New Jersey has a very active USATF Association. We have a partner relationship between USATF Sanctioning and RRTC Certifying. Races don't have to be sanctioned to be certified or certified to be sanctioned but there are benefits to both.
Measurers and timing companies in NJ know the value of USATF sanctioning and will suggest that race directors see if sanctioning will benefit their race. The USATF NJ association knows the value of a certified course and will suggest that race directors consider certification of their courses.
As Gene stated at the start of this thread it is an education opportunity. Many race directions don't understand certification or sanctioning.
To be in the USATF New Jersey Grand Prix series a race must use a certified course and be sanctioned. As a result runners in NJ have high expectations about the quality of the races they run and generally expect to run a certified course.
I don't recommend mandatory certification or sanctioning but when race directors in NJ understand the value of both they generally opt to have their courses both certified and sanctioned.
Jane Parks - Regional Certifier
RRTC Data Accuracy Officer