There is a question from organizations that want to host a road race. The question is, “Why do you want to put on a road race?” The obvious answer is usually, “To raise some money for our organization's charities.” There is a growing number of runners that look at the organizations use of the funds and wonder “Where is my entry fee going?” This can get complicated and can be misleading when you read the charity that is receiving the funds. Is the money going to a National Organizations such as the Heart Association or a Cancer Fund, or will the money stay local in the community? Another question about funding a charity with a race is, “Will all the money go to the charity?” or, “Will money left over after 'expenses' go to the charity?”
When I started organizing races I had no clue about how to put a race on. And I was just hoping the entry fees would be enough to cover the cost of the tee shirts, awards, and refreshments. The idea of trying to get a sponsor for a race to help finance it was not even considered. I drew a design for the shirt that had a runner and the words something like, “I love to run weekend 10K’s” and measured off a 10K course out at Country Estates that had a starting line about a quarter of a mile down the road. Any money that was made went to getting the Runner’s Club started. I entered the race and at least got my tee shirt for my efforts.
When ARA sponsored the race, we thought that a good charity would be for cancer research. We were told that the cancer organization has to do a background check on our group before we could use them as a beneficiary. We ended up donating the funds to the Kiwanis Club here in San Marcos. The members of the Kiwanis Club volunteered to help at the race and much of the proceeds would go toward their scholarship fund for local students. All the race organizers and volunteers did not receive any funds – other than a tee shirt for cost if we had any left over. Any leftover shirts were donated to the women’s shelter for their use as some women came to them with only the clothes on their back.
