Boston Marathon charity spots

Boston has no open lottery. Most of the field gets in by running a qualifying time, and for 2027 even that was not enough on its own: the B.A.A. reported 33,656 qualifier applications and a cut-off of 5 minutes 17 seconds under the standard. New for 2027 is a Boston Qualifier Selection, a random draw for qualifiers who missed the cut-off. If you did not qualify, a charity place is the main way in.

Through the Official Charity Program, the B.A.A. gives invitational entries to selected nonprofits, which use them to recruit athletes who pledge to raise money for their cause. A record 215 organizations are in the 2027 program, announced on September 15, 2026, and together they make up almost 10% of the field. Each charity runs its own team, its own application, and its own fundraising minimum.

Expect a serious number. Among the smaller charities we checked, 2027 minimums include $12,000 at Free to Run and $15,000 at Rebekah's Angels, and Free to Run notes that the average Boston charity runner raised $16,000 in 2026. Read each agreement closely. Good Sports, for example, says a runner who falls short of the required minimum is responsible for the difference, and Boston Scores told 2026 international runners to pay their minimum up front.

Timing: charities recruit after the B.A.A. announces the list in September, and places are limited, so some teams fill early and keep a waitlist (Free to Run already has one for 2027). If you have a qualifying time, the B.A.A. also invites qualifiers to raise any amount for its B.A.A. Gives Back team or an official charity. The 131st race is on Monday, April 19, 2027.