Why Marathons are good for NGOs

Marathons world over have proven to be one of the prime platforms on which charities have been able to raise funds. Over the years the platform has grown manifold and with every passing year marathon enthusiasts have joined hands to raise funds and help improve more and more lives.

Various NGOs from across the country have raised funds through the Delhi marathon for almost a decade now, and have had a colossal impact on the people they have reached out. For example, this year Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is a sure shot way of making sure that people across the country know what values your organization stands for and increasing your visibility in such vast platform.

Not only will your organization get a fantastic chance to put yourself on a national platform and reach out to more and more people but also stand along with your existing supporters on the same platform for a cause both your organization and the supporters are passionate about. In the marathons you are motivating people for fundraising, and also providing the personal challenge of the run itself. In the last few years the awareness about marathons, people who are willing to take part in it to conquer goals on a public arena, and run for raising charity of their passion has multiplied. So has the awareness of the betterment of the society. People are willing to take out the time and use their resources; they just don’t know who to reach out to or even how to. Marathons are the perfect way to tap this multitude of people. With the advent of more and more ways to reaching out, they acts as that catalyst for marketing the cause and hence raising awareness and dispelling myths on a public forum. 

Even as an individual, participating in running event can be a fantastic personal challenge, and the experience is even better when it's done as part of a charity team. Running for a charity gives you additional motivation. It increases your focus on those tiring weekdays and lazy weekends when the training gets tough and when completing your Marathon it is even more rewarding. Every charity offers you as their runner, not only incentives to help you reach your fundraising goals, but also invaluable support and advice in the lead up to and on your big day. Most marathons' charity partners provide very good incentives for their fund raisers too helping the NGOs as well in return. This is aside from the personal goals that you can set for yourself every year/ every marathon that you participate.

As soon as we conquer one running goal, it's almost inevitable that we'll look toward the next one. That's how training for a marathon works... and exactly how fundraising for development sector too. It is pretty difficult with the growing number of marathons across the world, through the year and added to that is the growing number of NGOs asking for funds... But also with incomes that are growing, more and more people are willing to give back to the society. The more funds that can be utilised in the development sector also means quality would increase... more people would be willing to work in the development sector and people would cross check which organisation they are supporting, Find out whether their support is worth or not. Which means lesser swindling of money and faster development, Helping each NGO to strive harder and look for better ideas for development.