CHARITIES
Two Oceans
Gives Back
For many years, the Two Oceans Marathon event has supported a wide variety of charities and social welfare projects, and this includes making some entries available each year through partnered charities.
In 2012, with the Two Oceans event having grown into a running festival with multiple races and fun runs, and well over 20,000 entries in total, the Two Oceans Marathon( TOM) Board of Directors made the strategic decision to launch the Two Oceans Marathon Initiative( TOMI). The TOM Board’ s thinking was that the Two Oceans Marathon was no longer just a running event, but a body of people working together to ensure the happiness and success of the greater running community, and the local community in general, so a social impact arm of the Two Oceans Marathon NPC would allow the event to achieve those charitable goals.
In its initial form, TOMI served as a fundraising initiative for four selected charities that addressed the four pillars of TOMI – Health, Education, Environment and Athletic Development. These charities were chosen annually to be the beneficiaries of the funds raised through runner donations made when they entered the event, and were given the opportunity to make an extra donation to one of these official beneficiaries.
Charity Entries
By 2014, with the Half Marathon regularly selling out and the demand for entries growing larger each year, the TOM Board decided to make 500 Half Marathon entries available for sale to 20 selected charities, which could then on-sell the entries, at a profit, in order to raise funds and create more awareness of their cause. TOMI supported this drive by marketing these highly sought-after entries to the running community.
In subsequent years, the number of charities applying each year to be part of this programme has increased massively, and the TOM Board decided to increase both the number of selected charities and the number of entries reserved for these charities, across both the Ultra Marathon and Half Marathon races.
Another positive partnership was forged in 2018 between TOMI and GivenGain, the global online platform that enables non-profit organisations to boost their fundraising income with tools that empower their supporters to fundraise on their behalf. Two Oceans Marathon runners are encouraged to use this platform if this is their preferred method of fund-raising for one of the event’ s official charities, or a linked charity.
Making a Difference
Since 2012, TOMI has raised many millions of Rands for a wide variety of causes, and today, all the funds raised by TOMI are allocated to a variety of programmes that assist underprivileged runners, help fund elite athlete development as well as grassroots athlete development, fund skills development, and assist club events.
As part of this, since partnering with fundraising platform GivenGain in 2017, over R10.2 million has been raised for 168 charities. This includes R3.8 million raised for these charities as a result of their affiliation with TOM, but donated directly to the charity, instead of via GivenGain.
Fundraise on Givengain with TTOM
The Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon( TTOM) is not simply about participating in a great running event. At the heart of the event is the goal of contributing to a positive change in South Africa, through the activities of the Two Oceans Marathon Initiative( TOMI), and all entrants and supporters are invited to be part of this drive by fundraising on the GivenGain platform.
If your favourite charity is registered on GivenGain, then have that charity send a request to fundraising @ givengain. com to have its charity profile added to the TTOM event page. Then you and the charity can help to spread the word that TTOM runners and spectators can support that charity on GivenGain. All the best with your fundraising efforts!
Clothing and Shoe Donations
Are you a retailer or shoe manufacturer with spare apparel or running shoes that the philanthropic arm of the TOM NPC, the Two Oceans Marathon Initiative( TOMI), can put to good use? Then please email tomi @ twooceansmarathon. org. za today.
Interested in donating to TOMI in aid of our Beneficiary Programme, or looking for more info on TOMI? Contact tomi @ twooceansmarathon. org. za.
Images: Two Oceans Marathon
32 Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon 2026