Marathon fundraising ideas at a glance

Compare these popular options to find a fundraising method that suits your time, budget and network of supporters.

Fundraising method	Best for	Upfront cost	Effort
Online shopping donations	Raising throughout your training	Free	Low
Sponsorship page or form	Direct donations from your network	Free	Low
Workplace fundraising	Colleague and employer support	Free	Medium
Bake sale or coffee morning	Quick community fundraising	Low	Medium
Raffle	Adding income to another event	Low	Medium
Quiz night	Raising a larger amount socially	Medium	High

Before you start marathon fundraising

How much should you aim to raise for a marathon?

Set a clear target that reflects the time available, the size of your supporter network and any fundraising commitment you have made. A realistic target gives you something measurable to work towards and helps supporters understand the scale of your challenge.

Some marathon organisers offer charity places linked to a minimum fundraising commitment. The arrangements vary by event and charity, so confirm the entry fee, target and deadline before accepting a place. If you secured your own ballot place, you can usually set a target that feels achievable for you.

How should you choose a charity for your marathon?

Choose a charity or cause that genuinely matters to you. A personal connection can make your fundraising story clearer and help you stay motivated during training. Explain why you chose the cause and what supporters' contributions could help it achieve.

If you are looking for a charity place, check the event organiser's current information. The official London Marathon website lists charities offering places, but availability and requirements can change.

Online marathon fundraising ideas

Online methods can raise money throughout your training and give supporters simple ways to help wherever they live. Start early, share regular progress updates and keep each request clear.

Raise free donations through online shopping

Best for: free, ongoing fundraising alongside direct sponsorship. Register your marathon challenge as a cause with easyfundraising, then invite friends, family and colleagues to support it. When they start their online shopping through easyfundraising, participating retailers provide a donation towards your challenge at no extra cost to the shopper.

It works in three simple steps:

Register your challenge: Use the cause registration page and give the challenge a clear name, such as “YOUR NAME - London Marathon for NSPCC”.
Invite supporters: Ask people to choose your cause and start eligible online purchases through easyfundraising. More than 8,000 participating retailers can provide retailer-funded donations.
Track your progress: Use your personal dashboard to see your supporters and the donations raised through their shopping.

Top tip: Once you have registered, use the ready-made social media and WhatsApp materials in Promote my cause to explain how supporters can help.

Use birthdays and social media to promote your fundraiser

Best for: reaching friends, family and people beyond your immediate network. Use birthdays, training milestones and race updates as natural opportunities to share your fundraising page. Include photographs or short videos, explain why the charity matters to you and give readers one clear way to support or share the campaign.

Platform features can change, so focus on sharing a link to your easyfundraising cause page or direct sponsorship page rather than relying on one social network's fundraising tools.

Offline marathon fundraising ideas

Events and face-to-face sponsorship can help you reach colleagues, clubs and local supporters. Choose an activity that suits your available time and keep costs low so that as much as possible goes towards your target.

Bake sale

Best for: a quick workplace or community fundraiser. Hold a bake sale at work, at a community venue or after a training run. Ask volunteers to donate baked goods, then charge per item or invite voluntary contributions.

Confirm bakers and helpers in advance
Offer suitable payment options
Label ingredients and dietary options clearly
Follow the venue's food hygiene and allergy requirements

You could also run a bake-off-style competition and ask people to pay to sample the entries and vote for a winner.

Quiz night

Best for: raising a larger amount through a social event. Work with a pub, workplace or community centre and charge teams an entry fee. Keep costs down by asking for a donated prize, and consider adding a raffle or paid bonus round where appropriate.

Car wash

Best for: a hands-on fundraiser with several volunteers. Ask a suitable local venue for permission to run a car wash and charge a fixed or suggested donation. Choose a visible but safe location, organise the equipment and volunteers, and promote the event locally.

Raffle

Best for: increasing the amount raised at another event. Add a raffle to a quiz night, coffee morning, workplace event or post-run gathering. Ask local businesses, friends and family to donate suitable prizes so that ticket income supports your marathon target.

Sponsorship page or form

Best for: collecting direct donations from friends, relatives and colleagues. Use the sponsorship page or form supplied by your charity or chosen fundraising platform. Add a photograph, your target and a short explanation of why you are running.

Share the link by email and social media. A printed form can also work well in a workplace, local club or community venue, provided you have permission to display it.

Download a marathon sponsorship form

Print this form to record offline sponsorship pledges from friends, family and colleagues. It includes space for challenge details, 16 sponsors and payment tracking.

Download the marathon sponsorship form (PDF)

Coffee morning

Best for: low-cost fundraising with friends, family or colleagues. Host a coffee morning at home, at work or in a suitable community space. Ask attendees to bring a treat, provide clear payment or donation options and display information about your marathon and chosen charity.

Before running an event: Check any venue permissions, food safety requirements, insurance arrangements and raffle rules that apply.

How can you get sponsors for a marathon?

A clear personal story helps potential sponsors understand why the challenge and charity matter to you. Keep your explanation concise, show your progress and make it easy for someone to contribute or share your campaign.

Explain why you chose the charity
Name the marathon and state your fundraising target
Describe what supporters' contributions could help achieve
Share useful training and fundraising milestones
Include one clear sponsorship or support link
Ask supporters to share the campaign
Thank people and update them after the race

How can your employer support your marathon fundraising?

Ask whether your employer offers matched giving, company sponsorship or support with workplace fundraising. Colleagues may be able to organise a quiz, bake sale or coffee morning, while a local business might donate a raffle prize or sponsor part of the challenge.

Agree in advance how business sponsors will be acknowledged. This could include a thank-you in your campaign updates, subject to your charity's and event organiser's rules.

Download a business sponsorship template

Personalise this editable request letter when approaching an employer or local business. It also includes a business response form for confirming the support offered.

Download the business sponsorship template (Word)

Top tip: Businesses can also support your cause by making eligible purchases, such as travel, accommodation and office supplies, through easyfundraising and selecting your marathon challenge as their cause. This raises retailer-funded donations at no extra cost to the business.

Frequently asked questions about marathon fundraising

When should you start fundraising for a marathon?

Start as soon as your place and chosen charity are confirmed. Beginning early gives you time to build awareness, plan events and raise money steadily alongside your training rather than relying on a final push before race day.

What are the easiest marathon fundraising ideas?

Simple options include sharing a sponsorship page, collecting retailer-funded donations through online shopping, holding a workplace bake sale and asking your employer about matched giving. These methods are quick to start and can run alongside your training.

How do you ask people to sponsor a marathon?

Tell people which marathon you are running, why you chose the charity and what you hope to raise. Include one clear sponsorship link, make the request personal and give supporters the option to share your campaign if they cannot contribute directly.

How can you raise money without organising an event?

Use a direct sponsorship page, share training updates, ask your employer about matched giving and invite supporters to raise retailer-funded donations through online shopping. These approaches can continue throughout your training without the time or cost of organising an event.

Can online shopping donations be used alongside a sponsorship page?

Yes. A sponsorship page collects direct contributions, while easyfundraising generates retailer-funded donations when supporters complete eligible online purchases. Using both gives people more than one way to support your marathon challenge.

Start raising money for your marathon

Set your target, tell supporters why the charity matters to you and combine direct sponsorship with activities that can raise money throughout your training. Register your marathon challenge with easyfundraising to collect retailer-funded donations when your supporters shop online.

Register your marathon or running challenge with easyfundraising

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