Learn
The Community Foundation Run is an annual fundraising event for local nonprofits facilitated by the Foundation. On the day of the Run, thousands of people come together for one of the biggest celebrations of community spirit and support in Gaston County.
When:
April 13, 2024
Who:
Walkers and runners of all ages, participating nonprofits, community members
What:
5K Run, 2K Fun Walk
All registrations will be online through the Race Roster link; no written registrations or checks for runner or walker registration payments will be accepted at the Foundation. The Run will be 100% in person.
•5k Run Registration:
•Early bird registration online is $30 until March 31st
•Beginning April 1, online registration is $35
•Day of race (April 13) in-person registration at the park is $40
•2k Walk Registration:
•Early bird registration online is $20 until March 31st
•Beginning April 1, online registration is $25
•Day of walk (April 13) in-person registration at the park is $30
•Both the 5k run and the 2k walk registrations include a T-shirt (while supplies last).
•Packet pickup for pre-registered runners and walkers will be available Tuesday, April 9 through Friday, April 12 from 9:30am - 4:00pm at the Gaston Community Foundation. (Notify Run Director of group packet pick up by April 5).
Register to Run or Walk
2024 Run Nonprofit Participants' Use of Funds
To view the event parking map, please click below.
To view the 2024 5K Run course map, please click below.
To view the 2024 2K Walk course map, please click below.
To become a Run Sponsor, click below. Sponsorship pledges will be recognized on social media, on Run Day and in our Annual Report.
To learn more about the benefits of being a 2024 Community Foundation Run Sponsor, click here.
Run Day!
On the day of the Run, thousands of people come together for one of the biggest celebrations of community spirit and support in Gaston County. The day is filled with a 5k Run and 2k Fun Walk. The magic of a community celebration, combined with ease of giving, has increased awareness about the work of local organizations and has enabled them to raise more than $27 million in the last twenty-two years. Dollars given to the Match Fund will be applied to the matching grant, which benefits ALL participating nonprofits. Dollars earmarked for certain nonprofits will go to the specific organization(s) named. For eligible agencies, up to $10,000 total dollars raised will be matched by a percentage based on a ratio of the total amount of dollars collected in the match pot compared to the amount of eligible donor contributions. Gaston County public and charter schools share a $15,000 cap.
History of the Run
As a way to celebrate the Community Foundation’s 25th anniversary, the first “Run for the Money” event was held March 29, 2003. Building on an idea from the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, Linda Slade and May Barger co-chaired the event and modeled it after the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole's Old Bill's Fun Run for Charities.
After twenty-two consecutive Runs (virtual runs were held during the Covid-19 pandemic), the success of the event has been proclaimed by participating nonprofits, community leaders, runners, walkers, donors, sponsors and all participants. To celebrate the success of the Run, the Board voted in 2014 to change the name to the Community Foundation Run.
$27,082,711 has been raised since the Run began in 2003. Since that time, the Community Foundation has contributed over $3,848,000 to the Match Fund that supports all participating nonprofit organizations. The 2023 Run raised $1,203,163.91 and the match percentage was 34%.