Fundraising at our events

Light Horse Track Club has three high-profile track meets each year in the DC metro area: DC10, Down the Stretch, Run Unbridled

One thing that’s worked really well for us is separating registration and fundraising - but connecting them intentionally

We use RunSignup for race registration, but leverage Zeffy specifically for donations during the event experience.

Here’s how we think about it:

Registration = commitment to participate

Zeffy = opportunity to support the mission

Instead of forcing donations during sign-up, we meet people when they’re most engaged—at the event itself

What that looks like in practice:

• QR codes around the venue linking directly to our Zeffy donation page

• Announcer callouts during peak moments (“If you’re enjoying tonight, support what we’re building…”)

• Clear storytelling on-site about where donations go

• Volunteers + team members reinforcing the message in a natural way

The result:

People aren’t just signing up for a race—they’re buying into the community and the vision.

Big takeaway:

Timing matters more than convenience, and the best moment to ask isn’t always checkout - it’s during the experience

Zeffy has been great for this because it’s simple, mobile-friendly, and keeps 100% of what people give