Applications open for 2027 TCS London Marathon charity of the year
Howard Lake | 31 March 2025 | News
London Marathon Events is inviting applications from charities to become Charity of the Year for the 2027 TCS London Marathon.
The London Marathon is the world’s most popular marathon and “the most successful one-day annual fundraising event in the world”. Its runners have raised £1.3 billion for thousands of charities since the first event in 1981.
Sarah Ball, Head of Charities at the TCS London Marathon, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for a charity – or a consortium of charities – to become the 2027 TCS London Marathon Charity of the Year. We want to hear from charities that are looking to fund an innovative project or projects that will create a lasting impact. This is a unique chance for a charity to reach new audiences and raise millions for its cause.”
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Open to all UK charities and help is provided
Any UK registered charity can apply. The closing date for applications is 17:00 on Monday 12 May 2025. A shortlist of charities will then be invited to present to the London Marathon Events (LME) panel.
A glance at the recent official charities of the London Marathon (below) demonstrates that in practice the selected charity will be an established, national brand.
LME advises that “charities with a clear communications campaign and a robust fundraising and recruitment plan are most likely to succeed in delivering on the potential of the opportunity”.
Nevertheless the chosen charity will receive help to maximise its impact from the LME team and its partners to deliver its campaign.
The selected charity will receive:
- 250 guaranteed places in 2027, plus 50 in 2028, 25 in 2029 and 10 in 2030, all at ballot price and are in addition to any entries your charity may already hold.
- Exclusive use of the title ‘Charity of the Year’ in the 12 months from the end of the 2026 event up to the 2027 Event Day.
- Other benefits including opportunities to feature in communications to participants, dedicated social media posts, invitations to media functions, introductions to event sponsors, support from our LME PR team, and more.
Recent official charities of the London Marathon
- 2020: Mencap
- 2021: Macmillan Cancer Support
- 2022: British Heart Foundation
- 2023: Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH)
- 2024: Samaritans
- 2025: Pancreatic Cancer UK
This year’s TCS London Marathon
This year’s event, the 45th edition, will take place on Sunday 27 April 2025. The Official Charity of the Year is Pancreatic Cancer UK.
About the TCS London Marathon
Since the first London Marathon in 1981, the event has raised more than £1.3 billion for charity. The 2025 TCS London Marathon Official Charity of the Year is Pancreatic Cancer UK.
London Marathon Events passes its surplus each year through corporate Gift Aid its parent charity, the London Marathon Foundation (the operating name of The London Marathon Charitable Trust.
Since 1981, the London Marathon Foundation has awarded £108.5 million to more than 1,700 projects that inspire activity in London, Essex and across the UK.
- 2024’s London Marathon raised record-breaking £73.5 million (26 September 2024)
- 2023 London Marathon raised £63 million for charities (16 April 2024)
- JustGiving announces donation boost for London Marathon runners (29 June 2023)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.