Creating a Fall Fundraiser that Delivers 🦃
Turkey Trot season is here! Schools across the country are gearing up to host these popular November events, raising funds and school spirit while keeping students active. A Turkey Trot can be more than just a Fun Run—it’s a way to engage your entire school and meet your fundraising goals. Whether you’re hosting your first trot or looking to enhance an established event, we’ve got you covered with essential tips and ways to make your Turkey Trot even MORE fun!
The Essentials for a Successful Turkey Trot
Before you break out your turkey costume, here are five things you need to know to lay the groundwork for an unforgettable event.
- Set a Clear Goal: Define how much you want to raise and what the funds will support—this keeps students and families motivated.
- Use a Registration and Donation Platform: With FundHub, schools get an all-in-one toolbox for fundraising. Families can easily register students online, share personalized donation pages, and track progress in real time. Plus, the Online Donation Map adds an extra layer of excitement by showing support coming in from all over the county.
- Promote the Event Effectively: Share event details in newsletters, on social media, and with flyers. FundHub gives schools a ready-to-go Event Toolbox and Dynamic Flyers, so you can create custom event materials without starting from scratch.
- Offer Incentives and Prizes: Drive participation with fun challenges and exciting rewards. Themed prizes or extra recess can work wonders! Or, get your admin involved—have your principal dress in a turkey costume as a reward for reaching your school-wide donation goal.
- Plan for Safety: Make sure your route is clearly marked, volunteers know their places, and everyone is aware of the day’s schedule.
6 Ways to Make Your Turkey Trot Even More Fun and Profitable
Students? Check. School spirit? Check. Taking your Turkey Trot from fun to fantastic? Keep reading!
1. Get the Principal Involved in a Big Way
At Desert Vista Elementary, the principal dressed up in an inflatable turkey costume and greeted students at drop-off and pick-up. It created buzz among students and parents and participation skyrocketed!
2. Create a Fun Incentive: Pumpkin + whipped cream Pie in the Face 🥧
At Crosswind Elementary, if students met their goal, the principal would get a pie in the face during the awards ceremony. This creative incentive built enthusiasm and helped them surpass their fundraising goal. Their kick-off video was a hit with families, and they quickly raised enough to fund all PTA programs!
3. Host a Student Logo Design Contest
Mokapu Elementary has been hosting their Turkey Trot with FundHub since 2019 and has consistently met or exceeded their goals. One year, they boosted excitement by running a student logo design contest for the event. This not only increased engagement but also gave students a sense of ownership and personal involvement with the event!
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Put a Unique Spin on Your Turkey Trot
Want to take your Turkey Trot to another galaxy? St. John Vianney School’s Trot Wars turned their fundraiser into a cosmic adventure full of teamwork, competition, and fun. Students were divided into themed teams: The First Order (Red), Mandalorians (Green), Jedi Order (Blue), and Droids (Yellow). Then, in a hilarious twist, school teachers, staff, and parish members joined as The Galactic Republic (Orange)!
Over six weeks, students completed “planet challenges” to earn Intergalactic Passport Stamps, leading up to the big Turkey Trot finale. Epic prizes added extra motivation: think Star Wars droids, LEGO Millennium Falcon sets, and even Principal for a Day!
5. Involve Local Businesses for Community Support
Engage local businesses to sponsor your event or donate prizes. Offer sponsorship packages with logo placement on T-shirts, banners, or social posts. Sponsorships are especially valuable during the holiday season, right before Black Friday and holiday shopping.
With FundHub, you can feature your sponsors on a dedicated section of the school webpage with clickable links to their businesses, making it easy for families to engage with the businesses that support your event!
6. Day-of Donation Push: “Final Lap Challenge” 🦃
Did you know the day of your event is a huge day for bringing in donations? By providing live updates, you can significantly increase the amount of donations raised on the day of your event!
- Real-Time Goal Updates: Announce fundraising progress on social media throughout the event to build excitement. Include your community webpage link for people to donate right to your school without donating to an individual student!
- Mini Challenges: Offer a fun incentive like, “Raise $500 more, and the principal will finish the race in a turkey costume!” Or, if we get 20 more social share today, then we will have a pie eating contest between the teachers!
- Social Media Sharing: Encourage attendees to post live updates with the donation link for their students or classroom!
These quick strategies create urgency, engage participants, and ensure a final donation surge before the event ends!
Make This Year’s Turkey Trot Unforgettable
Whether you’re hosting a Turkey Trot or some version of this classic event, your school’s fall fundraiser can be fun AND profitable when you plan with purpose. With the right tools, clear goals, and creative ideas, PTOs can engage students and their families while raising funds and making a difference.
Explore FundHub today and see how our all-in-one online platform, complete with personalized coaching, dynamic flyers and easy donation tracking, can help your school raise more with less stress!
