How to Run a Spell-a-Thon Fundraiser

Use these templates to keep your Spell-A-Thon planning on track:

Canva Spell-A-Thon Infographic

Canva Running a Spell-A-Thon Checklist

• Event Coordinator: Oversees the entire Spell-A-Thon, including planning, coordination with the school, and post-event activities.
• Registration Team: Manages participant sign-ups, and distributes materials such as word lists and participation certificates.
• Spelling Bee Judges: Knowledgeable individuals who can accurately judge spelling, make decisions on spellings, and enforce the rules of the Spell-A-Thon.
• Pronouncers: Individuals responsible for clearly and accurately pronouncing words for participants to spell.
• Scorekeepers: Keep track of participants’ progress, scores, and manage the order of participants.
• Set-Up and Clean-Up Crew: Responsible for setting up the event area, including arranging seating, microphones, and signage, and cleaning up after the event.
• Photographers/Videographers: Captures moments from the event for future promotion and as keepsakes for participants.

Here’s a Canva template of sample Spell-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!

Canva Spell-A-Thon Rules Template

Subject: Spell Your Way to Success with the [School Name] Spell-A-Thon!

Hello Students,

Get ready to showcase your spelling prowess at our annual Spell-A-Thon! This event is not just a spelling challenge; it’s an exciting opportunity to support our beloved school and demonstrate your linguistic talents.

Why should you join?

• Compete in a fun and engaging spelling bee.
  Help raise funds for [insert cause or school project].
• Earn recognition and cool rewards for your spelling skills.

How to Sign Up:

Signing up is simple! Just visit this link and follow the steps: [insert FutureFund link]. You’ll get your own link to share with friends and family to collect pledges for each word you spell correctly.

Whether you’re a spelling enthusiast or just looking to try something new, this event is for everyone. Let’s spell our way to success together!

Best 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!

Canva Spell-A-Thon Student Sign-up Email Template

Subject: Your Support is Spelling Success – [School Name] Spell-A-Thon Update!

Dear [Donor’s Name],

As our Spell-A-Thon moves forward, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support. Your contribution is not just about sponsoring an event; it’s about nurturing our students’ love for language and helping us reach our goal of [insert specific goal or cause].

Here’s the latest update:

• [Number of students] have registered to spell!
• We’ve reached [percentage] of our fundraising target.

It’s not too late to spread the word and continue supporting our event through FutureFund at [insert link]. Your generosity is crucial to our success and is deeply appreciated by our school community.

With sincere thanks,

[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!

Canva Spell-A-Thon Donor Email Template

Subject: Last Call to Support the [School Name] Spell-A-Thon!

Hello [Name of School] Students & Families!

We’re just a week away from our Spell-A-Thon, and the excitement is at its peak! Our students are eagerly honing their spelling skills in anticipation.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Only one week left to gather your pledges! Last-minute donations are still very welcome via FutureFund at [insert link].
• Come and support our spellers on [Date] at [Location], and don’t miss the closing ceremony where we’ll celebrate our students’ achievements and recognize our top spellers!

Let’s make this final week a resounding success. Your encouragement and support are making a significant impact on our school and for our students. Let’s finish strong!

Spellbound,

[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!

Canva Final Week Push Spell-A-Thon Email Template

Here are some Canva templates to help you spread awareness for your Spell-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 Spell-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story

Canva Spell-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post

Canva Spell-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster

Example caption: Support [insert school name]’s Spell-A-Thon from [insert date range]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to spell as many words as you can!

• Direct donations—either towards your fundraising goal or to help cover the costs of supplies.
• Corporate matching is where a business makes a donation equal to all or a portion of the funds you raise from the community.
• Selling sponsorships on FutureFund via advertising on your campaign page.

Spell-A-Thons are usually single day events. These should take place on a weekend so as not to interfere with classes, or the day will need to be booked off for all participating students.

The spelling goal will largely depend on the student’s grade and how long the spell-a-thon lasts. Higher grades will typically learn more words, and lower grades will learn fewer words, but it should be every student’s goal to learn how to spell every word on their list.

The word list should contain words that students would be learning to spell normally. The most important thing is that the words are customized for students’ grade levels.

Start telling students about the Spell-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.

Students collect pledges from their family, friends, and parents’ coworkers. In return, students learn how to spell a certain amount of words. The pledge amounts vary and can be anywhere from $1 per word.

You can customize the rules of your spell-a-thon based on your school’s needs. The main idea is that the students are committed and learning how to spell new words.

The exact length of the Spell-A-Thon largely depends on how many words the students are learning, but most Spell-A-Thons take place over the course of a single day booked off for the event.

Spell-a-thons aren’t weather-dependent like other fundraisers, so you can hold them any time during the year. Because spell-a-thons are held inside, you might want to plan yours for the fall or winter, so you can save the warmer months for fundraisers that have to take place outside.

The words should first and foremost be based on students’ grade levels. Spell-A-Thon words should be similar to the words students would be learning in class normally. Involve teachers in the process, so the Spell-A-Thon words are not too easy or too hard (check out some lists here as a starting point).

Spell-A-Thons essentially turn spelling tests into fundraisers, so they’re a win-win. Students get to improve their spelling ability, and the school gets to raise money for important initiatives, making Spell-A-Thons great fundraisers.

FutureFund makes running a spell-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.

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 Spell-A-Thon planning on track:

Canva Spell-A-Thon Infographic

Canva Running a Spell-A-Thon Checklist

Eligibility & Registration:

• All students are eligible to participate in the Spell-A-Thon.
• Registration should be completed via the FutureFund system by a set deadline.
• A parent or guardian’s permission may be required for younger students.

Word List & Spelling Goals:

• Each student will receive a list of words to learn and spell, tailored to their grade level.
• The goal for each student is to spell as many words correctly as possible.
• The words should be appropriate for the students’ learning levels and should be a mix of challenging and familiar words.

Pledges & Donations:

• Students are encouraged to collect pledges from family, friends, and community members.
• Pledges can be a fixed amount or based on the number of words correctly spelled.
• All pledges should be managed and tracked through FutureFund via the link provided to each participant.
• Cash donations are also accepted but must be carefully recorded and tracked by volunteers.

Event Day Structure:

• The Spell-A-Thon will take place on [date].
• The event will consist of multiple spelling sessions, with breaks in between for snacks, hydration, and relaxation.
• The final rounds will be for those who have advanced based on their performance in earlier rounds.

Judging & Scoring:

• The event will have knowledgeable spelling bee judges and pronouncers. Judges will decide on the correctness of each spelling, and scorekeepers will track participants’ progress and scores.

Safety & Conduct:

• All participants are expected to maintain respectful behavior throughout the event. The event will be supervised by teachers and volunteers to ensure a safe and fair environment.

Incentives & Recognition:

• Instead of individual rewards, class or group incentives (like an ice cream social or pizza party) will be offered for groups that spell the most words correctly. This approach encourages team spirit and minimizes unhealthy competition.

Volunteer Roles:

• Various volunteer roles will be filled as outlined in the guide, including event coordinators, registration team, judges, pronouncers, scorekeepers, setup and cleanup crew, and photographers/videographers.

Parent & Community Involvement:

• Parents and community members are encouraged to support the students by pledging, attending the event (if allowed), and cheering for the participants.

Or, here’s a Canva template of sample Spell-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!

Canva Spell-A-Thon Rules Template

Unsure of where to start? Use this sample student and parent messaging to get the ball rolling!

—

Spell your heart out! Starting [date], [school name] will be hosting a spell-a-thon to help fundraise for [cause]. You can help by doing as spelling as many words 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!

—

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 Spell-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 Spell-A-Thon Student Sign-up Email Template

Canva Spell-A-Thon Donor Email Template

Canva Final Week Push Spell-A-Thon Email Template

Use these Canva templates to help you spread awareness for your Spell-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 Spell-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story

Canva Spell-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post

Canva Spell-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster

Example caption: Support [insert school name]’s Spell-A-Thon from [insert date]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to spell as many words as you can!

Depending on when you hold your spell-a-thon, you can choose words to match a holiday. You can find words to go with any holiday, from Halloween to St. Patrick’s Day.

It’s called a spelling bee after all, so why not go with an animal theme? This theme is easy to customize for students’ grade levels too.

Another way to customize word lists for students’ grade level is to choose words based on what they’re learning. Pick words based on historical events, scientific concepts, and more.

Etymology, or the history of words, can help students identify how to spell certain words. Choose words with similar origins, like Latin or Greek, or words with the same root.

Take students all around the world with a geography-based spelling list. You can choose the country based on the curriculum or even let each class choose a country.

If your school has a second language or immersion program, a spell-a-thon is a great way for students to test their skills. Encourage kids to learn how to spell in another language.