2006 Run Walk Ride 30 Overview

New Survey Ranks Country’s Most Successful Athletic Event Fundraisers

Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council Study Finds 30 Top-Producing Athletic Events Generate over $1.4 Billion Annually for Sponsoring Nonprofits

The first ranking of programs that move millions people to work out on the weekends in support of good causes has been released by the new Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council (www.runwalkride.com).

Drawing on data from the 30 top-producing athletic fundraising event programs of 2006, the survey puts the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life at the front of the pack, followed by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training and the March of Dimes’ WalkAmerica.

According to the survey, the top ten active events in terms of revenue are:

American Cancer Society
Relay for Life
$375,000,000, net

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Team in Training
$114,000,000, gross
Refused to return survey, based on public info.

March of Dimes
WalkAmerica
$110,000,000, gross

American Heart Association
Start! Heart Walk
$90,000,000,net

National Philanthropic Trust
Breast Cancer 3-Day
$85,900,000

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Walk to Cure Diabetes
$75,100,000, gross
Refused to return survey, based on public info.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation
Race for the Cure
$74,358,874, gross

National Multiple Sclerosis Society
MS Bike Ride
$67,441,320, gross

National Multiple Sclerosis Society
MS Walk
$53,237,302, gross

American Heart Association
Jump Rope for Heart
$53,000,000, net

Note: Figures represent calendar or fiscal 2006

The top 30 events studied generated over $1.43 billion from event-related donations, fees and sponsorship.

“Step by step, pedal by pedal, dollar by dollar this study shows that charities are engaging millions of people to work out their bodies and wallets to support good causes,” said David Hessekiel, president of the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council. “The field of athletic event fundraising owes it to itself and to its supporters to share best practices that lead to growth and greater efficiency – that’s the goal of gathering this data and creating the council.”

Looking at just the top ten athletic event fundraising programs reveals tremendous diversity -- short group walks, 100-mile bike races and in-school jump roping competitions are among the many activities represented.

Some of the top programs raise all of their funds via one-day, one-location events: the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge supporting the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, for example, collected $28,000,000 in donations and sponsorship by engaging 4,600 riders in 2006. Most top programs are built on national series like the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s MS Walk which involved 274,000 people in 600 events to raise $53 million.

“These survey results provide concrete benchmarks against which we can gauge our events,” said Amy Medich, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s national director of campaign training and analysis. “This information has never before been readily available to us.”

The inaugural survey was the subject of the opening presentation at the first Run Walk Ride Fundraising Conference held in New York on May 18. While the study focused on gross revenue, type of event and number of participants, future inquiries will delve more deeply into issues of fundraising efficiency and best practices, Hessekiel said.

“Athletic event fundraising is an expanding field, but one in which most of us have been working in isolation,” said Kathryn Stack, special events and cause marketing director of the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. “I’m very excited that the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council is helping us share statistics and best practices.”

Top line survey data is available for review at www.runwalkride.com. Detailed survey results and related benchmarking data on America’s top 30 active event fundraisers are available to members of the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council.

Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council
Athletic event fundraising generates over $1.4 billion annually, but event managers and marketers have had few resources to lean on. Now, as members of the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council (RWRFC), active event professionals can learn from the experts, compare notes with colleagues and access hard-to-find data from the field via conferences, workshops, teleclasses and Web resources (www.runwalkride.com). RWRFC membership is the surest way to win the active event fundraising race, generating more dollars and professional satisfaction. Learn More