LEVERAGING SPORT TO revolutionise philanthropyLEVERAGING SPORT TO revolutionise philanthropy
Procam's distance running events are today the largest sporting platforms philanthropy in India!
INR
Funds raised
2004
2024
Individuals fundraising
NGOs raised funds
Companies
On its journey of revolutionising sport in India, Procam achieved another significant milestone: revolutionising philanthropy itself.
Beginning with the Tata Mumbai Marathon in 2004, till date Procam's running platform has facilitated over 1500 NGOs cumulatively raised funds amounting to INR 497.28 crores (USD 59.91 million). Over 75,000 individuals have individually raised funds for their chosen causes. Furthermore, 1200 companies have also contributed to this effort.
Philanthropy is one of the Five Pillars of Procam that promotes international distance races. That’s why, Procam has developed
A five-step
formal process
to accelerate philanthropy through sport.
1
Creating
partnerships
Procam International partners with neutral support organisations, giving them the status of official Philanthropy Partner to respective events.
Philanthropy Partner of the Tata Mumbai Marathon
Philanthropy Partner of TCS World 10K Bengaluru
Philanthropy Partner of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon
Philanthropy Partner of Tata Steel Kolkata 25K
2
Defining the role of a
Philanthropy Partner
Due diligence
NGOs who wish to participate and raise funds through the event, need to register with the respective philanthropy partner by submitting required documents for verification. This is to confirm legitimacy of registered NGOs.
Empowering NGOs
Empowering by way of building intellectual capacities, information, support, increasing visibility of their causes, and facilitating building of relationships between donors and participating non-profits.
Philanthropic gateway
A gateway of information and funds raised – all funds raised are routed solely through the philanthropy partner.
3
Structure of the
philanthropy pillar
Cause-neutral
The events encourage legitimate NGOs across causes to use them as platforms for fundraising and driving awareness on their work.
This gives individuals and corporate contributors/ fundraisers a range of causes, aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of UNDP, to choose from.
Structured approach
The structure outlines the methodology of fundraising through the event, highlights the fundraising opportunities available to registered NGOs, important dates, details of processes for individuals and corporates to participate and donate/fundraise/contribute to a cause/ NGO, the privileges and benefits accorded to each category of fundraisers (individuals/ companies).
Transparency and accountability
The two foundations of the philanthropy pillar. A clear reporting mechanism on funds raised and received by each beneficiary NGOs has been put in place; every amount donated is accounted for and acknowledged by the philanthropy partner.
Procam is probably the only promoter in the world to publish a docket at the end of each edition. Documenting funds raised by individuals, companies and NGOs, and capturing highlights of the said edition. The philanthropy partner is responsible for the legitimacy and sanctity of the docket’s contents.
Low cost of fundraising
For the philanthropy model to work, it has to be sustainable in the long run. The philanthropy partner retains a certain amount/percentage (specified in the philanthropy structure) to defray their administrative costs. The philanthropy partner retains between 4% to 12%.
4
Expanding the fundraising
opportunities for NGOs
at Procam-promoted events
The philanthropy structure gives ample opportunity for just about anyone to use these running platforms to support a cause and raise funds for their chosen cause/NGO, be it a company or an individual. Almost 25% of the running spots are allotted for charity.
There are five primary methods through which
fundraising can be conducted:
01Individual Fundraising
Procam encourages crowd fundraising. Any individual can create their fundraising campaign on the philanthropy partner’s event microsite, reaching out to friends, family and peers for donations. The fundraiser pages contain various features that support and help the fundraiser raise funds efficiently. Over the years, individual fundraising has grown by a startling 50%.
To encourage individual fundraising, the philanthropy structure rewards the efforts of the fundraisers.Examples: official event kitting, hosted in VIP marquee on race day, media exposure, customized running number bib, etc.
Also, another encouraging trend is when the youth takes up to a social cause and decides to make a positive change.The impact on the youth to fundraise has significantly increased.
While the philanthropy structure specifies how funds raised will be received, the methodology is left to individuals(in fact even companies).Procam encourages creativity! The advantages of social networking platforms as a methodology of mass outreach is understood and used optimally, not only by fundraisers, but also by NGOs.
02Charity Bibs
From the number of running slots reserved for charity, specific number of running places are allotted to registered NGOs as charity bibs. These bibs are unique as they can be used to register a participant even after general registrations are closed and are available against a premium donation benefitting the NGOs. The intent is to provide a means for NGOs to build new relationships and raise funds for their causes.
03Corporate Teams
This category is specially designed for companies to form employee teams for the event and raise funds for their chosen NGOs. This initiative fosters employee engagement, team bonding and contributes to various causes. The events enable corporates to invest in their employees’ well-being and engage them in charitable activities.
Participating as a Corporate Team also sees multiple benefits – helps foster a positive and socially conscious internal culture; an opportunity for employees to raise funds/donations for their chosen cause; creates enhanced race day experience (corporate team members are housed in a special Corporate Tent with all required facilities provided) and brand visibility.
Corporate contributions and fundraising amount to more than 50% total funds raised each year.
04Top-up Donations
This option of donations was introduced during the pandemic. Runners are encouraged to make top-up donations while registering for their run at the event. All registered NGOs are listed on the event website on completing their due diligence process. Runners can choose the NGO they wish to support or add a donation to a shared pool, which is later disbursed to the NGOs as a capacity building grants.
05Direct Donation to NGOs
This is an option for individuals to donate whatever amount they can for the benefit of an NGO of their choosing, online or offline, via the portal of the Philanthropy Partner. This option also helps an NGO to garner monetary support from increasing number of individuals, in addition to fundraisers.
5
Reporting &
Recognitions
Event Docket
Procam is probably the only promoter in the world to publish an Event Docket at the end of each edition.
Philanthropy Awards
Within 60 days after each event’s edition, Procam hosts the Philanthropy Awards night which marks the official closure to the edition’s cycle. Highest fundraising NGOs, individuals and companies are recognized by sponsor heads and dignitaries at this function.
Historically, the Hon’ble Governors are the Guests of Honour for the Philanthropy Awards nights functions.
InspiringInspiring
IdeasIdeas
Over the years, we have all been inspired by and marvelled at the uniqueness and out of the box initiatives for raising funds. Here are some examples:
- Young fundraisers have baked cookies/brownies and sold against donations, accepted donations instead of gifts for their birthdays, painted and sold their art online with proceedings going to charity.
- Companies have encouraged employees to donate their unclaimed leave at calendar year-end, gross amount of these leaves which could have been encashed going to the NGO of employees’ choice.
- Team leadership skills have been developed and observed, and rewarded, by giving fitness and fundraising goals to employee teams in the 3 months leading to race day.
- One NGO in Bengaluru truly took the TCS World 10K to the world, with their volunteers running the 10-km distance from wherever they are, and raising funds!
IMPACT beyond
PHILANTHROPY!
1
Social good transcending geographies!
The Philanthropy platform is all about being inclusive. The funds raised is not only from the host city but includes from India and the globe.
A modern science college (Shrimad Rajchandra Vidyapeeth)
A state-of-the-art, 250 bed multi-speciality charitable hospital in Dharampur (Shrimad Rajchandra Hospital and Research Centre)
An upcoming animal hospital
A facility employing and empowering hundreds of tribal women (Shrimad Rajchandra Centre of Excellence for Women)
A spiritual organisation based in Dharampur, Gujarat, has been participating in TMM since 2011 and is the since highest fundraising organisation at the event (cumulatively having fundraised over ₹ 35 crores).
Under the guidance of their Guru, Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, the highly motivated team at SRLC, young and old, have optimally and creatively used the TMM platform to not only fundraise, but also raise awareness on the revolutionary social good projects undertaken in South Gujarat, impacting millions.
2
Exponential growth!
Founded in 2011, to provide quality education, nutritious development and skill development to children and youth in India’s urban slums, with a focus on changing lives.
In 2014, with around 30 children the organisation was looking to raise funds to grow the school. It was early days, and with limited funds it was difficult to create an outreach to the larger community in a credible and focussed manner.
LPF’s tryst began with 2014 Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. In the first year fundraised a modest amount of ₹ 53,000. After which, there was no looking back.
Till date Lotus Petal Foundation has cumulatively raised over ₹ 8.96 crores for TMM and ₹ 3.82 crores at the 2019 edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. LPF was declared the highest fundraising NGO for that edition.
Since year 2011, 35000+ underserved children have been directly impacted by Lotus Petal Foundation.
3
The young
changemakers!
It’s heartening to see an increasing number of youth, some even as young as a 5-year olds get involved.
Each calendar year, the four distance running events cumulatively have a minimum of 50 young children (below the age of 18 years) enthusiastically participating and fundraising. And leading the way for our Young Leaders is Meera Mehta.
What began at the 2013 Tata Mumbai Marathon as a young 13-year old, has become an impassioned and sustained mission. Meera has not only raised funds year on year, but has also motivated, inspired and mentored other young children.
Flag bearer of the Young Leaders
In its true essence, Meera Mehta is the flag bearer of the Young Leaders fundraising category at the Tata Mumbai Marathon! Meera alone has raised over ₹ 1.50 crores across 10 editions for her chosen charity - Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care.
Meera made the dream of Sonali Dusane, a young tribal girl from Gujarat, to become a doctor, possible. Both became doctors almost simultaneously – Dr. Meera Mehta and Dr. Sonali Dusane!
Meera’s work in the upliftment of rural communities in South Gujarat, and her leadership at the Tata Mumbai Marathon, have been globally recognised. She has been conferred the prestigious
Diana Award in 2021 by the Diana Award Charity, awarded to youth icons worldwide in recognition of their social and humanitarian impact.
