London Marathon Fundraising for 2019
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Successful in the ballot? Or just won your London marathon charity place? Start a London marathon fundraiser now.
GoFundMe is the ideal choice for charity fundraising. We have a 0% platform fee for organizers, and a 100% Gift Aid promise. That means every single penny of the Gift Aid pledged to your campaign goes straight to charity, unlike on other platforms. Set up a fundraiser now and we’ll help at every step along the way with our expert tips and tricks. What’s more, we automatically transfer all your donations to your chosen charity—you don’t have to do a thing.
Why use GoFundMe to raise money for your London marathon charity?
It’s very simple. The marathon is one of the biggest events in the world, with more than £40 million raised via online fundraising last year according to Civil Society, and GoFundMe is the world leader for charity fundraising.
Our 0% platform fee for organizers means more money gets to your chosen cause, and every single penny of the Gift Aid does too. Instead of taking money from fees donated to charities by your friends and family as sites such as JustGiving do, we rely on optional tips.
GoFundMe makes marathon fundraising easy
- 24/7 support from our world class customer service team.
- A free app to help you maintain your fundraiser on the go.
- Automatic donations to your chosen charity – so you don’t have to lift a finger.
- 100% of Gift Aid is automatically sent to your favourite charity.
- All donations are underwritten by the GoFundMe guarantee.
- Our fundraising platform means no platform fees.
- More than £3.8 billion+ raised so far on our platform.
Why run the London marathon?
Chris Brasher, the man who founded the London marathon in 1981, dubbed the event as “the Suburban Everest”.
Nearly four decades on, and the race he founded is one of the biggest fundraising events in the world. Last year, more than 40,000 people took part, raising millions for charity – and having plenty of fun along the way. Participants managed to set a whopping 34 new Guinness World Records, including:
- Fastest marathon dressed as a poo emoji.
- Fastest marathon on stilts.
- Fastest marathon dressed as a carrot.
How to run a successful London marathon fundraiser
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Start fundraising early
They say the early bird catches the worm, and fundraising is no different. Research shows those who set up their fundraisers soon after they get their ballot places earn more.
First, think through how you’re going to create a fundraising plan. That means
- Setting a target amount to make for charity.
- Looking at other successful fundraisers to see what worked for them, and what did not.
- And taking some photos and even a video to launch your fundraiser.
Then, you’re ready to set up your donation page. Our expert’s top tips are to explain who, what, when, why, and how on your page:
- Who are you raising money for? Describe the charity honestly and compellingly – why is it so important, and why does it deserve help?
- What does the charity need money for? Is there an immediate crisis, or perhaps an aim such as new library for your children’s school?
- When do they need money? If there are any deadlines, adding a sense of urgency can help your cause.
- Why does the charity need help? Giving makes people feel good, so tell your friends why their contributions are so necessary.
- How can your donors help? Be specific, such as detailing what a £5, £10, £20 and £50 donation can impact the charity.
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Make it personal
Stories can change the world. Sharing a personal story and why your chosen charity matters on your GoFundMe page is a great way to connect with potential donors, from family and friends to total strangers. If you’re looking for tips we have a guide on how to tell your campaign story.
Don’t panic if you’re not feeling particularly eloquent. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so if you’re stuck on what to say, a high quality, compelling image can do a lot of the work for you.
When it comes to pictures, more is more. Campaigns with at least five photos raise more than campaigns with one. You can also also share some images of your training journey while updating your page. Find out more about how images can lead to fundraising success.
As well as pictures, videos are powerful fundraising tools to connect with your donors and make your campaign stand out. All you need is a camera or smartphone – and to follow our top tips on making a video for your campaign.
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Leverage your online and offline networks
Once your fundraiser is live, it’s time to get donations. Sharing with your friends and family is important, but there are plenty of ways to reach new audiences. If you’re stuck, we have 25 ways to share your fundraiser, from Facebook events to phone calls to targeted emails.
There are plenty of ways to promote your fundraiser on social media, but if you don’t have Facebook, that’s not a problem. For those fundraising without social media, you can try sharing your campaign on your workplace intranet. Another idea is sending one-to-one personal messages such as email or Whatsapp.
London marathon event details
When is the London marathon?
The 2019 event is on April 28.
What time does the London marathon start?
- Elite Wheelchair Races start at 08:55
- World Para Athletics Marathon World Cup ambulant races start at 09:00
- The Elite Women’s Race starts at 09:15
- The Elite Men’s Race, the British Athletics & England Athletics Marathon Championships and Mass Race start at 10:00
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Payment processing fees
While our platform is to use, payment processors charge 1.9% plus £0.25 for credit and debit card donations. 0% platform fee for organizers applies to personal campaigns started in US dollars, Canadian dollars, British pounds, and some European countries. See pricing for other countries and currencies.