Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon event?
- How is this event connected with charity?
- What is the role of Official Charity Partner United Way of Mumbai?
The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM), now in its 9th Edition, is amongst the top ten marathons in the world. The event is not only a platform to test an individual's athletic excellence but also a unique fund raising event for charity. In the last seven years of existence, it has assumed a stature of eminence, being the single largest philanthropic sporting event in India.
SCMM has assumed a stature of eminence, being the largest single charity and philanthropic sporting event in India. Last year, more than 189 NGOs participated in the event and raised funds for their respective organizations. A lot of the participants use the event as a reason to give back to their society and the underprivileged. The charity aspect is well regulated and hence serves as an assurance to prospective donors.
United Way of Mumbai is the Charity Partner for Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon since 2009. The Charity Partner serves as a Philanthropy Exchange for various charities and non-profits. All donations pass through the charity partner and then to the respective NGOs bringing in accountability and transparency in the system.
- Which charities are eligible for fund-raising through this event?
- How do I choose a cause?
- In case the charity of my choice has not registered with you for the event, what do you suggest I do?
- Can an NGO based outside Mumbai register for the event?
- Can I run for more than one charity?
- What if I am not sure which charity to run for?
- Is there an email id where we can clarify our doubts?
Only those charities registered with official event charity partner are eligible for fund- raising through this event. United Way of Mumbai conducts a preliminary scrutiny process and due diligence for registering the NGOs for SCMM. The list of these charities is published on the United Way of Mumbai website as well as the official event website.
United Way of Mumbai endeavors to partner with as many charities from diverse causes and bring them all under the umbrella of Marathon fundraising. Simply think about the cause that is closest to your heart, and select the specific charity working in that area, from the list provided on our website http://www.unitedwaymumbai.org We will keep updating this list as and when more NGOs register.
You can always get in touch with the particular charity and get them registered with us. Please ask them to email / write to us expressing their interest in participating in the event. We request that the contact information be clear, updated and legible. We will then send them a registration form which they will need to fill and send back to us.
Yes, NGOs based outside Mumbai can register for the event.
Yes, you can run for more than one charity but it is advisable to run for a single charity so that there is maximum impact of the funds that are donated.
If you are undecided which charity you wish to run for, simply write the cause you wish to support on the pledge sheet, which you will submit along with your cheques, against "name of the charity". United Way of Mumbai will ensure that a charity that has an urgent need for funds within that cause will get the money you have raised. The charity that we will choose will be from among the ones that are registered for the event.
Yes. All queries can be sent to scmm@unitedwaymumbai.org and it will be answered.
- What is pledge raising?
- What happens if I don't reach my target?
- What's the easiest and best way for me to keep track of my pledges?
- How long before the event should I start raising pledges?
Fundraising should be initiated the moment you start seeing promotions for the event. That way, people you approach will already be aware of the event. Don't wait till the last minute though. The earlier you begin raising pledges, the less frantic it will be for you towards D-Day. - Should I set myself a target for the amount of pledges I need to raise?
- Is there a minimum amount that a runner should raise for the NGO?
- Will the donors be getting receipts for all the donations?
- Can the participant directly pay the collected funds to a charity of his/her choice?
- Is there an email id where we can clarify our doubts?
Pledge Raising is an initiative where an individual collects donations for a charity he/she feels strongly about by asking his/her friends, colleagues and other acquaintances for funds. Pledge Raising not only gives you a chance to make a difference in the life of underprivileged but also sets you on the path of social networking for a noble cause.
You will, don't even start with that thought! With the right commitment and a good fundraising plan you have plenty of time and support you need from United Way Mumbai to reach your fundraising goal.
Create an Online Giving Page at www.unitedwaymumbai.org/ and let us track pledges online for you. For offline payments, using the pledge sheet that came with your kit would be the easiest way to keep track of all the pledges you have raised. Remember to update the sheet as soon as you receive a pledge, and make sure you record the full address of all your donors on the pledge sheet, as this is required by Income Tax Law April 1, 2006 onwards.
That would be a good idea. Setting a target for yourself will make you more focused in achieving it. You can share that target with people you approach, and ask them to help bring you closer to achieving it.
There is no requirement on a runner about the amount s/he needs to raise. For all donations over Rs.100/- a receipt will be issued.
Yes. All donors will be given receipts for their donations of over Rs.100/-
No. The participants have to route all funds collected towards charity through us as we are the official charity partner for the event. We will be transferring the funds to the charity of the participant's choice.
Yes. All queries can be sent to scmm@unitedwaymumbai.org and it will be answered.
- What are the modes of collection I can use to raise pledges?
- Online by creating our own Online Giving Page on our website.
- Offline through cheques. Every donor needs to make a cheque in favor of 'United Way of Mumbai'
- Fill up the pledge sheet with donor details and send it to our office along with the cheques.
- Can I collect pledges in cash?
- How can I get the pledge kit?
- If friends and family from abroad want to send a cheque, what should they do?
- Recipient as 'United Way of Mumbai'
- Donor's name and full contact information, including telephone number and email address
- Once a pledge sheet is full, do I stop raising pledges?
We will not accept cash donations. However, if a donor insists on giving cash, when turning in the amount to United Way of Mumbai, we request you to issue a consolidated cheque favoring "United Way of Mumbai" to us for the total cash collected.
The pledge kit can be download from www.unitedwaymumbai.org or www.procamrunning.in/scmm from 22nd July 2011. This kit contains a pledge summary sheet, pledge detail sheet & a leaflet on "How to raise pledges" and a reply envelope.
They can either donate through credit card on your webpage or send you cheques in favor of United Way of Mumbai'.
Please note foreign donors will get receipts but will not get tax benefits. We recommend not accepting cheques of amounts smaller than US$100, as banking charges alone exceed 10% of the transaction cost for such cheques.
US donors who need the tax benefit -
If a foreign donor wants a tax benefit, they have to go through United Way Worldwide. This is recommended only for donations above $250. Also make sure you add your donor details in your pledge sheet. It will help us to keep track on the entire transaction. The donor will need to -
a. Send a cheque in favor of 'United Way Worldwide' and mail to:
United Way Worldwide
701 N. Fairfax ST
Alexandria, VA 22314 USA
b. Enclose a letter stating the following:
Before using your pledge sheet its best to make photocopies of the empty pledge sheet or you can download the same from www.unitedwaymumbai.org
- What happens after I send in all my pledges?
- When is the last date to send in my pledge form?
- Do all the pledges for the listed charities have to go through United Way of Mumbai?
- How soon after I send in my pledges will I get the receipts?
- What percentage of the money raised will actually go to the charity?
- Why am I being charged, even when I run for a charity?
- How soon after the event will all the information be collated and put up on United Way of Mumbai's website?
- When will United Way of Mumbai give the money to the charity?
- Will my pledgers also get tax exemptions?
The money is accounted for at United Way of Mumbai and then disbursed to the charity of your choice.
The last day for sending in pledges is January 07, 2012. Along with your pledge sheet(s) and the pledge summary sheet, please send the cheque(s) for the total amount you have raised to our address. Please ensure that you have numbered your pledge sheets and the full address of all donors have been properly entered on the pledge sheet, as the same is required by Income Tax Law with effect from April 1, 2006.
All cheques should be made in favor of 'United Way of Mumbai'. We recommend you keep a photocopy of your pledge sheets for your own records.
Yes. Pledges that flow through United Way of Mumbai will be acknowledged on the United Way of Mumbai website at the end of the event. Individual donors to your cause will also be able to get receipts and tax certificates for their contributions. This whole process will ensure transparency in accounting for your funds
Receipts for online donations will be emailed directly to the donor. Receipts for cheques received will be sent out after 2-3 weeks post cheque clearance. Please make sure that the address of the donor has been mentioned clearly.
After deducting UWM administration charges and race application fees the remainder amount will be disbursed to the charity. Fees are as per table below
| Category | Charity Registration fees | UWM fees |
| Corporate Challenge - team 25 | Rs. 3,50,000 /- | Rs. 35,000 /- |
| Corporate Challenge - team 15 | Rs. 2,25,000 /- | Rs. 25,000 /- |
| Dream Champion | Rs. 50,000 /- | 2% of funds raised or Rs. 7500 whichever is higher |
| Dream Wizard | Rs. 25,000 /- | 2% of funds raised or Rs. 7500 whichever is higher |
| Dream Maker | Rs. 10,000 /- | 2% of funds raised or Rs. 7500 whichever is higher |
| We Care Pledges | 5% |
IMPORTANT: All Govt. of India Taxes and other Service Taxes will be applied as applicable
No event is ever being without costs. There are actual expenses involved in organizing the charity component of the marathon, in putting together the various schemes that you are able to pick from, and in providing you the appropriate materials and support. The charges being levied are only to recover such costs.
United Way Mumbai closes all accounts before March 31st and all information will made available by then.
Disbursements for all donations raised from the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2012, will be given out in installments. All disbursements will be completed before 31st March, 2012.
All donors are eligible for tax deductions u/s 80G of the Income Tax Act, as long as you have provided all the relevant details. Any contributions you make (other than the fee for running the race and the pledge kit) are eligible for this.
- Why should we register with United Way Mumbai?
- How can an NGO participate in SCMM for fund raising?
- How can we find donors?
- What is bib blocking?
- If we find a runner who is willing to support our cause, do we have to fund his/her training?
- The donor cheque should be in favor of which organization?
United Way of Mumbai is the official charity partner for the SCMM since 2009. Hence all those who want to participate for fundraising have to register with UWM. Registering with United Way helps ensure transparency. Also, every donation received is accounted for and this is always appealing to the donors. NGOs can also spread awareness about their cause with the help of the official charity partner. There are running numbers kept aside for NGOs and can be availed by registered organizations.
In order to participate, NGO's needs to fill up the NGO Registration fill in Form. Here is the link: http://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/downloads/NGO_Registration_form_2012.pdf
Ngo needs to send the softcopy as well as hardcopy of the same to United Way of Mumbai along with the relevant documents. A preliminary scrutiny process is then conducted by United Way to complete the registration process.
United Way puts up the list of NGOs who have registered with them on the website. Prospective donor companies as well as individuals use the list as a reference while looking for causes to support.
There are 5000 running spaces or bibs that are kept aside for the NGO community. Once an NGO registers with United Way, they are eligible to block running spaces. This year bib allocation is on the basis of funds raised in the past three years (SCMM 2009, 2010 and 2011) as per records available with UWM for the top 100 NGO's and the balance equally amongst all registered NGO's. In case an NGO in the pre assigned top 100 is not interested in blocking their full allocated bibs, these will be made available to the common pool.
| No of Bibs allocated | |
| Top 50 funds raiser 2009-2011 | 50 |
| Top 51-100 fund raisers 2009-2011 | 30 |
| All other registered NGO's | * |
*equally divided among all registered NGO's not included in above 100.
Please find the below link for top 100 NGO's:
http://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/downloads/Top 100_NGOs.pdf
Most of the time, the runner himself/herself will find a trainer. The NGOs can also help to find a trainer. This has to be worked out with the runner(s).
The donor cheque for the NGO's should be in favor of United Way of Mumbai
- Why should we enroll in a Corporate Challenge progrmme?
- Will you guide us on the tips for motivating the employees to run?
- If we register for a Team 25 but cannot find enough participants, can it be changed to Team 15?
- Is it necessary for all the employees who participate to raise pledges?
- Can we raise funds for an NGO based outside of Mumbai?
- How many teams in total can be put up by a corporate house?
By enrolling in the Corporate Challenge programme, Corporates can contribute in making a positive change in people's life. Besides, various perks are also available for the corporate challenge participants.
Yes, we can also conduct workshops for corporates on request.
No. You cannot change your team size from Team 25 to Team 15 once you have completed registration formalities. You can however, submit entry forms of less than 25 participants.
It is not necessary for all the employees who participate to raise pledges. However, participants are encouraged to raise pledges for a cause of his / her choice. The corporate whose employees raise funds this year could become eligible for a Priority slot next year.
Yes. It is possible to raise funds for NGOs based outside Mumbai, provided the NGO is registered with UWM.
A corporate can put up maximum of 7 teams.
- Can we donate the pledges raised to two charities?
- Is there a minimum amount that a participant should raise for the charity s/he runs for?
- Dream Champions have to achieve a minimum of Rs. 10 lacs.
- Dream Wizards have to achieve a minimum of Rs.5 lacs
- Dream Makers have to achieve a minimum of Rs.1 lac
- What if the participant is unable to raise the required amount?
We do not encourage the pledges to be divided between two charities as it may not be able to provide a considerable support to a charity.
The dream category participants have to achieve a minimum target as per the list below -
If the Dream Category participants are not able to achieve the target, they will not be able to receive the benefits allotted to the category. The individual can continue to participate as a We Care runner. Similarly, if a Dream Wizard or a Dream Maker raises amounts higher than the target, they will be upgraded to Dream Champion or Dream Wizard category.
- What happens on expo?
On expo we give out bibs/ running spaces to all those people who have successfully blocked them along with goodie bags. We also give out special kits to people who have registered as Dream Category.
- What is "Online Giving"?
- Can I raise funds for more than one charity through Online Giving?
- Will I receive a list with the names of the people who donated money through my Online Giving page?
- Will my donors get a receipt for their donation?
- How long can I receive donations through Online Giving?
This is a quick and easy way to collect money for an NGO or charity of our choice. You provide details of why you're raising funds for a cause close to your heart and create Online Giving webpage that your friends and family can visit and donate on through a secure payment gateway. United Way of Mumbai will then transfer the amount you have collected to your chosen charity. Online Giving provides you with a simple and convenient platform to collect money for a good cause. You can also reach out to people outside Mumbai.
No. An online page can be linked to only one charity.
The names of people who donated money through your Online Giving page will be visible on your page itself. However, no other consolidated list of donations will be sent to you separately.
Yes, all donors on your page will be emailed an 80G receipt upon completion of the transaction. This receipt can be used for income tax purposes.Please bear in mind that even if you have chosen a 35 AC project, you will still be issued an 80G receipt.
Foreign donors will be given only receipts and no tax exemption certificate will be provided.
Your pledge page will be valid till January 27th, 2011. Once the end date is reached, your page can only be viewed, but it will not be possible to donate on the page.
Essential Fundraising Rules
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Remember to communicate to your donors:
- That any money they give to your cause is tax deductible (for Indian donation only) and they will receive a receipt for it.
- Names of all donors will be listed as one of your pledgers on the United Way of Mumbai website
How to ask:
- The best way is to ask in person. But since that's not always possible, here are a few other ways to approach donors.
- First go through your contact list on your email, phone and your address book and make a list of potential donors. This may take 15 or 20 minutes but it is time well spent.
- Now, send out your appeal. You can email, call, or even send text messages. Different people will respond to different ways. Don't forget your friends and family abroad. They can donate too! And a $20 donation is about Rs.1000 for your cause.
- Use other popular social media like Face book, Twitter, Book marking, You tube, blogs etc. Example: A blog is like an online diary or scrapbook where you can post photos, videos, words and links on your chosen topic. Other people can leave comments and messages about your blog posts. Keep a Blog of your fundraising to let people know how your preparation is going and how much you've raised. You can add any relevant information you find about your charity and link through to your Online Giving page so people can sponsor you.
How to raise Rs. 5,000 in pledge money in 10 days!
| Day | Task | Goal |
| 1 | Sponsor yourself Rs. 500 | Rs. 500 /- |
| 2 | Ask 4 family members to sponsor you for Rs. 100 /- | Rs. 400 /- |
| 3 | Ask 5 friends to contribute Rs. 100 /- | Rs. 500 /- |
| 4 | Ask 5 co-workers to contribute Rs. 100/- | Rs. 500 /- |
| 5 | Ask 4 neighbors to contribute Rs. 50 /- | Rs. 200 /- |
| 6 | Ask 5 people in your sports club for Rs. 100 /- | Rs. 500 /- |
| 7 | Ask your boss for a contribution of Rs. 400 | Rs. 400 /- |
| 8 | Ask 6 local merchants or clients for Rs. 50 | Rs. 300 /- |
| 9 | Ask 2 businesses that you frequent for Rs. 350 | Rs. 700 /- |
| 10 | Ask 10 email pals to contribute Rs. 100 | Rs. 1,000 /- |
- Corporate Challenge
- Highest Pledge Raising Team
- Highest Individual Pledge Raiser (Men)
- 2nd Highest Individual Pledge Raiser (Men)
- Highest Individual Pledge Raiser (Women)
- 2nd Highest Individual Pledge Raiser (Women)
- Awards for team leaders
- NGO
- Highest & 2nd highest pledge amount raising NGO
- Highest pledge amount raising new NGO
- Many more
- Dream category
- Highest Pledge Raising Individual (Men)
- Highest Pledge Raising Individual (Women)
- Youngest Pledge raiser
For NGO's
| Registration amount | Registration opens | Bib blocking begins | Last date for submission of application forms |
| Rs. 2500/- | 29 June '11 | 29 June '11 | 15 July '11 |
Corporate challengers (Registration opens on 22nd July 2011)
| Team Size | No of Teams | Teams per Corporate | Regn fee per team | Registration Closes | Registration Opens | |
| Corporate Challenge | 25 | 170 | Max 7 | Rs. 3,50,000 | 30th Sept. '11 | 22nd July '11 |
| 15 | 50 | Rs. 2,25,000 |
Dream Category
| Categories | Registration amount | Targets | Registration opens | Registration closes |
| Dream champion | Rs. 50,000/- | Rs. 10,00,000/- | 22 July '11 | 30 Nov '11 |
| Dream wizard | Rs. 25,000/- | Rs. 5,00,000/- | 22 July '11 | 30 Nov '11 |
| Dream maker | Rs. 10,000/- | Rs. 1,00,000/- | 22 July '11 | 30 Nov '11 |
CONTACT DETAILS :
United Way of Mumbai
309, Kewal Industrial Estate, Senapati Bapat Marg,
Lower Parel (West), Mumbai - 400013
Tel : 00 91 22 24937676 / 79
E-mail: scmm@unitedwaymumbai.org
Web site: http://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/marathon
