Here, we’ll show you the A-Z of jog-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 jog-a-thon from A-Z.
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A quick introduction to what a jog-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 jog-a-thon.
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How to raise money with jog-a-thons.
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Kickstart your jog-a-thon using curated templates and tools.
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Feel inspired with our jog-a-thon theme examples.
Jog-a-thons are extremely effective fundraisers since they benefit both your school and the participants. Joggers get to stay active while supporting a good cause, whether it’s their school, extra-curricular, or club.
Use these templates to keep your Jog-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 Jog-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 Run at [School Name]’s Annual Jog-A-Thon!
Hello Students,
Tie up your laces for our upcoming Jog-A-Thon! This isn’t just a run; it’s a fun and healthy way to show your school spirit, support our community, and challenge yourself.
Why join the Jog-A-Thon?
How to Sign Up:
Signing up is easy and exciting! Just click on this link [insert FutureFund link], follow the registration steps, and you’re on your way to the starting line.
You’ll also receive a link to share with friends and family for pledges based on your distance or laps jogged.
Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just want to enjoy a day of fun, this event is for everyone. Let’s jog together for a great cause!
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!
Subject: Help Us Race Towards Our Goal – [School Name] Jog-A-Thon Update!
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We’re so grateful for your support of our Jog-A-Thon! Your contributions are helping us provide an engaging experience for our students and reach our fundraising goals for [insert specific goal or cause].
Current Update:
There’s still time to support our runners through FutureFund at [insert link]. Your generosity is crucial to our success and greatly 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: On Your Marks, Get Set, Go! Final Day Before [School Name]’s Jog-A-Thon!
Hello [Name of School] Students & Families!
The big day is almost here! Our Jog-A-Thon is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to see our students in action, running and having fun.
Here’s what you need to know:
Let’s make the final day a sprint to remember. Your support is invaluable to our students and makes a significant impact on our school community. Let’s run towards a fantastic finish!
See you at the track,
[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 Jog-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 Jog-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story
Canva Jog-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post
Canva Jog-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster
Example caption: Support [insert school name]’s Jog-A-Thon from [insert date]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to jog!
Ask local businesses to sponsor the Jog-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:
Early Morning Session
Morning Session
Midday Session
Afternoon Session
Post-Event Tasks
A Jog-A-Thon, also called a FunRun or Run-A-Thon, is a straightforward and popular type of a-thon. It works similarly to any running fundraising event, like a 5K race or marathon, except you can customize the distance.
It’s a bit less intimidating than a conventional race since participants don’t have to run a certain distance. PTA’s are less stressful to organize, since you don’t have to worry about things like water stations like you would for longer races.
Treat these as a base and feel free to tailor these to suit your specific event.
The main thing you have to plan for a jog-a-thon is the length or your route. Consider how accessible you want the event to be. Typically, the shorter the distance, the more people who will be able to participate. A distance between 1 and 5 miles is a good starting point.
Your jog-a-thon will have a pre-determined route and distance, so the jogging goal for participants should be to complete the course. Alternatively, you can also host jog-a-thons where joggers lap the school field or track. In this case, you should set a goal number of laps, which is usually around 5-10 laps.
Your jog-a-thon route should be fully paved since that will make it easier for more people to participate. If a local park has a continuous paved path, that’s a great spot to host your jog-a-thon.
If there are no parks like this near your school, you can plan a circular route using sidewalks. For a bigger group of over 50 people, you’ll want to consider using roadways on your route. You’ll need permits for this, so just make sure you plan this event so you can get the permits well in advance.
Before you start telling students and parents about the Jog-A-Thon, you should decide the following:
Start telling students about the Jog-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).
Like other types of a-thon fundraisers, Jog-A-Thons use a peer-to-peer fundraising model. Participants sign up for the Jog-A-Thon and ask their friends, family, and coworkers (or their parents’ coworkers) for support through donations.
Each jogger participates in the Jog-A-Thon in exchange for the donations. The Jog-A-Thon itself is a set course around your school, town, or city.
Jog-a-thons are extremely customizable, which is one of the great things about them. You can choose the date, distance, theme, and more.
When choosing the distance, you’ll want to think about who is participating. An elementary school fundraiser, for example, should be on the shorter side. For a junior high or high school, you can make the course longer.
Jog-a-thons work best when you can hold the event outside. This means you’ll want to plan yours for a warmer time of year. September, May, or June are typically the best months to plan a jog-a-thon.
Jog-a-thons are easy for participants to join since they don’t need any special skills or equipment. And unlike other running fundraisers, participants don’t need to be able to run long distances. All they need is a pair of running shoes, and they can jog as fast or as slowly as they like.
Jog-a-thons are easy for participants to join since they don’t need any special skills or equipment. And unlike other running fundraisers, participants don’t need to be able to run long distances. All they need is a pair of running shoes, and they can jog as fast or as slowly as they like.
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 jog-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 jog-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 Jog-A-Thon planning on track:
1. Objective of the Event
2. Participant Eligibility
3. Event Format
4. Pledge System
5. Safety and Dress Code
6. Running/Jogging Rules
7. Lap Tracking
8. Rest and Hydration
9. Respect and Conduct
10. Weather or Emergency Situations
11. Volunteers and Spectators
Or, here’s a Canva template of sample Jog-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! On [date], [school name] will be hosting a jog-a-thon to help fundraise for [cause]. You can help by joining our jog! 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 Jog-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 Jog-A-Thon Student Sign-up Email Template
Use these Canva templates to help you spread awareness for your Jog-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 Jog-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story
Canva Jog-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post
Canva Jog-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster
Example caption: Support [insert school name]’s Jog-A-Thon from [insert date]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to jog!
You can do a jog-a-thon at any time of year and match it with upcoming holidays. In the fall, for example, you can do a zombie or monster walk for Halloween.
You’ve probably heard of a color run, and you can use the same theme for your jog-a-thon. They’re tons of fun and make for great photos once everyone is covered in flour paint. For a less messy alternative, you can do a bubble jog.
It’s usually harder to convince kids not to dress up, so an event where dressing up is required will be a hit! Encourage participants to wear their best superhero, princess, or movie character costume.
For this theme, participants can dress up as their favorite music icons. A little rock ‘n roll music at the event helps motivate joggers too.
Make your jog-a-thon stand out with obstacles. You can have a few optional obstacles like hurdles, ladders, and even a mud pit that make the event more engaging.
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!"
