Boston Marathon Sets All-Time Fundraising Record With 2019 Race – runnersworld.com

• The 2019 Boston Marathon set a fundraising record, raising $38.7 million for 297 nonprofit organizations.
• This surpassed the $38.4 million set in 2014, even though the 2019 race included 6,000 fewer participants.
• The top three charities that raised the most funds were the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge, Boston Children’s Hospital Miles for Miracles, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital Stepping Strong Marathon Team.

On April 15, 30,000 runners took on the 2019 Boston Marathon hoping to achieve their goal of completing the historic 26.2-mile race. Many of those participants gave that dream even more meaning by raising money for charity—and their efforts resulted in a record-breaking day of fundraising.

This year’s Boston Marathon charity runners participated on behalf of 297 non-profit organizations. They raised a record $38.7 million for charity, a six-percent, or $2 million, increase from the 2018 marathon results, as announced by the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) and John Hancock.

The 2019 race broke the previous fundraising record of $38.4 million set in 2014 with 36,000 participants, a race which took place one year after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.

“This fundraising record is a significant achievement that helps make our city and region a healthier, more equitable place,” said Marianne Harrison, President and CEO of John Hancock, in a press release. “I am proud that John Hancock’s longstanding Boston Marathon sponsorship continues to drive meaningful social impact, and I thank our non-profit partners and everyone who ran, donated, and volunteered. It is especially meaningful to set a new record this year given the marathon was on One Boston Day for the first time since 2013.”

[Smash your goals with a Runner’s World Training Plan, designed for any speed and any distance.]

The Boston Marathon is one of the most difficult races to qualify for, but a select few are granted the opportunity to run on behalf of the BAA Official Charity Program, which guarantees entry into the race with the requirement that each athlete raises a minimum amount of $5,000. The 2019 funds were raised through the BAA’s Official Charity Program ($20.3 million), John Hancock’s Non-Profit Program ($14 million), and other qualified and invitational runners ($4.4 million).

The charities that raised the most money in 2019 were as follows:

• Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge: $6,352,372
• Boston Children’s Hospital Miles for Miracles: $2,396,303
• Brigham and Women’s Hospital Stepping Strong Marathon Team: $1,473,833
• Mass General Pediatric Hematology Oncology Team: $1,123,672
• Boston Medical Center: $843,200

Other non-profit organizations that were part of the 2019 Boston Marathon Official Charity Program included 261 Fearless, the American Liver Foundation, the American Red Cross, Back on My Feet, the Boston Bruins Foundation, and the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, among many others.

For the past 30 years, the race’s non-profit program has raised more than $372 million for community-based organizations, but 2019 was a historic effort all around.

“This year’s record-setting fundraising totals are just the most recent example of how our athletes continue to raise the bar at the Boston Marathon,” said BAA CEO Tom Grilk in the press release. “We are immensely proud to be associated with the athletes and organizations participating in our charity programs. Each dollar raised through these athletes will have a profound impact on our communities.”

Contributing Writer Taylor Dutch is a freelance writer living in Austin, Texas.