At Boston Marathon, Competition Is Heavy for Charities

Competition to run in the Boston Marathon has significantly increased when it comes to raising money for charity, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Twenty-four charities have been given permission to enter runners in the marathon even if they wouldn’t qualify otherwise, as long as they pledge at least $3,000.

Charitable donations made through the marathon have increased by almost 50 percent to more than $10-million since 2004.

The competition to run for a charity is fierce. For example, the Children’s Hospital Trust received 470 applications, about double the 225 official running slots it has received for this year. Patty Heisler, a local runner, says getting one of the rare charity spots for Boston is “like applying for school.”

It can take a number of years for charities to apply and receive slots in the Boston Marathon. “It’s almost like writing a grant proposal,” says Nathalie Favre-Gilly, spokeswoman for Casa Myrna Vazquez, a charity that helps victims of domestic violence.