Exercising for a good cause regained its fundraising momentum in 2010 after a very challenging 2009, according to the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council, the leading authority on athletic event fundraising. The top thirty “thon” fundraising programs generated $1.65 billion in gross revenue for charity last year, up $28.1 million or 1.74% from 2009 levels. Twenty of the top 30 programs experienced revenue growth, a welcome change from 2009 when 20 groups experienced revenue shrinkage, the council’s fifth annual “Run Walk Ride Thirty” study reports. “We’re not out of the woods, but a combination of better program management and a somewhat better economy made 2010 an up year,” said David Hessekiel, president of the council which held its annual conference in Atlanta. In contrast, revenue for the top 30 programs dropped by 7.6% in 2009. Increased participation at the same time that nonprofits trimmed 961 underperforming walks and runs from event schedules demonstrates improved program management, Hessekiel said. More than 11.3 million people participated in the top thirty programs in 2010, an increase of more than a quarter million compared to 2009. Nonprofits staged or sent participants to 36,968 events in 2010. Twenty of the top thirty programs experienced revenue growth in 2010, the mirror image of 2009 when 20 programs brought in lower revenue, according to the survey, a summary of which can be found on www.runwalkride.com . The top five programs by total revenue in 2010 were: $416.5 million (-0.1%) Relay for Life American Cancer Society* $121.9 million (+1.3%) Race for the Cure Susan G. Komen for the Cure $102.3 million (+2.3%) March for Babies March of Dimes $ 97.0 million (-2.0%) Team in Training Leukemia & Lymphoma Society $ 90.3 million (-0.2%) Start! Heart Walk American Heart Association “The top five demonstrate the diversity in this field,” said Hessekiel. “With a short walk, a 5-K run, a relay and an individual endurance program, thon fundraising offers healthy ways to help others for everyone from the couch potato to the driven athlete.” said Hessekiel. It took gross revenue of $7.8 million for the Pelotonia Ride to snag the 30th spot on the 2010 list, a first appearance for Columbus, Ohio ride to raise money for cancer research. Looking ahead, survey respondents forecast a median revenue growth figure of 6% in 2011, aggressive growth compared to this year’s 1% increase. The Run Walk Ride Thirty is based on survey responses from the professionals who manage major athletic event fundraising programs. A study summary is available at www.runwalkride.com . A CD with extensive survey data is available for purchase on the group’s website and is provided at no cost to dues-paying RWRFC members.

1. We proudly present

2. How We Did It
• Surveys to all the organizations we could
find that have substantial programs
• Information gathered on 59 programs
– Public data used when necessary & possible
– Estimate used where necessary

3. We’ve had our ups and downs
• 2006 $1.47 billion
• 2007 $1.67 billion
• 2008 $1.77 billion
• 2009 $1.63 billion
• 2010 $1.65 billion

4. Top Line Results
• The Top 30 Programs
– Raised $1,645,809,041
– Involved nearly 11.3 million people
– Included many types of events
• 22 welcome walkers and runners
• 9 welcome cyclists
• 2 endurance series (TNT & Team Challenge)
• 1 school program (Jump Rope for Heart)

5. A Return to Growth
• Up 1% in revenue vs. Down 7.6% in 09
– Up $16 million vs Down $134 million in 09
• A MIRROR IMAGE:
– In 2011: 20 increased revenue
– In 2010: 20 decreased revenue

6. Tighter Management
Participation up by 237,247
Events in series down by 926

7. Dominated by the Top 10
• Top 10 programs collected 73.2% of
dollars raised by top 30
– 74.1% in 2009, 75% in 2008
Top 10 Bottom 20

8. The Bar Rose for Admission
• #30 in 2008: Rodman Ride for Kids
– $6.3 million
• #30 in 2009: Rodman Ride for Kids
– $7.2 million
• #30 in 2010: Pelotonia
– $7.8 million

9. Hellos and Goodbyes
• Welcome to
– Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Take Steps:
#26 at $8.75 million
– Pelotonia Ride: #30 at $7.8 million
• Farewell (for now) to
– American Heart Association Hoops for Heart: #27
in 09 at $8.1 million, fell to #32 at $6.8 million
– National Alliance on Mental Ilness NAMI Walks:
#28 in 09 at $7.8 million, #31 at $7.8 million

10. The Top 10
#10 American Heart Association’s
Jump Rope for Heart (down from #9 in 2009)
$57,000,000 – down 9.5%
25,000 events – down from 26,100 events
1,700,000 participants – down 2.6%
Founded 1978

11. The Top 10
#9 – American Cancer Society
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
(up from #10 in 2009)
$60,000,000 – flat
800,000 Participants – up from 700,000
220 Events – up from 168
Founded 1980

12. The Top 10
#8 -- National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Bike MS (same as 09)
$85,000,000 – up 7.1%
91,150 Participants – up from 86,000
97 Events – up from 96
Founded 1980

13. The Top 10
#7 – Juvenile Diabetes Research Fndn.
Walk to Cure Diabetes (down from #6)
$86,000,000 – down by 4.4%
900,000 Participants – unchanged
200 Events – down from 225
Founded 1980

14. The Top 10
#6 SGK 3-Day for the Cure (up from #7)
$89,200,000 – up by 4.9%
28,168 Participants – down by 12,000
15 Events – unchanged
Founded 2003

15. The Top 10
#5 -- American Heart Association
Start! American Heart Walk (down from tie for #3)
$90,300,000 – down 9.7%
1,000,000 – estimate (number not provided)
330 events – down from 350
Founded 1994

16. The Top 10
#4 The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Team In Training (up from #5)
$97,002,463 – down 2.0%
40,000 Participants – unchanged
Events 345 – up from 200
Founded 1988

17. The Top 10
#3 – March of Dimes March for Babies
(unchanged)
$102,300,000 – up 2.3%
220,000 Participants – down from 268,000
850 Events – down from 940
Founded 1970

18. The Top 10
#2 – Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Race for the Cure (unchanged)
$121,829,205 – up 1.34%
1,581,421 Participants – up 53,057
120 Events (up 3)
Founded 1983

19. Welcome Relay for Life
• We’re thrilled to have you participating in
our annual survey
• Apologies for any remarks last year that
came off as inappropriate

20. The Top 10
#1 – American Cancer Society
Relay for Life (unchanged)*
$416,500,000 – down 0.1% from $417 mm
3,000,000 – unchanged*
5,150 of events – up from 5,035
Founded 1985
*Earlier ACS numbers updated based on new information

21. Biggest $ Drops in Top 30
• By Dollars Raised
– AHA Start Heart Walk: down $9.7 million
– AHA Jump Rope for Heart: down $6 million
– JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes: down $4 million
– LIVESTRONG Challenge: down $2.4 million
– Team in Training: down $1.9 million

22. Biggest Percentages Drops
• By % Revenue Decrease
– LIVESTRONG Challenge -- Down 21.7%
– Start! Heart Walk -- Down 9.7%
– AHA Jump Rope for Heart -- Down 9.5%
– AIDS LifeCycle -- Down 8.6%
– Crohn’s & Colitis Fndn Team Challenge
-- Down 6.9%

23. Biggest $ Gains
• LLS Light The Night Walk
– Up $7.0 million, 18.4%
• NMSS Bike MS
– Up $5.6 million, 7.1%
• SGK 3-Day for the Cure
– Up $4.2 million, 4.9%
• Pelotonia Ride
– Up $3.3 million, 73.9%
• Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
– Up $3.0 million, 5.8%

24. How About Apples to Apples?

25. Top Five Single Events
1. Pan-Mass Challenge -- $33,000,000
2. AIDS LifeCycle -- $10,099,000
3. Rodman Ride for Kids -- $8,117,566
4. Pelotonia Ride -- $7,846,705
5. Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk
-- $6,500,000

26. Top Five Endurance
1. Team in Training -- $97,002,463
2. C&C Team Challenge -- $8,100,000
3. ACS DetermiNation -- $6,073,7981
4. St. Jude Heroes -- $3,000,000
5. Team LIVESTRONG Endurance --
$1,758,020

27. Top Five Cycling Programs
1. NMSS Bike MS -- $85,000,000
2. Pan-Mass Challenge -- $33,000,000
3. ADA Tour de Cure -- $19,600,000
4. AIDS LifeCycle -- $10,099,209
5. Audi Best Buddies Challenge --
$9,400,000

28. Top Ten Run/Walk Series
1. ACS Relay for Life -- $416,500,000
2. SGK Race for the Cure -- $121,890,205
3. MOD March for Babies -- $102,300,000
4. AHA Start! Heart Walk -- $90,300,000
5. SGK 3-Day for the Cure -- $89,200,000
6. JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes -- $86,000,000
7. ACS Making Strides -- $60,000,000
8. Avon Walk for Breast Cancer -- $55,000,000
9. NMSS Walk MS -- $49,700,000
10. LLS Light The Night Walk -- $45,000,000

29. Top 10 by # of Events
1. American Heart Association
Jump Rope for Heart: 26,100
2. American Heart Association
Hoops for Heart: 4,800
3. American Cancer Society
Relay for Life: 4,644*
4. Church World Service
CROP Hunger Walk: 1,600
5. March of Dimes
March for Babies: 940
6. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Great Strides: 600
7. Alzheimer’s Association
Memory Walk: 596
8. National MS Society
MS Walk: 530
9. American Heart Association
Start! Heart Walk: 350
10. National Down Syndrome Society
Buddy Walk: 275
Note: RWRFC estimate

30. Top 10 by Participants
1. American Cancer Society
Relay for Life: 3,000,000
2. American Heart Association
Jump Rope for Heart: 1,700,000
3. Susan G Komen for the Cure
Race for the Cure: 1,581,421
4. American Heart Association
Start! Heart Walk: 1,000,000
5. Juvenile Diabetes Research Fndn.
Walk to Cure Diabetes: 900,000
6. American Cancer Society
Making Strides Against BC: 800,000
7. National MS Society
Walk MS: 300,000
8. Alzheimer’s Association
Memory Walk: 282,805
9. National Down Syndrome Society
Buddy Walk: 282,468
March of Dimes
March for Babies: 220,000
NOTES: Start! Heart Walk is a RWRFC estimate

31. Dive into the data at the office!
• Each of you has received the “2010 Run Walk
Ride Thirty Data CD”
• The CD contains a summary of this year’s top
thirty, plus extensive 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
and 2010 information on all programs that
responded to our survey
• Top 30 Summary PDF also available in research
section of www.runwalkride.com

32. Optimistic Revenue Forecasts
• Of 39 groups that provided a forecast
– Two predicted a revenue decrease of 6%
– Five predicted no growth
– Twelve predicted single-digit growth
– Twenty predicted double-digit growth
• Range: -6% to +35%
• Median: 6%
• Mode: 0 and 10% (6 forecasts of each)

33. Athletic Event Fundraising
Organizer Concerns
– The economy
– Market saturation
– Converting registrants to fundraisers
– Keeping events from going stale,plateauing
– Staff morale and burnout

34. Thanks to our sponsors