Here, we’ll show you the A-Z of dance-a-thons, including planning, tracking donations, and ideas on how to organize and promote it.
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Everything you need to know about starting a dance-a-thon from A-Z.
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A quick introduction to what a dance-a-thon is and how it works.
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Thon’s can be a powerful fundraising tool.
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The tools, support, and volunteers you’ll need for a successful dance-a-thon.
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How to raise money with dance-a-thons.
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Kickstart your dance-a-thon using curated templates and tools.
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Feel inspired with our dance-a-thon theme examples.
Dance-a-thons aren’t just tons of fun; they’re great fundraisers too. They’re engaging and allow participants to effectively fundraise for their school, extra-curricular program, or club.
Run your Dance-a-Thon for free with FutureFund!
Use these templates to keep your Dance-A-Thon planning on track:
Use FutureFund to create a Pledge-A-Thon campaign and provide your campaign details.
Make sure your campaign has the following elements:
Here’s a Canva template of sample Dance-A-Thon rules. Click “Use template for new design” to create an editable version, then add custom information for your event, change fonts and graphics, and more!
Subject: Get Ready to Groove at [School Name]’s Annual Dance-A-Thon!
Hello Students,
Put on your dancing shoes for our upcoming Dance-A-Thon! This event is not just about dancing; it’s a fun-filled opportunity to express yourself, support our school, and participate in an exciting community event.
Why join the Dance-A-Thon?
How to Sign Up:
Joining is simple and exciting! Just click on this link [insert FutureFund link], follow the straightforward registration steps, and let the rhythm move you. You’ll also get a link to share with friends and family for pledges based on how long you dance.
Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or just want to have some fun, this event is for everyone. Let’s dance the day away for a great cause!
Warm regards,
[Your Name]
[School or Name of School Group]
You can also use this Canva template to keep a copy of your email script handy. Click “Use template for new design” to create an editable version, then add custom information for your event, change fonts and graphics, and more!
Subject: Your Support Helps Us Dance Towards Our Goal – [School Name] Dance-A-Thon Update!
Dear [Donor’s Name],
Thank you for supporting our Dance-A-Thon! Your contributions are instrumental in providing a memorable experience for our students and helping us reach our fundraising goals for [insert specific goal or cause].
Current Update:
There’s still time to support our dancers through FutureFund at [insert link]. Your generosity is key to our success and is deeply appreciated by our entire school community.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
[School or Name of School Group]
You can also use this Canva template to keep a copy of your email script handy. Click “Use template for new design” to create an editable version, then add custom information for your event, change fonts and graphics, and more!
Subject: The Final Countdown to [School Name]’s Dance-A-Thon!
Hello [Name of School] Students & Families!
The big day is almost here! Our Dance-A-Thon is tomorrow, and we’re buzzing with excitement. Our students are ready to dance their hearts out and have a fantastic time.
Here’s what you need to know:
Let’s make the final day a dance to remember. Your support and encouragement are crucial to our students and significantly impact our school community. Let’s make every step count!
See you on the dance floor,
[Your Name]
[School or Name of School Group]
You can also use this Canva template to keep a copy of your email script handy. Click “Use template for new design” to create an editable version, then add custom information for your event, change fonts and graphics, and more!
Here are some Canva templates to help you spread awareness for your Dance-A-Thon on social media and in your community! Click “Use template for new design” to create an editable version, then add custom information for your event, change fonts and graphics, and more!
Canva Dance-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story
Canva Dance-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post
Canva Dance-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster
Example caption: Support [insert school name]’s Dance-A-Thon from [insert date]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to dance!
Ask local businesses to sponsor the Dance-A-Thon. This can help your PTA reach your fundraising targets while business owners get exposure and positive PR.
Make sure to explain how each sponsor’s contribution will be recognized. For example, you could:
Finally, the day of the event will arrive—and if you’ve followed all the steps above, you should have everything you need to make it successful. Here’s a sample event schedule:
Morning Session
Main Dance Session
Lunch Break
Afternoon Dance Session
Evening Session
Post-Event Tasks
A Dance-A-Thon is a unique a-thon style fundraiser. Similar to other A-Thons, participants commit to dancing for a certain amount of time and gather donations to support their efforts.
Dance-a-thons are tons of fun, good exercise, and a way to turn school dances into a fundraising opportunity. Because the money is going to a good cause, it’s also easy to get donors on board.
Treat these as a base and feel free to tailor these to suit your specific event.
There are a few different ways to run a dance-a-thon. First, you’ll need to decide if you want to hold a one-time event, multiple dance sessions, or virtual event. Then, you’ll need to decide how long the dance-a-thon will last. Most are between 12 and 36 hours, but you can decide what works best based on your needs and how many dance sessions you’re holding.
The dancing goal will be partially dependent on the length of the dance-a-thon. If you’re holding multiple sessions, for example, the dancing goal should be higher than if you’re just holding a one-time event.
Generally, participants should set a goal of dancing at least 1 hour per session. For one-time events, participants should try and dance at least 2-3 hours.
Start telling students about the Dance-A-Thon at least two weeks before it starts.
Students should be signed up in your fundraising system so they can gather donations for at least seven days before the fundraiser starts (although it’s still okay to take last-minute sign-ups).
Dance-a-thons are popular events, which means there’s the opportunity for sponsors. In exchange for advertising at the event, ask sponsors for monetary donations or supply donations like food and drinks.
If you’re looking for a virtual fundraiser, dance-a-thons can easily be held online. Have a video call with a DJ, and participants can join from their homes.
On the day the fundraiser starts, be sure to re-explain the rules and encourage students to continue fundraising. Find sample rules in the Resources section of this guide.
Dancers engage in peer-to-peer fundraising, asking family, friends, and coworkers (or parents’ coworkers) to donate. In return, participants commit to a certain amount of dancers.
The “rules” for a dance-a-thon are flexible, so you can decide what’s best for your school. Dance-a-thons can be done as one continuous event, split into sessions, or at-home.
Most dance-a-thons are between 12 and 36 hours. There are a few different ways you can split the time:
Since dance-a-thons are typically held inside, you can hold them almost any time of year. That said, you might want to reserve the warmer months for fundraisers that have to be outside, so winter is a great time for your dance-a-thon.
Dance-A-Thons promote physical activity and are lots of fun to put on—students will love dancing to their favorite tunes! You can also sell tickets to your Dance-A-Thon fundraiser via FutureFund’s online store, giving you an additional way to raise money for your school group.
FutureFund gives you the ability to generate financial reports for fundraising campaigns in just a few clicks. To do this, navigate to Store and click the Reports tab near the top of your screen. Then choose Campaign Summary from the drop-down menu and click Generate Report.
Yes—FutureFund lets you create a list of the volunteer positions you’ll need to fill, then add a volunteer page to your registration portal so parents can sign up in just a few simple clicks. See the steps for signing up volunteers here.
Schools that sign up get full access to all of FutureFund’s features—it’s always free and it always will be.
An “a-thon” is a peer-to-peer style fundraiser that involves participating in a certain activity and gathering donations for participating in said activity.
The activity can be almost anything, from reading to running to bowling. No matter what activity you choose, the premise is the same. Participants commit to doing the activity (reading a certain amount of books, running a certain distance) and ask their friends, family, and coworkers to support them.
A-thons work great because you reach a huge donor pool through peer-to-peer fundraising. People are also more likely to donate since participants are “working” in return for the donations.
FutureFund’s built-in pledge campaigns allow you to easily collect money and keep donations/pledges organized. Since parents cover payment processing fees, 100% of the funds raised go to your school!
FutureFund makes running a dance-a-thon easy for everyone. Easier for PTAs to run, for students and parents to participate, and for donors to donate.
Instead of dealing with paper pledge forms and cash and cheques, FutureFund takes the process online. Donors can donate instantly online with their credit or debit cards.
FutureFund makes it easy to track how the fundraiser is going. Easily view how much money has been raised and more with detailed reporting.
Consider the below when organizing your dance-a-thon. Spending a bit of time up front getting organized from an admin and donation perspective will save a lot of time and potential frustration later.
Each student will sign up as a participant in the fundraiser. Then, they can collect pledges individually by credit or debit card. You can also accept cash pledges, but be mindful of properly storing and tracking cash you collect.
If you are using FutureFund, you can record these pledges and they will automatically count towards the student’s total and the grand total for the fundraiser.
Before launching your fundraiser, confirm what records you need to collect from donors.
If you are using FutureFund, it’s easy for students to sign up, especially if their information is already in the system. You can bulk sign up entire grades or classes. All donor payments are automatically entered into the system, so you can instantly see each student’s total and the grand total.
Fundraising campaigns that accept online donations perform much better than fundraisers that only accept cash or check.
If you are using FutureFund, you can accept payments online. Donors are given a donation link and can pay by credit or debit card. Any cash donations can also be noted in the system to be collected later.
Use these templates to keep your Dance-A-Thon planning on track:
Or, here’s a Canva template of sample Dance-A-Thon rules. Click “Use template for new design” to create an editable version, then add custom information for your event, change fonts and graphics, and more!
Unsure of where to start? Use this sample student and parent messaging to get the ball rolling!
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Let’s get dancing! On [date], [school name] will be hosting a dance-a-thon to help fundraise for [cause]. You can help by dancing as much as you can! Parents, each student will be collecting pledges online through FutureFund: [link].
Please spread the word to your family, friends, and coworkers to help make this fundraiser a success!
Let parents and supporters donate online with FutureFund’s online pledges. Try it out for free!
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Make your donation easily and instantly! Click this [link] to make your donation through secure credit or debit card payment.
If you prefer to donate by cash or check, just donate directly to the student you’re supporting. Thank you for your support!
Use these Canva email script templates to call out for Dance-A-Thon participants, donations, and to keep your fundraiser top-of-mind. Click “Use template for new design” to create an editable version, then add custom information for your event, change fonts and graphics, and more!
Canva Dance-A-Thon Student Sign-up Email Template
Use these Canva templates to help you spread awareness for your Dance-A-Thon on social media and in your community! Click “Use template for new design” to create an editable version, then add custom information for your event, change fonts and graphics, and more!
Canva Dance-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story
Canva Dance-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post
Canva Dance-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster
Example caption: Support [insert school name]’s Dance-A-Thon from [insert date]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to dance!
Take a trip around the world without leaving your school! This theme allows students to show off their culture or choose clothing from any country around the world.
You can line up a dance-a-thon with almost any holiday. Because dance-a-thons are usually held in winter, host a Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, New Year’s, Lunar New Year, or Valentine’s Day dance-a-thon.
A spooky theme works great for an October dance-a-thon. Encourage participants to wear their costumes and decorate the venue with spider webs, fog machines, and other scary decor.
A masquerade is a classic when it comes to dances. Ask participants to wear masquerade masks and decorate your venue with classy decor.
Make history lessons come to life with this historical theme. Encourage dancers to dress up in historical outfits, either from a certain era or the era of their choice.
Light up the dance floor with a glow-in-the-dark theme. Participants can wear glow-in-the-dark or neon clothing, glow bracelets, and glow paint.
FutureFund is used by over 1,000+ organizations, including:
Bollinger Elementary & Iron Horse Middle School
"FutureFund is always responsive to questions and suggestions, and added new corporate matching features based on my feedback. We rarely had to wait more than 24 hours for support and always felt taken care of."
Tassajara Elementary
"FutureFund provides excellent onboarding and support for our organization. The FutureFund Team is based in America and easy to get on a call with to help us troubleshoot problems. Most issues are resolved within 24 hours!"
