How to find
sponsors for
your run club
To find sponsors for your run club you have three routes: pitch brands directly, go through an agency, or use a platform that connects brands with communities like yours. The fastest route today is joining a platform like Kithe (free for organisers), where brands come to you with concrete offers: free product for your members, a cash grant, or exclusive perks.
Can a run club really interest brands?
Yes — usually more than people expect. Brands aren't only chasing big numbers, they're looking for engaged, authentic communities. A run club of 20 to 40 people who show up every week is genuinely valuable to a trail, nutrition or sportswear brand, because its members turn up in person, trust each other and influence each other far more than a passive social-media audience does.
Belonging to a club is a behavioural signal: repeated, committed, and hard to fake. That's exactly what consumer brands want to reach now that paid advertising keeps losing efficiency.
What a brand wants from a run club
Before you pitch anyone, know what you can offer. In practice, a brand is looking for some combination of:
- Access to a qualified audience — being present at your runs, a mention inside your community.
- Authentic content — photos, stories, and reviews from members who genuinely use the product.
- Product feedback — what regular runners think of a new shoe, gel, or piece of kit.
The golden rule: whatever you give back has to stay light for your members and respect the spirit of the club. A partnership that turns your run into a walking billboard won't last.
The 3 forms of club sponsorship
The brand sends its products to your members. For example, a trail brand lets 20 runners in your club test its new shoes.
The brand funds your club. For example, €500 towards your next event or a content shoot.
The brand gives your members early access, a promo code, or an exclusive discount on new drops.
How to find sponsors: the 5-step method
Member count, how often you run, city, runner profile. This is your ID card for brands.
The ones whose customers look like your members: trail, running, sports nutrition, drinks, recovery, apparel.
What you bring (audience, content, presence) and what you're asking for (product, a cash grant, member perks).
Marketing, community or partnerships teams. Not customer service.
Only accept what respects your members and the atmosphere of your club.
This isn't just for run clubs
The same logic applies to almost any community that meets in real life. If you run a book club, a supper club, a wine club, a surf club, a hiking group, a founders' club or even a recurring hackathon, there are brands looking for exactly your kind of audience.
- Run club, cycling club — sports, nutrition, technical apparel, recovery brands.
- Book club — publishers, lifestyle brands, cafés and venues.
- Supper club, wine club — food & drink brands, fine grocery, spirits.
- Founders' club, hackathon — tech and SaaS brands, banks and insurers, energy drinks.
- Surf club, hiking group — outdoor, travel, eyewear, drinks brands.
The principle doesn't change: an engaged community that shows up is worth more than a passive audience. This guide uses a run club as the example, but you can apply it to whatever community you run.
The shortcut: let brands come to you with Kithe
Pitching brand by brand takes time. Kithe flips it around: you list your run club once, and the brands looking for exactly your kind of community come to you with concrete offers. Your group stays where it already lives (WhatsApp, Strava, Instagram) — Kithe sits on top, and nothing changes for your members.
- Free for organisers.
- Every approach goes through you: you say yes, no, or not now.
- Product, a cash grant, or member perks — you pick what fits.
Ready to find your next sponsor? List your run club in a few minutes.
List your communityFrequently asked questions
Can a small run club really find sponsors?
Yes. Brands aren't only looking for volume, they're looking for engaged, authentic communities. A run club with 20 to 40 regulars is often worth more to a trail brand than an Instagram page with passive followers, because members show up in person, trust each other and genuinely influence one another.
How much is run club sponsorship worth?
It depends on the brand and what you give back. It ranges from free product (shoes, apparel, nutrition) to a cash grant funding an event or a content shoot — often a few hundred euros per activation for a mid-sized club, and more for recurring partnerships.
What does a brand expect in return for sponsorship?
Usually: visibility with a qualified audience (presence at your runs, a mention across your channels), authentic content (photos, stories, member reviews) and sometimes product feedback. The rule: what you give back should stay light for your members and respect the spirit of the club.
Do I need to be a registered company or non-profit to get sponsored?
No. An informal club — a WhatsApp group, a Strava club, or an Instagram account people gather around — can be sponsored. What matters is that real people actually show up, not your legal status.
How does Kithe help you find sponsors?
Kithe is a free platform for community organisers. You list your run club, and the brands looking for exactly your kind of audience come to you with concrete offers. Every approach goes through you: you say yes, no, or not now.