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. 

1. Set a Clear Goal: Define how much you want to raise and what the funds will support—this keeps students and families motivated. 
2. 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.  
3.  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.  
4. 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. 
5. 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!

1. 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!
2. 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!
3. 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! 

The post Let’s Talk Turkey Trots appeared first on Get Movin' Fundraising.

Fun Fall Read-Athon Ideas for Schools & Parent Groups

Yes, it’s true — a School Read-Athon is traditionally a springtime favorite. But here’s the secret more and more schools are discovering: fall is actually one of the best seasons to host one! Between fresh back-to-school energy, Scholastic book fairs, and the natural coziness of autumn, it’s the perfect time to build a fundraiser that families will love.

If you’re a PTO, PTA, or parent group leader looking for an engaging way to raise funds and support literacy, a Fall Read-Athon might just be your golden ticket.

Why Fall is the Perfect Time for a Read-Athon

When you’re planning your school’s fundraising calendar, fall often feels crowded: Fun Runs, spirit wear sales, and holiday events are competing for attention. That’s exactly why a Read-Athon works so well — it’s flexible, inclusive, and can tie into the season in ways other events can’t.

A fall Read-Athon helps schools:

• Build reading routines early. Hosting in September or October sets the tone for the whole school year.
• Pair with book fairs. Scholastic fairs are already happening — a Read-Athon makes the perfect companion event.
• Engage every student. Reading is an activity all students can enjoy, whether they read independently or are read to by parents, grandparents, or siblings.
• Celebrate the season. Kids (and families!) love a theme. Lean into fall’s cozy, festive energy.

Cozy Fall-Themed Read-Athon Ideas

Here are five tried-and-true fall Read-Athon themes, complete with real-life school examples to inspire your own event!

Fall Into a Good Book

Village Elementary Charter hosted “Fall Into Reading” and set simple but powerful goals: each student aimed to read (or be read to) for 20 minutes a day for 10 days. Parents and teachers logged minutes on FundHub, and the results were inspiring:

• $13,900+ raised
• 32,000+ minutes read
• Top readers got a pizza lunch with the principal
• $250+ earners spun a prize wheel stocked with local business donations (see below!)

This theme works beautifully in September or October. It’s easy to promote with fall imagery (leaves, cozy blankets, pumpkins) and simple to track with FundHub’s Activity Counter.

Spooktacular Stories

Calvin Smith Elementary leaned into Halloween with a Spooktacular Read-Athon that delivered major results:

• $23,600+ raised
• 37,400+ minutes read
• Top earners mummified the principal in toilet paper
• Top readers earned bags of new books
• A winning grade enjoyed a spooky movie + popcorn night

They even planned a pajama-and-blanket reading day where the whole school turned into one big cozy story time, check it out below. Halloween themes like this are a natural win in October. Add in costume contests and spooky decorations to make it extra memorable.

Fall Frenzy: Read or Run

Edward C. Killin Elementary combined two of the most popular fundraisers — the Fun Run and the Read-Athon — into one Fall Frenzy event. Students could choose to participate by reading, running, or both. Check out their promo below, which they combined with a Superhero theme!

This is a great way to engage students with different interests and abilities. Some kids thrive on movement, others love books, and giving both options ensures high participation and inclusivity for your event.

Gobble Up a Good Book

Point Fermin Elementary turned November into reading month with their Gobble Gobble Read-Athon. Their results were jaw-dropping:

• $38,000+ raised
• 197,678 minutes read (!!)
• Participation and donation supported by an awesome Read-Athon bingo game!

Hosting a Read-Athon in November is a fun alternative to a Turkey Trot. Pair it with a gratitude theme or encourage students to read books about family, thankfulness, and community. Check out the Point Fermin event video for more ideas!

Polar Express Read-Athon

Jack Elementary makes December magical with their annual Polar Express Read-Athon. The event has become a beloved tradition, raising over $20,000 each year and inspiring students to read 190,000+ minutes in just one month.

The extras are what set a December Read-Athon apart:

• Hot chocolate bar and visits from Santa
• Gift-wrapping station for book fair purchases
• Milestone prizes like Whoville visitors, the principal dressed as Elf on the Shelf, and even a spring foam party for meeting the overall goal (all examples from Jack Elementary!)
• Student-led “Conductor Club” holding signs at pickup to boost registrations (check out those helpful elves below!)

December is often short on fundraising days due to winter break. A Read-Athon is easy to manage, can run mostly at home, and keeps students engaged in the midst of holiday excitement.

Tracking Student Reading with FundHub

Running a Read-Athon doesn’t have to be complicated. With FundHub, your school gets:

• Activity Counter to log and track reading minutes in real time
• Chairperson Dashboard to monitor donations and participation at a glance
• Automated communication tools to keep parents engaged and updated
• Flexible prize tracking to reward readers for both minutes and donations

Use FundHub’s reports to spotlight top readers and classrooms. Recognition goes a long way in keeping momentum high!

Get Movin’ Fundraising has helped thousands of schools run successful Read-Athons. Whether you want to “Fall Into a Good Book” or host Spooktacular Storytime, we’ll equip you with the tools and support to make your event easy, fun, and profitable.

Schedule a Demo Today and see how FundHub can power your next Read-Athon.

The post From Spooky Stories to Polar Express: Fall Read-Athon Themes Students Love appeared first on Get Movin' Fundraising.

How to Raise More with Your School Fundraiser This Fall!

The Fall season is a prime time for school fundraisers, and with the right strategies, you can significantly boost donations for your fall fundraising events. Here are nine tips to help you raise more with your school fundraiser this fall.

1. Take Your Fundraiser Online

EVERYONE is used to getting what they need online. Whether it’s ordering dinner or scheduling a pick-up, people are programmed to interact with each other across the internet.

Make sure your fundraiser meets the current expectations of your parents and donors. We encourage you to organize your event with FundHub, our online platform!

Taking your fundraiser online also means making the most of social media. Make sure your fundraising event is easily shared across Facebook, Instagram, email, and texting – all digital interfaces that will greatly increase your donation potential!

2. Pre-Plan Your Fundraiser Promotion

Make sure you are creating a promotion calendar so you can keep up the momentum for your event past the kick-off date. This means scheduling promotions for your different audiences (parents, students, admin, community members, etc.). Your promotions should cover both in-person (bulletin board, paper flyers) and digital (email, FB posts, digital flyers).

Teamed up with Get Movin’ for your event? Make sure you check out our email builder, automated reminders, and dynamic flyers that automatically include your event info and are ready for you to customize!

3. Use Experiences as Part of Your Incentive Package

Experience incentives, such as duct-taping the gym teacher, giving the principal a pie in the face, or turning the librarian into a human sundae, drastically increase the amount students raise to earn those fun rewards! With our online system, you can promote your experience incentives, keep track of who has earned specific rewards using our online incentive tracker, and set student donation goals so they know the amount they need to raise.

4. Encourage Health & Wellness

Fall is a prime time to encourage health and wellness through your fundraising event. Parents don’t want to sell pizza kits or chocolate; they want their kids to be engaged in physical fitness, reading, dancing, or other fun activities. Using our online Activity Counter, you can easily keep track of student participation and customize the activity to fit your fundraiser type.

Doing a fun event like a Fun Run, Fit-Athon, or Walk-Athon? Inject even more fun and wellness by using pedometers as an incentive! This will encourage kids to continue to get 60 minutes of activity each day even after your fundraising event.

5. Get Teachers Engaged in Your Event

Teachers are a vital part of the fundraising process, from helping reach classroom goals to keeping students motivated during the donation period. In FundHub, we give teachers their own access to the online platform, and we provide Classroom Webpages so educators can raise donations and encourage their students to meet the Classroom Donation Goal.

When you have teacher buy-in for your fundraiser, amazing things can happen! Reaching individual student and classroom goals is the key to reaching your overall school fundraising goal!

Teachers use praise, weekly reminders, fun educational lessons, and healthy competition with other classrooms to motivate their students to meet (or even exceed!) their individual and classroom goals.

6. Brand Your Event

Want to make your fundraiser memorable? Give it a distinct name, logo, and even create annual incentives that only occur during your event – such as a schoolwide silly string party, turning the principal into a human sundae, or having special treats delivered to classrooms that meet their donation goals.

Branding your fundraiser will also make it a more sustainable event year after year as parents and students begin to recognize it as an annual event. This can also include using a similar look and feel (colors, fonts, etc.) in your promotions.

7. Create Healthy Classroom Competition

Competing to win incentives is a great motivator for students as they bring in donations to keep their class on top of the Classroom Leaderboard (another FundHub feature).

As part of your incentive package, create several Classroom Rewards such as Movie Night, a Special Catered Lunch, or a Guest to come in and spend time with the kids by reading a book, doing a gym activity, or giving a presentation.

You can also create incentives for classroom materials and resources, such as bean bag chairs, new computers, a “fun cart” full of games, or even something nice for the teacher. Classroom Competition will speed up and increase your donations as students and parents work to help their class win!

8. Utilize Social Media

Beyond providing online share tools so parents can easily link to your fundraising event on social, email, and text, you also want to take advantage of social media for your event. If you’re teamed up, use our promotional guide/examples for creating exciting posts with countdowns and milestones (available in the Event Toolbox).

How about using a Sharing Challenge like Facebook Friday? With FundHub, you can track social media sharing, so consider challenging parents to 200 shares by Monday!

9. Incorporate Mini Challenges

Similar to Facebook Friday, give families and classrooms mini challenges throughout your donation period. Another popular one is the Around the World Challenge! The concept is simple: Use our Activity Counter to track participation for the chosen activity of your event and then convert that activity to miles. For instance, if you’re hosting a Read-Athon, then track the amount of reading minutes for each student and check your school totals on your School Webpage. Each minute = 1 mile. Set destination goals to encourage participation!

Another one is the 50 State Challenge. Using our Donation Tracker, you can see where your donations are coming from across the entire United States. Encourage students to bring in donations from EVERY state. Create a fun school-wide reward if they meet the challenge!

Get Movin’ has a special $1k prize for any school on FundHub that achieves the 50 State Challenge! This can be easily tracked using our online donation map.

Fall fundraising events can be incredibly profitable and engaging – especially if you have the personal coaching and the online platform you need. FundHub is built for event fundraisers from start to finish, fully customizable for any event type. Learn more with a free demo and explore our 33+ fundraising tools to make your event a success!

The post 9 Tips for Your Fall Fundraiser appeared first on Get Movin' Fundraising.

Festive Fundraisers: How to Get into the Season with Your Next Fundraising Event!

The Fall festivities are right around the corner, and we have some great ideas for your next seasonal Fun Run or other Athon event.

These engaging fundraisers will bring in some extra money before the end of the year or even enough to meet your entire Parent Group budget! Plus, these are great opportunities for getting the community involved through local sponsorship.

Whether you’re looking to add some festive flair to your annual fundraiser or you’re planning a fundraising event for the first time, we’re here to help every step (or trot!) of the way.

October Fundraiser Ideas

Monster Dash

Spooky Sprint

Glow Fun Run

Superhero Dash

October is the perfect time to add some spooky fun to your fundraiser! A Monster Dash or other Halloween theme is a silly way to make your Fun Run or other athon fundraiser a part of the spooky celebrations at your school.

• Allow students to dress up in their Halloween costumes for the Fun Run (just make sure masks, shoes, and long costumes don’t get in the way of being active!).
• Play festive music like The Monster Mash, the Ghostbuster’s theme song, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller during the run.
• Serve healthy snacks with a spooky twist for after the run, like halved bananas with chocolate chips for eyes to look like ghosts or broomsticks made from cheese sticks & pretzels.
• Create Halloween-themed incentives, like a classic spooky movie with popcorn for the top-raising classes, or tickets to local Halloween events (Zoo Boo, for example) for your top-raising students.
• Get the principal involved by getting toilet paper and having the students help wrap him up like a mummy for the event!

November Fundraiser Ideas

Turkey Trot

Gobbler Gallop

Color Fun Run

Rake-Athon

Turkey Trots and other Thanksgiving/Fall themed fundraisers are an excellent way to celebrate the season while having fun – and raising BIG funds for your parent group!

• Have students dress up like pilgrims or turkeys on event day. They could even make hats as an art project during school.
• Rent a turkey costume for the principal or gym teacher to wear during the event.
• Create a fundraising incentive for the school. If the fundraising goal is reached, have the principal dress up like a turkey for the event or for a whole day at school afterward.
• Serve apples or cider as a healthy snack for students when the trot is over.
• Since this holiday is all about coming together, make this fundraiser a family event! Encourage moms, dads, brothers, and sisters to join in the fun on the day of the fundraiser – maybe even joining in on the Turkey Trot. Bring a dish to pass, and after the event, everyone can partake in a potluck-style feast!
• Consider having your Fun Run during the second half of the school day or even during the weekend so it doesn’t cut too much into class time.
• Get the community involved by offering restaurants, bakeries, and other food providers exposure and advertising if they give to your fundraiser and bring something for the meal.

The Profitability of Fall Fundraising Events

Fall fundraising events are incredibly profitable and provide an excellent opportunity to raise significant funds before the year’s end. According to a recent study, schools that host fall fundraising events see an average increase in participation and donations by 25% compared to other times of the year. The festive season encourages community involvement and generosity, making it easier to secure local sponsorships and engage more parents. By tapping into the holiday spirit and organizing creative, themed events, your school can boost your donations and achieve a memorable event for families!

Why Choose FundHub for Your Event Fundraisers

FundHub is built for event fundraisers from start to finish, fully customizable for any event type. Our platform offers a range of features designed to simplify the planning of your fundraising events, ensuring maximum participation and profitability. From tracking donations to providing easy-to-use templates for promotional materials, FundHub has everything you need to make your event a success.

Ready to see how FundHub can transform your Fall Fundraiser? Learn more with a free demo!

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5 Ideas to get Students, Parents, and Teachers excited for the new school year!

Already thinking about the next school year? Get a head start on your back-to-school planning with these 5 fun ideas for students, parents, and teachers!

Maybe you are hosting an open house, planning a pep rally, or kicking off your fundraising event. If you and your team are still looking for ways to kick off the new school year, the following ideas are perfect to add to your calendar!

A community back-to-school bash brings together local businesses, extracurricular programs and clubs at your school, sports teams, and local government programs (like those offered by the Parks & Rec. Department) to kick off the school year! It’s a community-wide party that your parent group can host or help sponsor in conjunction with your school admin and local chamber of commerce.

• Host the party at a local park or other large, outdoor space.
• Encourage school clubs and sports teams to have their own booths or informational tables so students and parents can learn more about what your school offers. You can even help cover the costs of the event by charging for a booth/table at the event.
• See if local restaurants will help cater the event or if local food trucks want to attend.
• Connect with the band director to have the school band play music during the event or put on a concert.
• Use this time to deliver important information about your fall fundraiser to students, parents, teachers, and community businesses (especially if you are trying to get local sponsorships!).

Celebrate and show support for your teachers and educators! Host your cookout at the school, a local park, or even the beach if the weather permits. You could even team up with other schools and make it a community-wide event to celebrate local educators.

• Provide the hot dogs and have your volunteers man the grills! You can also encourage attendees to bring their own food of choice (hamburgers, chicken, bratwurst) and tell them you will cook it up for them while they enjoy the party.
• Celebrate teachers during the event with gift bags full of supplies they can use in their classroom to help relieve the need to purchase basic needs out of pocket.
• Create a casual environment for teachers and educators to talk to local and state elected officials that you invite to attend (especially members/candidates on the County Board of Education).

Host a family-friendly party at your local skating rink or bowling alley for parents and students to have fun together and celebrate the start of another school year. This can also be an opportunity for you to introduce new parents to the PTO/PTA and deliver information about volunteering and your upcoming fall fundraiser.

• Have school supplies lists available and some free items (like pencils, notebooks, paper, rulers, etc.) for students at your event.
• Offer a kids combo for a cost ($5 or $10) that includes food, a drink, and skates/bowling shoes rental.
• If your fall fundraiser has already kicked off, have a list of the incentives (or samples of toy rewards) being offered as donation incentives for parents and students to see and get excited about.

Get your students moving and grooving with a back-to-school dance party! This event can be a fantastic way to energize students and create a fun, memorable start to the school year.

• Organize an after-school dance during the first week back and hire a DJ or do it yourself with speakers and a playlist.
• Incorporate dance competitions or themed dance nights to add extra excitement.
• Use this event as a kick-off for a dance-athon if that’s your fall fundraiser, combining fun with fundraising efforts.

Who doesn’t love a good ice cream social? You’ve got families, you’ve got delicious ice cream, and you’ve got a whole assortment of yummy toppings for students to customize their cool treat.

Tips for Your Social:

• Set up a variety of toppings like sprinkles, chocolate chips, fruit, and syrups.
• Create stations for students to build their own sundaes.
• Use the social as an opportunity to provide information about the upcoming school year and any fundraising initiatives.

Want more creative event ideas for your school year? Team up with us and get your own coach, access to our entire event toolbox, and an online platform that makes event fundraising easy from start to finish!

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