Applications are now closed for the New Charity Bond Scheme for the TCS London Marathon. Charities successful in the ballot for the New Bonds will be notified of the results the week commencing 2 December 2024.  

The New Charity Bond Scheme will enable 800 new charities to become part of the world’s biggest annual one-day fundraising event from 2026 onwards, with two types of Bonds on offer:  

• Golden Bonds, with four entries per year in the TCS London Marathon  
• Silver Bonds, with two entries per year in the TCS London Marathon 
• Both Bonds are for a four-year term from 2026 to 2029.  

Each Bond also comes with two Grandstand passes on Event Day each year plus free attendance to the Meet Our Experts training event for your charity entries.  

The application window closes at 23:59 on Tuesday 26 November 2024 and charities will be notified of the ballot results the week commencing 2 December.

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions for full details on eligibility criteria and other questions. 

Background to the new scheme 

In 2019, we undertook a detailed review of the London Marathon Charity Bond Schemes. Our review included an extensive consultation with charities. More than 80% of charities that responded either agreed or strongly agreed that the allocation of bonds should be reviewed. The results of this review mean that 800 more charities will benefit from the new scheme from 2026 onwards. 

Charity Advertising Packages 

Our London Marathon Charity Advertising Packages offer a range of ways to reach and communicate with participants who may be looking to select a charity.  

Our email communications put your charity brand directly in front of ballot participants, and the TCS London Marathon website is a hugely powerful marketing tool featuring a range of advertising options as well as support for you and your participants. Each package also offers an allocation of guaranteed charity places to maximise fundraising from the event. Packages are highly sought after and most are sold for the 2026 event.

Charity Ballot 

Each year charities that don’t currently hold any TCS London Marathon places can enter a ballot for the chance to secure one of 500 charity entries in the following year’s event. You can register for the ballot by filing out this form.

The application window for the 2026 Charity Ballot opened on Monday 2 December 2024 and will close at 23:59 on Friday 13 December. Charities will be notified of the results by Friday 20 December. Please read our Frequently Asked Questions for further information.  

TCS London Marathon MyWay Places

No matter where in the world you and your supporters are, you can be part of the TCS London Marathon with the TCS London Marathon MyWay. You can read more about our virtual event here.

Did you know we deliver a range of other events throughout the year, all with places and advertising packages available to charities? 

If you'd like to register your interest in charity opportunities for the TCS London Marathon, or any of our other events, please fill out this form and we'll be in touch with the relevant information.