sports put on these two events, which helped Macmillan raise money as part of their event fundraising strategy. Plus, Threshold events raise £2 million+ overall for charities each year, and the Threshold team also recruit 85% of the participants!
“The feedback received from supporters taking part in these events is always fantastic. From support offered at the point of registration, right up to event day itself – our supporters are always satisfied with their events experience.”
Macmillan Cancer Support
Running event fundraising could be a key part of your 2025 event fundraising strategy.
Threshold Sports is here to help your charity raise more money and grow your brand with minimal risk and maximum support. With a Gold Package, it’s easy for you to pick an event, and your supporters will love how simple and rewarding it is to sign up, race, and fundraise using JustGiving.
Join the action and be one of eight featured charities. Let’s make 2025 your best fundraising year yet.
Get a spot for your charity
Charities that raise money in Threshold Sports events quadruple their ROI (on average). Check out Threshold Sports’ Gold Charity spots but be quick – spots are limited!
“The packages work well for us because they offer little potential loss in terms of committing to purchasing places, but lots of potential for gain with the way additional places can be purchased on a place-by-place basis.”
MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT
