Move-a-thons benefit both your school and the participants. Your school gets to fundraise, and participants get moving; it’s a win-win! Try a move-a-thon next time you need to raise money for your school, extra-curricular program, or club.
Here, we’ll show you the A-Z of move-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 Move-A-Thon, from A-Z.
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Learn what makes Move-A-Thons unique and how they’re valuable fundraisers.
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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 Move-A-Thon.
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How to raise money with Move-A-Thons.
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Kickstart your Move-A-Thon using curated templates and tools.
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Get inspired with our Move-A-Thon theme examples.
Schools that sign up get full access to all of FutureFund’s features—it’s always free and it always will be.
Use these templates to keep your Move-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 Move-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 Moving with the [School Name] Move-A-Thon!
Hello Students,
Get ready to lace up your sneakers for our annual Move-A-Thon! This isn’t just a chance to get active and have fun; it’s also an opportunity to support our beloved school.
Why should you join?
How to Sign Up:
It’s easy! Just visit this link and follow the steps: [insert FutureFund link]. You’ll get your link to share with friends and family to collect pledges for your participation.
Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just love a casual stroll, this event is for everyone. Let’s come together to celebrate fitness and our school community.
On Your Marks, Get Set,
[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 Fuels Our Students – [School Name] Move-A-Thon Update!
Dear [Donor’s Name],
As our Move-A-Thon is in full swing, we want to thank you for your generous support. Your contribution isn’t just funding an event; it’s encouraging our students to lead active, healthy lifestyles and helping us reach our goal of [insert specific goal or cause].
Here’s the latest:
Remember, you can still support and promote our event through FutureFund at [insert link]. Your generosity is crucial for our success and greatly appreciated by our entire school community.
With gratitude,
[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: Final Leg of the [School Name] Move-A-Thon – Keep Moving!
Hello [Name of School] Students & Families!
We’re in the final stretch of our Move-A-Thon, and the energy is incredible! It’s been fantastic to watch our students get active and work towards their fitness goals.
Here’s what you need to know:
Only one week left to get your pledges in! Last-minute donations are still welcome to support our students via FutureFund at [insert link].
Come to support the event on [Date] in [Location], and don’t miss our closing ceremony where we celebrate our achievements and recognize our most active participants!
Let’s give it our all in this final week. Your enthusiasm and support make a real difference in our school and for our students. Let’s finish strong!
Keep Moving,
[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 Move-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 Move-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story
Canva Move-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post
Canva Move-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster
Example caption: Support [insert school name]’s Move-A-Thon from [insert date range]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to move for as many minutes as possible!
Ask local businesses to sponsor the Move-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 a success. On your mark, get set, GO!
Morning Kickoff (8:00 AM – 9:00 AM)
First Activity Session (9:00 AM – 10:30 AM)
Mid-Morning Break (10:30 AM – 11:00 AM)
Second Activity Session (11:00 AM – 12:30 PM)
Lunch and Rest Period (12:30 PM – 1:30 PM)
Afternoon Activity Session (1:30 PM – 3:00 PM)
Closing Ceremony (3:00 PM – 4:00 PM)
Post-Event Wrap-Up (4:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Follow-Up (Next School Day)
One Week After the Event
A move-a-thon combines the best aspects of popular a-thons like walk-a-thons, jog-a-thons, dance-a-thons, and jump-a-thons. Almost everyone can participate because participants get to choose the activity they do for the a-thon.
It’s also easy for PTAs to organize because participants do the activities in their own time, so there’s a lot less planning.
Treat these as a base and feel free to tailor these to suit your specific event.
You can hold your move-a-thon as a 1-day fundraiser or as a self-guided fundraiser over the course of a few weeks.
For a 1-day fundraiser, the event should last at least 2-3 hours. For a self-guided fundraiser, encourage participants to hit a certain amount of movement hours in a given timeframe. For example, you could set a target of 5 hours of movement over 2 weeks.
If you’re doing a self-guided move-a-thon, it should be the participant’s goal to complete the set amount of movement hours, usually between 5 and 10 hours.
For a 1-day event, participants should try to participate for the whole event, which is typically 2-3 hours (with breaks, of course).
The great thing about move-a-thons is that participants can choose their type of movement. Some activity ideas include:
Start telling students about the Move-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).
On the day the fundraiser starts, be sure to re-explain the rules and encourage students to continue fundraising.
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.
Participants collect donations for participating in the move-a-thon. Like other a-thons, move-a-thons follow a peer-to-peer fundraising model, so you aren’t limited to gathering donations from only the participants.
Each participant asks their family, friends, and coworkers (or parents’ coworkers) for donations, creating a huge network of potential donors. From there, participants engage in the activity of their choice for a set amount of time.
One of the great things about a move-a-thon is that you can customize it for your school’s needs. Elementary schools might make the movement time shorter, whereas high schools might make the movement time longer, for example.
You can hold the move-a-thons over multiple sessions or hold a 1-day event. If you’re doing sessions, plan around 10 sessions of 30 minutes each. For sessions, try to give participants at least 2 weeks to complete the 10 sessions.
Move-a-thons can be done indoors or outdoors, so they work almost any time of year. That said, participants will likely have more activity options in the warmer months.
Participants need a willingness to participate, and that’s about it! Because participants choose their activity, they can choose something that requires no equipment, like walking. If participants do need equipment for their activity, they will need to supply it themselves.
Move-a-thons are great fundraisers for everyone involved. They’re easy to plan and easy to participate in. Plus, they help encourage physical activity, making them a fundraiser everyone wants to support.
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 move-a-thon easy for everyone. Easier for PTAs and PTOs 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 move-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 Move-A-Thon planning on track:
Participant Registration
Safety & Conduct
Pledge Collection
Appropriate Attire
Activity Options
Hydration & Nutrition
Fair Play & Inclusiveness
Emergency Procedures
Fundraising Goals
Spectator & Parental Guidelines
Photography & Media
Or, here’s a Canva template of sample Move-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 moving! From [date to date], [school name] will be hosting a move-a-thon to help fundraise for [cause]. You can help by moving with us! 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 Move-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 Move-A-Thon Student Sign-up Email Template
Use these Canva templates to help you spread awareness for your Move-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 Move-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story
Canva Move-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post
Canva Move-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster
Example caption: Support [insert school name]’s Move-A-Thon from [insert date]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to move as much as you can!
Every student has a favorite TV show or movie. Encourage them to dress up as their favorite superhero, princess, or another character.
Really make your fundraiser stand out with neon outfits. It’s fun and easy for everyone to participate and makes for fantastic photos.
You can do a move-a-thon at any time of year and match it with upcoming holidays. In the fall, for example, you can do a spooky move-a-thon for Halloween.
Whether you’re going for 80s hair or a 70s tracksuit, there are tons of ways to bring retro fun to your move-a-thon. You can pick a certain decade or let participants choose their own.
Inspire everyone to get moving by dressing up as their favorite athlete or sports team jerseys. It’s also a great way to get people moving as a group.
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!"
