Each spring, the Capital City Marathon brings people together in Olympia for a day that celebrates movement, perseverance, and community. That sense of connection doesn’t end at the finish line, it continues through the Capital City Marathon Association’s (CCMA) ongoing investment in the understanding and practice of healthy living through grant awards to local nonprofit organizations.  

Through the Capital City Marathon Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound, proceeds from the race are transformed into grants that support community health and well-being. Since 2015, the fund has awarded a total of $89,950 to nonprofits across the South Sound, including this year’s awards.  

This year, the fund awarded $13,000 in grants to eight local organizations. Together, these grantees are expanding access to physical activity, supporting youth development, and promoting healthier, more connected communities across the South Sound.  

In reviewing this year’s applications, CCMA focused on where funding could have the greatest impact—considering past requests and working to balance support across communities, age groups, and types of activities. While not every request could be funded, the association is also working to support a few additional applicants through community connections, shared resources, and opportunities to help raise awareness of their work.

These grants, and the relationships behind them, are made possible thanks to the dedication of race organizers, runners, volunteers, and sponsors who bring the Capital City Marathon to life each year. Together, we’re building stronger, healthier communities—one stride at a time.

To learn more about the Capital City Marathon, visit www.capitalcitymarathon.org.

Meet the 2026 Capital City Marathon Grant Recipients!

We invite you to click on each nonprofit’s name to learn more about their work. The program supported by grant funding is listed next to their name.

• Capital City Mountain Bike Team: Trailer Purchase

• Child Care Action Council: Great Olympia Bike Rodeo  

• Eagle’s Nest Community Kitchen: Nutrition Now WA

• Mason Matters: The Great Local Bite

• Pacific Harbors Council, Boy Scouts of America: Active Adventures for Youth at Camp Thunderbird

• South Puget Sound Community College Foundation: Miles of Honor - Memorial Day 5K  

• South Sound Dance Access: Creative Dance in Thurston County Schools

• South Sound YMCA: LiveStrong at the YMCA