London Marathon Charitable Trust
The London Marathon Charitable Trust (operating as London Marathon Foundation) is a UK-registered charity founded in 1981 that has awarded over £120 million to projects inspiring sport and physical activity across the UK, funded primarily through the London Marathon event and structured via Active Spaces, Go! London, and Partnerships grant programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What London Marathon Charitable Trust does
The London Marathon Charitable Trust (operating as London Marathon Foundation) is a UK-registered charity (no. 283813) and company limited by guarantee (no. 01550741) founded in 1981. Headquartered at 190 Great Dover Street, London, with 101–250 employees, its core function is grant-making: distributing funds to projects and initiatives that inspire children and adults across the UK to lead active and healthy lives. Since 1981 it has awarded more than £120 million to such projects, making it one of the UK's major funders in the sport and physical activity space. It operates three named funding programs — Active Spaces Fund (improving spaces and facilities for the least active and underserved groups in London), Go! London (partnership funding for underserved young people), and Partnerships Fund (strategic partnership funding for physical activity initiatives). It does not operate a commercial product, technology platform, or app; its website (londonmarathonfoundation.org) functions as a content, grant-application, and donor-engagement channel.
The Foundation has no standalone revenue model in the commercial sense — it is funded primarily through the proceeds of the London Marathon event, operated by the affiliated London Marathon Events entity, supplemented by corporate partnerships and donations. Entry fees for the marathon (£79.99 standard UK, £49.99 with donation opt-in, plus a £26 carbon levy for international participants) are set by London Marathon Events rather than the Trust directly. The Foundation's commercial relationships include Apple as an official partner of the April 26, 2026 race, aligning the Apple Watch health ecosystem with the event, and sustainability partnerships with You Smart Thing and CUR8 in support of the London Marathon Group's net-zero-by-2030 strategy. Its 2026 marathon raised a record £87.5m for charity (expected to exceed £90m), drew 59,830 finishers (a record for any marathon), and its 2027 race received a world-record 1,338,544 ballot applications — the economic engine that ultimately funds the Foundation's grant-making.
London Marathon Charitable Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- London Marathon Charitable Trust
- Legal name
- The London Marathon Charitable Trust Limited
- Website
- https://lmct.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The London Marathon Charitable Trust (operating as London Marathon Foundation) is a UK-registered charity founded in 1981 that has awarded over £120 million to projects inspiring sport and physical activity across the UK, funded primarily through the London Marathon event and structured via Active Spaces, Go! London, and Partnerships grant programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
London Marathon Charitable Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charitable Grant Funding
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Road Running Events (Marathons, Half Marathons, 10K/5K) (MPAKAIAA)
Keywords
Where London Marathon Charitable Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
London Marathon Charitable Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard UK participant entry |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Donation-opted entry |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | International participant carbon levy |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
London Marathon Charitable Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The London Marathon Charitable Trust is a registered UK charity that distributes grant funding to community sport and physical-activity projects through dedicated programmes including the Active Spaces Fund, Go! London, and the Partnerships Fund. Since 1981 it has awarded more than £120 million to projects designed to get people physically active, with funding drawn from donations, grants, and sponsorships linked to the London Marathon event.
Product overview
The London Marathon Charitable Trust (operating as London Marathon Foundation) is a charitable grant-making organization that funds projects and initiatives inspiring sport and physical activity across the UK. It does not offer a commercial product or technology platform; its core function is distributing funds raised from the London Marathon to community projects. The organization provides funding programs including the Active Spaces Fund (supporting London projects that improve facilities for underserved communities) and the Go! London partnership (funding projects for underserved young people).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Record £87.5 million raised for charity at 2026 London Marathon
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use London Marathon Charitable Trust
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
London Marathon Charitable Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
London Marathon Charitable Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ApplecoreApple became an official partner of the London Marathon for its April 26, 2026 edition. The partnership aligns Apple's health and fitness ecosystem, centered on the Apple Watch, with the endurance event that draws approximately 50,000+ runners annually. This collaboration reflects the growing intersection between wearable technology and marathon preparation, positioning Apple within the running community at a high-profile global sporting event.
- You Smart ThingminorPartnership for travel sustainability initiatives as part of London Marathon Group's comprehensive sustainability strategy targeting net-zero emissions by 2030. You Smart Thing provides travel-related sustainability solutions for participants.
- CUR8minorPartnership for carbon offsetting as part of London Marathon Group's sustainability strategy. CUR8 supports the £26 carbon levy for international participants and broader environmental initiatives targeting net-zero by 2030.
- London Marathon EventscoreThe Foundation operates in coordination with London Marathon Events, which operates the TCS London Marathon. London Marathon Events is the primary event that generates the charitable funds and brand awareness that support the Foundation's mission. The Foundation is one of the UK's major funders of projects and initiatives that inspire physical activity.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
London Marathon Charitable Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sport England: The UK's statutory body for community sport, distributing Lottery and government funds to sport and physical activity projects. Directly comparable grantmaking mission, UK geographic focus, and beneficiary base (children, underserved communities, active lifestyles).
- Sport Relief: Comic Relief's biennial mass-participation sport fundraising campaign raising money to tackle poverty and disadvantage. Comparable model of linking high-profile sporting events to charitable fundraising for UK and international causes.
- The Football Foundation: The UK's largest sports charity, funded by the Premier League, FA, and government, granting money to grassroots football facilities. Comparable facility-improvement grantmaking model and sport-development mission in the UK.
- UK Sport: The UK's high-performance sport funding agency distributing Lottery and exchequer funds to Olympic and Paralympic sports. Comparable UK sport grantmaking remit, though focused on elite rather than community-level activity.
- The Youth Sport Trust: UK children's charity using sport and physical education to improve young people's wellbeing and attainment. Closely aligned beneficiary focus (underserved young people) and sport-for-development mission.
Broad incumbents
- Comic Relief: One of the UK's largest fundraising charities, operating Red Nose Day and Sport Relief with mass-participation events driving grantmaking. Comparable UK charity scale, fundraising mechanics, and broad grant distribution.
- BBC Children in Need: The BBC's UK charity supporting disadvantaged children and young people through grantmaking. Overlapping beneficiary base (children and young people) and UK-focused grantmaking model, though not sport-specific.
- The National Lottery Community Fund: The UK's largest community grant funder, distributing Lottery money to projects tackling social disadvantage. Comparable UK grantmaking scale, application-based funding model, and community-level beneficiary focus.
- Henry Smith Charity: One of the UK's oldest independent grantmaking trusts, supporting communities across the UK via structured grant programmes. Comparable grantmaking foundation structure and UK beneficiary focus, though not sport-specific.
Emerging players
- Access Sport: UK charity working with community groups to widen access to sport for disabled and disadvantaged young people. Comparable mission focus on underserved youth sport access; a current London Marathon Foundation grantee and operational partner, illustrating overlap in target beneficiary.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
London Marathon Charitable Trust social profiles
Digital presenceLondon Marathon Charitable Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
London Marathon Charitable Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
London Marathon Charitable Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
London Marathon Charitable Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about London Marathon Charitable Trust
What does London Marathon Charitable Trust do?
The London Marathon Charitable Trust is a registered UK charity that distributes grant funding to community sport and physical-activity projects through dedicated programmes including the Active Spaces Fund, Go! London, and the Partnerships Fund. Since 1981 it has awarded more than £120 million to projects designed to get people physically active, with funding drawn from donations, grants, and sponsorships linked to the London Marathon event.
Is London Marathon Charitable Trust a public or private company?
London Marathon Charitable Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was London Marathon Charitable Trust founded?
London Marathon Charitable Trust was founded in 1981. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is London Marathon Charitable Trust based?
London Marathon Charitable Trust is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are London Marathon Charitable Trust's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sport England, Sport Relief, The Football Foundation, UK Sport and The Youth Sport Trust. Broad incumbents are Comic Relief, BBC Children in Need, The National Lottery Community Fund and Henry Smith Charity. Access Sport is listed as an emerging player.
Does London Marathon Charitable Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for London Marathon Charitable Trust.
What industry is London Marathon Charitable Trust in?
London Marathon Charitable Trust's product category is Charitable Grant Funding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of MPAKAKAK, Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support). Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 7900.