You have questions, we have answers:
The Pan-Mass Challenge is an annual bike-a-thon that raises more money for charity than any other event in the country. 100 percent of rider-raised dollars are donated to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for cancer research and treatment.
This year's event is being reimagined as PMC 2020 Reimagined and will bring together thousands of riders, volunteers, donors and supporters from their hometowns around the globe to celebrate the spirit of PMC weekend.
The PMC will still happen in 2020, but not in our traditional format with thousands of riders together for one weekend. PMC 2020 has been reimagined as our riders complete their own cycling challenges and raise funds to fight cancer. In addition, the PMC will host an exciting online experience on Saturday, August 1, streamed to both pmc.org and our Facebook page.
The Pan-Mass Challenge is always held the first weekend in August; this year, that's Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2.
PMC 2020 Reimagined will be online with exciting programming that weekend, and PMC riders can complete their rides then or at a different time that suits them better.
100 percent of rider-raised dollars go directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for cancer research and treatment.
Donate at donate.pmc.org
Since its founding in 1980, the PMC has contributed $717 million to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which uses those funds for cancer research and treatment. Our 2019 gift was $63 million, the largest institutional donation ever received by Dana-Farber.
You can find a detailed analysis of how Dana-Farber used the PMC’s 2019 gift here.
In addition to the PMC weekend held each August, we host two additional programs: the PMC Winter Cycle and PMC Kids Rides. The PMC Winter Cycle is an indoor cycling event hosted at Fenway Park in Boston. The 2021 PMC Winter Cycle will be held on Saturday, January 30.
PMC Kids Rides are community-based mini bike-a-thons for children ages 2 to 15. The PMC supported 25 Kids Rides that raised over $1 million in 2019.
100 percent of rider-raised donations to the PMC Winter Cycle and PMC Kids Rides go directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Take part in all the PMC 2020 Reimagined weekend events, starting with our "PMC 2020 Live" broadcast on WBZ-TV at 7 pm EDT on Friday, July 31). We'll be streaming exciting programs all Saturday, August 1, on pmc.org and our Facebook page.
"While we’re unable to move forward with our ride safely in the same way we have over the past 40 years, we cannot and will not let our community or Dana-Farber down,” said Billy Starr, PMC Founder and Executive Director.
Register as a virtual rider and fundraise to support Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Visit the "Who We Are" page in the "About Us" section of the PMC website. Here you can find a list of the PMC staff, along with their short bios and contact information.
Donations in support of a rider can be made many ways, including by credit card, a check, or through Facebook.
To search for the rider you'd like to support online, click here.
To support a rider via check, make the check payable to the Pan-Mass Challenge, PMC, Jimmy Fund and/or Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. If a donor makes out a check to a rider, the rider should endorse and sign it over to the Pan-Mass Challenge. Please be sure to include the rider’s name and/or eGift ID on the memo line of the check. Checks should be mailed to the PMC office: 77 4th Avenue, Needham, MA 02494.
Riders who receive checks directly from donors should deposit them electronically using the PMC app on their iOS or Android smartphone.
Click here to learn about additional ways to give to the PMC, such as through a donor advised fund, stock, IRA, etc.
Log into your PMC account and click Total Fundraising on your Manage page. On your fundraising page, you can select the year and view the donations you received.
All donations made online will be acknowledged with an emailed tax receipt. Donations made by check that are $250 or more will receive a tax acknowledgment via USPS. Tax receipts will be provided upon request for any donations less than $250.
To request a request for a previous donation, please email panmass@pmc.org
The PMC app – available for iOS and Android – has mobile deposit and is the fastest way to deposit your checks.
Simple fundraising checks – those that will be applied only to your fundraising – should be deposited through
Checks requiring special attention (those with matching gifts forms, "in honor" or "in memory" donations requesting a tribute letter, checks to be split among several riders, etc.) should be mailed to the PMC office for our staff to process. The office address is 77 4th Avenue, Needham, MA 02494.
The PMC offers a range of routes and fundraising commitments. Routes range from 25 to 192 miles and fundraising commitments range from $600 to $9,000. Choose a route that fits your schedule, cycling ability
Riders who register earlier in the year are generally the most successful at fundraising and training, so start fundraising early! Find fundraising tools and tips here.
Heavy Hitters are PMC riders and fundraisers who exceed their fundraising commitments and receive recognition from the PMC for their fundraising efforts. The 2020 Heavy Hitter level is $9,000. Learn more about PMC Heavy Hitters here
Yes, PMC Heavy Hitters are more important than ever in 2020 and will be recognized as anyone who raises at least $9,000.
This depends on the settings of your device, but the PMC app should update on its own. It is always a good idea to check the App Store or Google Play Store to make sure that you have the most updated version.
Facebook Fundraisers are now integrated with your PMC Manage page, which means they are easy to set up, funds raised in either place (Facebook or your PMC pages) stay in synch and Facebook has no fees, not even for credit cards.
Learn more about setting up your Facebook Fundraiser here.
If you receive cash from a donor, you can either write a personal check to the PMC or use your credit card to put the correct donation amount into your account, but use the information for the donor rather than for yourself.
Yes, the PMC has chosen to not enforce the rider fundraising minimums for the 2020 ride. Nevertheless, Dana-Faber Cancer Institute is heavily dependent on the funds our riders raise every year - $63 million in 2019 - and riders should do their utmost to fundraise in 2020. There's a lot riding on us.
Just log into your PMC account and go to "My PMC," there you will find a link to "email templates" that are updated for the PMC 2020 Reimagined ride.
Anyone can still register as a virtual rider for PMC 2020 Reimagined. There is no registration fee or fundraising commitment for virtual riders; if you registered as a virtual rider and raise at least $1,000 in 2020, you will be given the choice of receiving an official PMC rider jersey or piece of PMC Store merchandise.
All PMC routes are open to riders age 15 and older. Our Sunday, one-day Wellesley routes are open to riders as young as 13; anyone under 17 will have a reduced fundraising commitment on those routes.
Riders younger than 13 can participate in a PMC Kids Ride, which are open to riders ages 2 to 15. Learn more at kids.pmc.org
The PMC offers a range of routes and fundraising commitments. Routes range from 25 to 192 miles and fundraising commitments range from $600 to $9,000. Choose a route that fits your schedule, cycling ability
Life Time, the official training and nutrition sponsor of the PMC, has created training and nutrition guides to help riders prepare.
If the route you would like to ride is still available, yes, you may change your route. Email panmass@pmc.org to request a route change. We limit the number of riders on each route and popular routes fill quickly, so your requested route may not be available.
If you switch to a shorter route with a lower fundraising commitment than the one you originally registered for, you will still be held to your original fundraising commitment.
If you switch to a longer route with a higher fundraising commitment than the one you originally registered for, your fundraising commitment will increase to that of your new route.
You may cancel your ride, however, all riders are committed upon registration to meet the fundraising minimum of their respective route whether or not they ride in the PMC ride. The fundraising minimum deadline is October 1.
Yes, registration fees vary by route and they help cover some of the operating costs of the PMC. In order to pass on 100 percent of rider-raised revenue to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, registration fees are essential and non-refundable.
If you registered as a rider and paid a registration fee, you will be mailed the PMC official rider collection including a jersey, socks and water bottle.
If you registered as a virtual rider and raise at least $1,000 in 2020, you will be given the choice of receiving an official PMC rider jersey or piece of PMC Store merchandise.
To support PMC 2020 Reimagined, volunteers are encouraged to register as virtual riders this year and help fundraise in support of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
The PMC needs volunteers immediately before and after PMC weekend, as well as on the weekend itself. All available volunteer positions can be found here while the current year’s registration period is open.
The PMC also needs volunteers throughout the year for various events and office tasks. To learn more about these positions, click here
You must at least 13 years old to volunteer for the PMC.
People who wish to still be a part of PMC 2020 can register as Virtual Riders. Riding is not required; Virtual Riders can raise money to support Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Do you have additional questions about the Pan-Mass Challenge? Contact PMC staff at panmass@pmc.org or 781-449-5300.
For all media requests or inquiries, please contact Ameara Harb, Cone Communication: aharb@conecomm.com or 617-939-8318.
Follow the PMC on social media for updates throughout the year! The Pan-Mass Challenge is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
