Why Run.fund
Grassroots endurance sports have broken economics. We're fixing them—one prize pool at a time.
Grassroots Endurance Sports Have Broken Economics
Most trail races can't afford prize money, so the fastest athletes go where the money is. That means local races have fewer entrants, fewer spectators, and less social buzz. It's a downward spiral.
For Athletes
- Train 20 hours/week while working full-time
- Spend $1,000-$5,000/year on gear, entries, travel
- Race their hearts out, finish top 3
- Win a buckle and a t-shirt
For Race Directors
- Want to offer prize money to attract competitive fields
- Can't afford it (entry fees barely cover permits, insurance, aid stations)
- Don't have time to recruit sponsors
- Watch athletes choose races with prize money
For Sponsors
- Know trail and ultra runners are high-value customers
- Don't know which races to sponsor
- Can't track ROI (unclear deliverables, no attribution)
- Waste budgets on unmeasurable "brand awareness"
For Fans
- Want to support athletes they care about
- Have no mechanism to contribute
- Can only cheer from the sidelines
- No financial engagement possible
Run.fund: The Infrastructure Layer for Grassroots Sports Economics
When you add real prize money—even just $3,000-5,000—everything changes. Top regional athletes show up. The race gets more competitive. People pay attention. Social media engagement goes up. More people want to register. And sponsors actually get ROI.
The Flywheel
Prize money creates better racing → Better racing creates attention → Attention creates sponsor value → Sponsors fund bigger prizes → Repeat.
Prize Money Attracts Athletes
Races offer real purses ($3K-10K+) through community contributions and brand sponsorships. Top regional and national athletes prioritize these races.
Competitive Fields Create Attention
Strong fields create compelling racing. Athletes post about training and race day. Media covers it. Social engagement increases 3-5x.
Attention Delivers Sponsor ROI
High engagement = impressions, clicks, and conversions. Sponsors see measurable returns (3-5% conversion vs. 1-2% on Meta ads). They increase budgets.
Sponsor ROI Funds Bigger Purses
Sponsors renew and expand. More sponsor dollars = bigger purses. Attracts even stronger athletes. The cycle strengthens.
The Competitive Field Effect
When a race offers meaningful prize money, top regional and national athletes prioritize it. This creates three immediate impacts:
Direct Entrants
The athletes racing for the purse register (obvious but important).
Aspirational Entrants
Mid-pack runners who want to “race with the best” register specifically because the field is strong.
Spectator Entrants
Friends, family, and fans register or attend to support the competitive athletes.
The Old Model vs. The New Model
Traditional Race Economics
- RD funds entire event from entry fees
- Athletes race for free (or for swag)
- Sponsors get logo placement with no ROI tracking
- Fans have no way to financially support athletes
- Result: Weak fields, low engagement, unsustainable economics
Run.fund Ecosystem
- RDs leverage sponsor marketplace (no sales work required)
- Athletes earn prize money (sustainable careers possible)
- Sponsors get tracked ROI (measurable marketing spend)
- Fans can boost pools (direct athlete support)
- Result: Strong fields, high engagement, sustainable economics
Why Brands Sponsor on Run.fund
Grassroots sports sponsorships outperform traditional advertising. Trail runners have 35% higher household incomes, spend hundreds to thousands of dollars each year on gear, and exhibit 3x higher brand loyalty.
What Sponsors Get
Why Race Directors Use Run.fund
You focus on your race. We handle the money.
What We Handle
Why Athletes Choose Run.fund
The only way to make a semi-pro career sustainable is to replace income with racing earnings. Run.fund creates a path to professionalization that doesn't currently exist.
Example Season
Not enough to quit a job, but enough to cover race entries, travel, and gear. This validates an athlete's earning potential through racing, which is the first step towards sponsorships and a sustainable career.
The Respect Factor
Prize money isn't just about dollars—it's about respect. When athletes train 20 hours/week, race their hearts out, and finish on the podium, getting paid acknowledges that what they're doing has value. It's not charity. It's compensation for performance.
How Fans Fit In
Fans have always wanted to support athletes financially, but traditional sports offered no mechanism. Run.fund changes this—transforming passive spectators into active participants.
Boost Prize Pools
$10-100 contributions that go directly to athlete payouts
Leave Dedications
“For my friend Sarah racing Black Canyon—you got this!”
Track Your Impact
See when purse tiers unlock and leaderboard standings
Clean Sport Commitment
Prize money creates incentive for doping, which is why Run.fund enforces clean sport requirements. Athletes attest to no banned substances. We defer to WADA/USADA testing protocols and World Athletics eligibility rules. Violations result in permanent bans and repayment of winnings.
This protects clean athletes, sponsors (brand risk mitigation), and race directors (event reputation). We're committed to keeping grassroots sports clean as they professionalize.
“Run.fund fills a real gap in the trail running economy in a way that feels consistent with the sport's values.”— Seth LaReau, Trail Waves
What Success Looks Like in 5 Years
For Athletes
10,000 semi-pro athletes earn $5,000-50,000/year from Run.fund prize pools. Careers that were impossible become sustainable.
For Race Directors
Every grassroots race has access to the sponsor marketplace. Prize pools are 3-5x larger than today.
For Sponsors
Grassroots sponsorship becomes as measurable as Google Ads. $100M+ deployed annually into endurance sports.
For the Sport
More athletes can compete seriously. Fields get deeper. Competition gets better. The sport grows sustainably.
Get Started
For Sponsors
Browse races by region, size, and audience. Sponsor in 10 minutes. Track ROI in real-time.
Browse RacesFor Race Directors
Claim your race, approve sponsors, add logos. We handle the rest. 85% goes to your purse.
Claim Your RaceFor Athletes
Find races with prize money. Get featured to earn activation bonuses. Get paid fast.
Find Your RaceFor Fans
Boost prize pools for races you care about. Support athletes you believe in. Be part of the story.
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