P3R, the organization behind the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, has raised over $18 million for local charities since 2009. By leveraging Race Roster’s user-friendly fundraising pages and streamlined payment management, they’ve simplified the donation process for participants and charities alike. This partnership has been instrumental in P3R’s long-term success, combining philanthropy with the power of community-driven events.
Introduction
P3R is an innovative force in the Pittsburgh community, dedicated to inspiring people of all ages and abilities to get moving. As the engine behind some of the city’s most transformative sporting events, including the renowned DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, P3R unites communities and promotes health and fitness. A core component of their mission is philanthropy, using their platform to generate significant funds for local charities and make a tangible impact on the region.
Challenges
For any large-scale running event, fundraising is a critical yet complex component. Achieving success required a platform that could handle thousands of participants, donors, and multiple charitable organizations simultaneously.
The primary challenges were:
- Participant Experience: P3R needed to provide runners, walkers, and cyclists with a simple, intuitive way to create personal fundraising pages, share their stories, and collect donations. A clunky process could deter participants from fundraising altogether.
- Charity Coordination: Highlighting partner charities and enabling direct donations was crucial. The system had to be robust enough to feature individual organizations, allowing donors to contribute to a specific cause even if they weren’t sponsoring a particular participant.
- Administrative Overhead: Managing payments from thousands of donors and ensuring funds were correctly allocated to the right charities is a massive administrative task. P3R required a solution that would streamline payment processing and reduce the manual workload on their team, freeing them up to focus on organizing a world-class event.
Solutions
P3R has been a long-time partner of Race Roster, utilizing its comprehensive suite of fundraising tools to power their charitable efforts. The platform provided a seamless, integrated solution that addressed all of their key challenges and empowered their community to give back.
- Customizable Fundraising Pages: Race Roster enabled participants to easily create personalized fundraising pages. Runners and walkers could share their personal stories, set individual goals, and track their progress, creating a compelling narrative that inspired friends and family to donate.
- Dedicated Charity Pages: P3R created dedicated pages for each highlighted charitable organization. This feature allowed donors to learn more about each cause and make direct contributions, broadening the event’s fundraising reach beyond participant-led efforts.
- Streamlined Donation Management: One of the most significant benefits for P3R was the ease of managing payments. Race Roster’s back-end system simplified the entire financial process, from collecting donations to distributing funds, which proved to be “a true help for us at P3R.”
- Innovative Sub-Events (Using Race Roster’s mandatory donation feature on specific sub-events): P3R also leveraged Race Roster’s tools to support unique experiences like the BACK Half marathon, an event designed with charities in mind. This sub-event allows participants to run the final 13.1 miles of the marathon course, a section many runners had expressed interest in experiencing. Originally exclusive to charity runners, the BACK Half now welcomes all participants, requiring only a one-time donation to an official charity. Those who choose to fundraise $800 or more even receive their registration fee back. Participants enjoy exclusive perks, including a half marathon shirt, a special BACK Half shirt, and a gold version of the half marathon medal.
By leveraging these tools, P3R transformed a potentially complex fundraising initiative into a smooth and engaging experience for everyone involved—participants, donors, and the charities themselves.
Key Outcomes
- $18 Million Raised: Since its inception in 2009, P3R has successfully raised over $18 million for various charities, a testament to the effectiveness and longevity of its fundraising program.
- Enhanced Participant Engagement: The simplicity of the fundraising pages has been described by P3R as the “greatest perk.” This ease of use empowers more participants to become active fundraisers, significantly amplifying the event’s overall impact.
- Efficient Fundraising Management: Race Roster’s reliable and efficient infrastructure has enabled P3R to manage large-scale campaigns effectively, ensuring charities receive their funds quickly and accurately.
Conclusion
P3R’s success with the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon demonstrates the power of pairing a passionate community with the right technology. By using Race Roster, they have created a fundraising ecosystem that is not only effective but also easy and enjoyable for participants to use. This long-standing partnership has enabled P3R to channel the energy of their events into millions of dollars for causes that strengthen the Pittsburgh community.
As P3R continues to inspire movement and unity, their relationship with Race Roster will remain a vital part of their mission to give back. They have built a powerful engine for change, proving that a marathon can be about much more than just crossing the finish line.
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