COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

Finger Lakes Runners Club Inc

Ithaca, NY · EIN 742049367 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · fingerlakesrunners.org
revenue
$162K
expenses
$139K
net assets
$204K
employees
mission · from form 990

PROMOTION OF HEALTH THROUGH RUNNING

profile · synthesized from sources

Finger Lakes Runners Club Inc promotes health and fitness through organized running events in upstate New York. The organization hosts a series of trail, road, and cross-country races each year, fostering a community of runners across age groups and abilities. It operates the FLRC Trail Circuit and fields teams in the Pete Glavin Cross-Country Series, emphasizing participation, competition, and camaraderie.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

FLRC Road Races
Hosts road running events including half marathons and shorter distances, with awards ceremonies and community participation.
FLRC Track Meets
Organizes track and field events for runners of all ages and abilities, featuring heats based on seed times and multiple event participation.
FLRC Trail Circuit
Series of trail races throughout the year with cumulative rankings in three categories: Pebblehead (top three race scores), Stonehead (all race scores), and Boulderhead (total miles run).
PGXC Cross-Country Teams
Organizes adult and youth runners into teams competing in the Pete Glavin Cross-Country Series, a five-race series across upstate New York, with team scoring and age-based divisions.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Organized Running and Triathlon Events 6 activities
    • Administers the FLRC Challenge and virtual running programs
      Runs an annual FLRC Challenge from April to November featuring 44 open virtual courses in the Ithaca area, awarding commemorative medals and apparel to completers. Offers performance-based cash prizes, team competitions by age group, and specialized challenges including the 100K Ultra Challenge, Tough Trail, and Tough Tarmac, with recognition through personalized signs and awards.
    • Fields competitive cross-country teams in the Pete Glavin XC Series
      Organizes and fields FLRC and High Noon teams in the annual five-race Pete Glavin Cross Country Series across multiple age categories (U19, Open, Masters, Vets, Super Vets, Ultra Vets), using runner placement for scoring and coordinating carpool transportation from Cornell’s B-Lot for participants.
    • Hosts weekly social and group running events
      Organizes regular social runs including Thursday Night Social runs starting at Bike Bar in Ithaca, weekend group runs on non-race weekends featuring post-run snacks and conversation, and biweekly Zone 2 & Chill runs fostering community engagement among members.
    • Operates an annual trail running circuit with competitive awards
      Hosts the FLRC Trail Circuit, an annual series of trail races in the Finger Lakes region with standardized scoring based on performance relative to the winner's time. Recognizes top performers via the Pebblehead award (fastest cumulative times), Stonehead award (consistent participation), and Boulderhead award (total mileage), maintaining real-time public leaderboards since at least 1997.
    • Organizes and supports community running events
      Manages race logistics including online registration via platforms like RunSignUp and UltraSignup, timely posting of results (often within one to two days), aid stations offering water, sports drink, snacks, fruit, and menstrual products for longer distances, and pre-race check-in procedures requiring arrival 45–60 minutes prior. Also provides timing and finish line support to other races occasionally.
    • Provides inclusive and accessible running opportunities
      Offers fee waivers for participants facing financial barriers to registration, free entry to the Winter Chill 5K series for members, and free access to Barton Hall for winter running. Also provides free indoor track and cross-country workout programs and hosts annual member social events.
  • Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
    • Awards scholarships to local high school senior runners
      Funds at least two $1,000 scholarships annually to high school seniors from local running communities who are continuing their education, with at least 48 recipients supported between 2011 and 2025.
  • Holiday and Seasonal Essentials Distribution 1 activity
    • Donates race proceeds to local hunger relief organizations
      Directs proceeds from the Thanksgiving Day race to Loaves and Fishes to support hunger relief efforts in the community.
  • Coached Athletic Training Programs 1 activity
    • Organizes year-round structured running training programs
      Offers seasonal, coached training sessions including weekly indoor track workouts in winter and spring, summer speed workouts for 5K–10K performance, fall cross-country preparation, and a spring Couch to 5K program for beginners. Additional offerings include Zone 2 & Chill runs, Tuesday night pace-group workouts, and family-friendly youth track sessions for children ages 5–11.
  • Volunteer Commitment Programs 1 activity
    • Supports member engagement and volunteerism
      Operates as a fully volunteer-run organization with members serving in all roles including board and race director positions, requiring each member to volunteer at one FLRC event annually. Recognizes contributions through the Hartshorne Memorial Volunteer of the Year award (documented 2004–2019) and Lifetime Membership for sustained exceptional service.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Funds mini grants to support youth running participation
      Awards mini grants up to $1,000 to support youth involvement in running events, reviewed on a rolling basis by the Philanthropy Committee (for smaller requests) or the Board of Directors (for larger ones), with decisions communicated within four weeks and funds disbursed within 14 days of approval.
    • Provides free access to a running-themed lending library
      Maintains a community-run lending library with donated books on running, including training guides, memoirs, fiction, and philosophy, founded by Diane Sherrer. The collection is freely accessible to the public without membership or appointment requirements.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$162K
Contributions & grants$17K11%
Program service revenue$129K79%
Investment income$3K2%
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$139K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits
Grants paid out$2K
balance sheet
Total assets$214K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$204K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +19.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 11
  • Amy Dawson — Board member
  • Bethany Schiller — Board member
  • Heather Cobb — Board member
  • Ian Golden — Board member
  • Jennifer Wierman — Board member
  • Jesse Koennecke — Board member
  • Katherine McCormick — Board member
  • Rebecca Lovenheim — Board member
  • Rich Bernstein — Board member
  • Scott Dawson — Board member
  • Tonya Engst — Board member
relationships · 24

Who they work with

  • Bike Bar Partner — Host location for Thursday Night Social runs, serving as both meeting point and post-run gathering venue.
  • Cornell University Partner — Hosts FLRC's winter and spring track workouts at Barton Hall and requires participants to follow facility use guidelines.
  • Cornell University Partner — Provides access to Barton Hall for winter running
  • FLRC Forum Partner — Hosts a dedicated category for FLRC Challenge discussions and participant support.
  • Footprints Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support.
  • Free to Run Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support for a participant in the NYC Marathon.
  • GIAC Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support for uniforms.
  • GirlStrong Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support.
  • Groton Project Running Club Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support for entry fees, uniforms, and shoes.
  • Helper Helper Partner — Technology partner providing a volunteer coordination platform used to manage sign-ups and communications for FLRC events.
  • High Noon Partner — Collaborates with High Noon to field men's teams in the Pete Glavin XC Series; co-captained by Adam and Tonya Engst.
  • Ithaca Youth Bureau Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support.
  • Joseph P. Reynolds Scholarship Fund Funder — Named fund supporting scholarship awards administered by FLRC
  • Lansing Track & Field Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support for participation awards at a youth event.
  • Loaves and Fishes Partner — Receives donations from proceeds of the Thanksgiving Day race.
  • Natural Health Family Chiropractic Partner — Hosts the FLRC Lending Library at its office location in Ithaca, providing space for public access.
  • Rev Partner — Collaborated to create custom awards using laser engraving technology for the 2019 FLRC Trail Circuit.
  • Run Your City – Ithaca Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support.
  • RunSignUp Partner — Uses RunSignUp as a registration platform for races.
  • Sidney Track and Field Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support.
  • UltraSignup Partner — Uses UltraSignup as a registration platform for trail races and other events.
  • Watkins Glen Youth Track & Field Partner — Recipient of FLRC mini grant support for t-shirts.
  • Webscorer Partner — Provides registration and timing services for the FLRC Challenge through its app and online platform.
  • Webscorer Partner — Uses Webscorer as a registration platform for track meets and other events.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Barrier Removal to Increase Youth and Equitable Access
    methodology: barrier-removal_grantmaking
    By providing mini-grants and open access to resources like lending libraries, we reduce financial and membership-based barriers, thereby increasing participation among underrepresented and youth runners.
  • Community Building Through Shared Running Experiences
    methodology: community-first_run_structure
    By designing events such as hour-long out-and-back courses and inclusive group workouts, we foster social connection and sustained engagement because shared experiences strengthen community bonds and encourage continued participation.
  • Community Health Through Physical Activity
    methodology: community_health_through_physical_activity
    By promoting running as a core activity, we improve community health and wellness because regular physical activity fosters long-term healthy lifestyles.
  • Inclusive Program Design for Diverse Participation
    methodology: inclusive_design
    By offering flexible challenge formats, extended timelines, and personalized goals, we increase engagement across ability levels because removing structural barriers enables broader and more equitable participation.