Charity run planning: How to organize a 5K fundraiser

Charity runs are one of the most popular peer-to-peer fundraising events. They bring communities together, attract new supporters, and create lasting visibility for your mission. But between route planning, permits, and promotion, it can feel overwhelming to figure out where to start.

This step-by-step guide breaks down the process into manageable pieces, with ideas for every budget and team size. We’ve also included expert tips to ensure your event goes the extra mile.

Key takeaways

• Set a goal and budget 🎯 Plan for permits, insurance, staff, and logistics, and set a clear fundraising goal that reflects your mission and funding needs. 
• Plan your route and format 🏃 Choose an in-person, virtual, or hybrid event based on your goals and resources, then select an accessible route for your audience. 
• Secure permits and insurance 📄 Get the right approvals for your race, along with liability and site-specific insurance coverage.
• Assemble your team 🙌 Appoint staff members or volunteers to manage marketing, partnerships, and event-day logistics.
• Spread the word 📣 Promote your event through social media, email, newsletters, and local media. 
• Expand your outreach 🌟 Look beyond your existing support base by tapping into local running and fitness communities. 
• Use the right fundraising tools 🧈 Simplify your charity run logistics with Givebutter’s event registration tools, customizable donation pages, and peer-to-peer fundraising features. 

How to organize a 5K fundraiser or charity run in 10 steps 

From securing permits to helping your runners raise money, 5Ks require thoughtful planning to be both fun and profitable. Follow these 10 steps to organize a charity run that gets your supporters excited and exceeds your fundraising goals. 

1. Set your fundraising goal & budget 🎯

With a charity 5K, nonprofits raise money through entry fees, peer-to-peer fundraising, and donations collected on event day. Tie your goal to a specific program or initiative so participants can clearly see how their contributions will support your mission. 

To keep your 5K profitable, ensure your fundraising goal exceeds your event budget, considering costs like: 

• Permits and insurance 📜 In many public spaces, you’ll need a permit and event insurance. Check with your city or venue to confirm what’s required.
• Staff 👩‍💼 Account for any additional staff you may need, such as an event planning team or marketing manager. 
• Logistics 🚧 Budget for signage, cones, water stations, and any other race-day infrastructure. 
• Medals and t-shirts 🥇 Raise awareness with branded t-shirts and show appreciation with medals. 

💡 Pro tip: The benefits of a charity 5K go beyond dollars raised. These events build awareness, attract new supporters to your cause, and deepen donor loyalty. 

More to explore

Learn how to set a SMART fundraising goal →

2. Choose the right event format (run, walk, virtual, or hybrid) 🌍

5Ks can take several forms, each offering different benefits. In-person events can build excitement and foster a strong sense of community, while virtual runs are often more accessible and cost-effective. Before you start planning, think through these factors: 

• Audience 👥 If your audience is international, a virtual event may make the most sense. Local, community-based supporters often prefer an in-person experience. 
• Accessibility 🏃 If you know some supporters have mobility challenges, a virtual or hybrid event can help everyone feel included. 
• Resources 💰 In-person events require more logistics (routes, permissions, and safety), but they often create meaningful engagement and greater visibility.

💡 Pro tip: To keep your event community-focused and accessible, try a hybrid 5K run or walk. You could also offer a lower registration fee for virtual participants. 

Get inspired

Explore 20+ fun run fundraiser ideas →

3. Pick your date, location, & course 📍

Once you’ve chosen your event type, select a route that fits your audience and resources. Parks often appeal to families, while hilly terrain may draw more experienced or competitive runners. Keep the following in mind as you explore options: 

• Permission 📝 In most cases, you’ll need formal approval for your event, either from the local government or another organization, depending on your route.  
• Crowd support 🙌 Make sure your route offers plenty of space for spectators. Their presence can help boost your organization's visibility and encourage participation.
• Availability 📅 Avoid double-booking with any local events that could disrupt logistics or limit attendance.

💡 Pro tip: While city locations can maximize your nonprofit's visibility, street closures can add logistical challenges. Routes that avoid full closures, such as multi‑use paths, can reduce costs and planning complexity.

More to explore

Stay organized with the ultimate event planning checklist →

4. Secure permits, insurance, & a safety plan 🛂

With your preferred route finalized, it’s time to secure the necessary permits, coordinate safety support, and create a liability waiver. Avoid potential headaches on race day by taking care of these items well in advance: 

• Permits 📜 If your route includes road closures, you’ll likely need to secure your permit several months before your race.
• First aid 👷 Review potential safety risks along your route and choose locations for your first aid stations. 
• Insurance 💼 Depending on your event, you may need general liability coverage and, in some cases, site‑specific insurance.
• Waivers 📝 Use a waiver that covers liability and media/photo consent.

💡 Pro tip: Reach out to the Red Cross or local EMTs to see if they’re willing to assist with first aid on race day. 

5. Build your planning team & recruit volunteers 🤝

Whether you’re hosting an in-person, virtual, or hybrid event, you’ll need to assemble team members to support both planning and race day. Make sure you have enough staff and volunteers to fill key roles like:  

• Marketing 🎨 Appoint a team member to manage promotion, including social media, local media outreach, event branding, and email campaigns.
• Partnership management 🤝 Designate a point person to oversee all partnerships, including contacting potential corporate sponsors and coordinating with local government to secure permits. 
• Event-day volunteers 👷 On the day, you’ll need volunteers to hand out water, manage parking, direct spectators, and support general logistics. 

Dive deeper

Recruit more volunteers for your cause →

6. Create sponsorship packages to increase revenue 💰

Corporate sponsorships can significantly boost your 5K’s revenue while helping businesses connect with your cause. The key is to make sponsorships easy to understand, affordable at multiple levels, and clearly valuable.

Start by creating tiered sponsorship packages that outline the following:

• How much each level costs
• What the sponsor receives (visibility, recognition, perks)
• How their support advances your mission

Common sponsorship benefits include:

• Logo placement on race bibs, t-shirts, or signage
• Recognition on your event page, emails, and social media
• On-site presence (booths, banners, announcements)

Once your packages are defined, reach out to local businesses that align with your mission with a short, personalized pitch highlighting your audience, expected turnout, and community impact.

💡 Pro tip: Keep entry-level sponsorships accessible. A $50–$250 “community sponsor” tier (social shout-out or name on your website) often converts more easily than asking every business for four figures.

Learn more

Secure support with a free corporate sponsorship proposal template →

7. Set up registration & a fundraising event page 📲

Your online registration page is often the first interaction supporters have with your event, so it should be welcoming, informative, and simple. For seamless registration, make sure your page is: 

• Easy-to-use 👍 Registration should be easy to read and navigate on both desktop and mobile, and take no more than a few minutes to complete. 
• Visually appealing 👀 Keep your page on brand with consistent fonts, logos, and colors, and highlight your cause with eye-catching photographs. 
• Actionable 🎬 Use prominent action buttons so supporters can quickly register, volunteer, or learn more. 
• Donor-friendly 💸 Don’t limit donors to just one or two payment options. With Givebutter, your supporters can donate via Venmo, Apple Pay, Cash App, and more. 

💡 Pro tip: Givebutter includes seamless event check-in, team fundraising tools, and a centralized dashboard to help you manage participants and deliver a smooth experience from start to finish. 

8. Recruit charity runners & promote your event 📣

Start advertising your event at least a few months in advance to give participants time to train and fundraise. Tap into your existing supporter community through multiple channels, including email, social media, and local media partnerships. 

💡 Pro tip: Expand your reach by connecting with runners and fitness enthusiasts beyond your typical support base. Promote your event at local gyms and running clubs, health and wellness stores, and in fitness-focused social media groups. 

More to explore

Learn the top nonprofit marketing strategies for success →

9. Help participants raise money successfully 💸

Registration fees aren’t the only way to raise money through a charity run or walkathon. In fact, the most successful charity runs empower participants to raise donations for their cause through peer-to-peer fundraising. Beyond organizing a fun event, here are three simple steps to support participants and help them raise more:

• Set goals for participants 🎯 Give your participants a fundraising goal to work toward, or consider waiving the registration fee once they raise a certain amount. A $120 fundraising goal often feels more accessible than a $120 entry fee. 
• Provide resources 📦 Make it easy for fundraisers to advocate on your behalf with ready-to-use resource packs that include testimonials, impact data, and social media templates. 
• Use the right tools ⚙️ Provide each participant with a link to their own donation page they can easily share with friends, family, and coworkers. 

💡 Pro tip: With Givebutter, you can create customizable peer-to-peer giving pages and introduce some friendly competition through team fundraising.

Pick your tools

Check out the top event planning platforms to prep your next charity run →

10. Plan race day & post-event follow-up 🏁

A successful charity race doesn’t end at the finish line. Thoughtful donor stewardship helps supporters feel appreciated and keeps them engaged long after race day. Here’s what your post-event strategy should include: 

• Personal thank-you 🫶 Send a thank-you message immediately after the event, followed by a more personalized note that includes the supporter’s name, what they contributed (or raised), and total funds raised.
• Feedback survey 🗨️ Send out a short survey to learn what worked, what could be improved, and to show participants you value their input. 
• Next steps ➡️ Keep supporters connected by offering clear ways to get involved, such as volunteering, recurring giving programs, or future fundraising events. 

💡 Pro tip: Show your supporters exactly how much their hard work helped your cause by sharing what you were able to achieve with the money they raised. 

Dive deeper

Craft a thank you letter that resonates (with template) →

Ideas to boost donations (and fun) at your charity run/walk 

You’ve done the hard work to get your charity 5K off the ground. Now it’s time to add the finishing touches to elevate your event. Make running for a cause exciting and memorable for participants with these tips: 

• Offer early bird pricing 🐤 Build momentum and encourage early sign-ups with tiered registration fees. 
• Set challenges 🏆 Spark friendly competition with awards like “Most Money Raised,” “Most Team Spirit,” or “Longest Distance.”
• Sell official charity run gear 🎽 Offer branded merchandise such as water bottles, t-shirts, or sweatbands. ‍
• Add a theme 👑 Make your event stand out with a specific theme you can incorporate into your branding, route, and even participant outfits. ‍
• Secure a gift match 💞 Ask a corporation or local business to offer a matching gift. Many companies have established gift-matching programs, even if they are not highly publicized. ‍
• Partner with a club 🏋️ Connect with a local gym or running club to explore event partnership opportunities. 

Host a seamless charity run with Givebutter

Charity runs bring your community together, attract new supporters, and create lasting momentum for your mission. From setting a realistic budget to helping participants fundraise successfully, you now have a clear roadmap to organize a 5K that meets your goals and exceeds expectations.

The key to a successful fundraising run is giving yourself the time and resources to manage logistics, permits, insurance, volunteers, and promotion. That's where Givebutter’s event management software comes in.

With Givebutter, you can set up a branded registration page in minutes, enable peer-to-peer fundraising so participants can raise money on your behalf, accept donations through multiple payment methods, and manage everything from a single dashboard. Best of all, our core features are free to use, so more of what you raise goes directly to your cause.  

Sign up for Givebutter today and start planning your most successful charity run yet. 

FAQs about walks & 5K races for charity

How much does it cost to organize a 5K race? 

Many small, in‑person 5Ks cost between $1.5K–$8K, depending on location, event size, and the amount of in‑kind support you receive. Larger events typically have higher upfront costs. The most significant expenses for a 5K include permits, insurance, logistics, promotion, and merchandise.

How to set up a virtual run for charity? 

Start by setting your fundraising goal and event date. Then use Givebutter to create your registration and donation pages and enable peer-to-peer fundraising so participants can sign up and begin collecting donations. 

Track participation by asking runners to submit GPS app screenshots, smartwatch photos, or use a simple online form with time and distance so that you can recognize finishers and post results. Remind everyone to choose safe, low-traffic routes or treadmills and follow local safety rules. Following the event, send personalized thanks and report total funds raised.

Why do people run marathons for charity? 

Supporters often run for charity because they believe in a specific cause, hope to honor a loved one, want a physical (and emotional) challenge, or want to qualify for a particular marathon. In other cases, runners might want to raise money for charity to make a race more meaningful.

How do charity walks raise money? 

Charity walks typically raise money through registration fees, peer-to-peer fundraising, corporate sponsorships, and day-of donations. 

With Givebutter, setting up a charity walk fundraising event is easier than ever. You can quickly customize your giving page, enable peer-to-peer fundraising, and start raising money for your cause. 

Do participants have to fundraise to join a charity run? 

Some charity runs require participants to raise a minimum amount, especially for larger or prestigious events. Others rely on registration fees instead.

Can you host a free charity run? 

While it’s possible to keep a charity run relatively low cost (sometimes around $1K), it’s uncommon to host one for truly zero cost due to permits, insurance, and basic logistics. Opting for a virtual event rather than an in-person race or securing strong in-kind support can significantly reduce costs.