LAST UPDATED: 22 November 2021

Boston Marathon partners with global fundraising platform GivenGain for 125th race

GivenGain has signed a multi-year exclusive agreement as the official fundraising partner of the Boston Marathon.

Boston Marathon partners with global fundraising platform GivenGain for 125th race

GivenGain, a global leader in cross-border crowdfunding for nonprofits, has signed a multi-year exclusive agreement as the official fundraising partner of the Boston Marathon – one of the world’s most prestigious marathons.

Landmark Opportunity

The historic 125th Boston Marathon combines a field of 20,000 athletes with 70,000 more virtual participants this year. The event supports more than 160 official charities and nonprofit organizations, as well as many more supported by qualified and virtual runners who fundraise as part of their participation.

Participants raised a record $38 million through the 2019 Boston Marathon, and in 2020 the event surpassed the $400 million milestone raised since the charity program’s inception at the 1989 Boston Marathon.

A Global Race

“We are very excited to partner with the Boston Marathon to provide a meaningful fundraising experience for dedicated runners around the world,” says Marius Maré, Global Director of Operations and Partnerships at GivenGain.

“We are committed to giving the hundreds of participating charities and many thousands of runners a smooth, meaningful and unforgettable experience through fundraising excellence, service, and advice.”

B.A.A. Partnership

“The Boston Athletic Association is proud to partner with GivenGain as the official fundraising partner of the Boston Marathon,” says Nicole Juri, B.A.A. Director of Development. “The Boston Marathon Official Charity Program has been a meaningful part of our race for more than 30 years, and we’re eager to expand its positive impact on the community with GivenGain. Together, we’ll strive to reach new fundraising heights through the Boston Marathon Official Charity Program.”

“John Hancock is proud to work with the B.A.A. to leverage our Boston Marathon sponsorship to provide meaningful support to charitable organizations across our region,” says Ashley Wheeler, Senior Manager at John Hancock. “Our team is looking forward to integrating this new platform with John Hancock’s Marathon Non-Profit Program to maximize fundraising efforts this year.”

Functionality-Forward

The GivenGain platform is constantly undergoing innovation and enhancements, currently naming leading brands like Rosterfy and Zwift among its integration partners. In addition, it is working with the Boston Athletic Association and John Hancock to build expanded functionality and integrations that will benefit all charities and their supporters throughout the entirety of the partnership.

White-Glove Service

Maré says GivenGain is unique among fundraising platforms for its full white-glove service.

“We support every level of the event, from the event organizers and charities to the participants, donors and volunteers. Our entire team is involved in ensuring that every aspect of the experience is covered. We’ll also promote the event and work with all charities to maximize their fundraising, and lastly, we’ll help participants with their efforts and create branded team fundraising projects for corporate partners.”

‘One World. Zero Barriers.’

“GivenGain was founded on the principle ‘One World. Zero Barriers.’ to help enable global philanthropy for everyone, regardless of national borders,” says Maré.

“To achieve that mission, we continually break down barriers of race, religion, gender and political affiliation, thereby advancing diversity, equality and inclusion.”

“Lastly, GivenGain is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. As a highly diverse organization, we are proud to represent a highly diverse event.”

The Future is Bright

"All teams are ecstatic that we are bringing a global approach to fundraising and that the event will be able to easily make more of an impact on more people with the click of a button."

“Global online crowdfunding for charity is 20 years old, but in many ways it is just beginning.”

To discover how GivenGain helps thousands of events and charities worldwide, visit www.givengain.com or email Bryan Lively: bryan.lively@givengain.com.

About GivenGain

One world. Zero Barriers.

Founded in 2001, GivenGain is a not-for-profit technology foundation that started with a simple idea: to enable global philanthropy by providing a platform that simplifies global giving and fundraising. The platform has assisted donors and fundraisers in 194 countries to assist charities in more than 80 countries. We also work with corporates and mass participation sport events in 27 countries, on 5 continents.

Working from offices in the US, UK, Switzerland, Canada and South Africa, we are inspired and united by the drive to create great user experiences and delightful digital products. We like complex challenges, we like to do new things, and we like people who are excited by their work. We’re a small team with big responsibilities.

About John Hancock and Manulife

John Hancock is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States, and Manulife globally, including Canada, Asia and Europe. We provide financial advice, insurance and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were CAD$1.3 trillion (US$1.0 trillion) as of December 31, 2020. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com.

One of the largest life insurers in the United States, John Hancock supports more than 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, and education savings plans. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

About the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.)

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.