How to Run a Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser
- Choose the date of your Bowl-A-Thon three months before the event. Bowl-A-Thons usually take place on a single day, so choose a date that doesn't conflict with other school plans.
- Make sure your PTA coordinates with the school ahead of time to rent out the bowling alley, purchase any necessary insurance, and arrange transportation to and from the event.
Use these templates to keep your Bowl-a-Thon planning on track:
- Put out a call for volunteers two months before the event. Use FutureFund's built-in messaging system to reach the parents and volunteers most likely to participate.
- Make sure your call for volunteers clearly states what cause or project the Bowl-A-Thon will support.
- Perform background checks for any volunteers from outside the school who need to be present during the event (if required by your school).
- Event Coordinator: Oversees the overall planning, execution, and post-event activities.
- Registration Team: Manages participant and team registrations, handles check-ins on the day of the event, and provides information packets.
- Lane Managers: Supervise the bowling lanes, ensure the smooth flow of games, and assist participants as needed.
- Scorekeepers: Records and monitors scores, and updates the leaderboard if applicable.
- Food and Beverage Team: Coordinates the provision of snacks and drinks, either through a catering service or volunteer contributions.
- Photographer/Videographer: Captures moments from the event for future promotion or as keepsakes for participants.
- Incentives motivate students to register for your Bowl-A-Thon and collect pledges. Each student should have a specific fundraising goal-usually between $200-$400.
- It's better to offer incentives to the class or grade that wins the most games collectively than to individual students, as this is a more cost-effective way to motivate groups and can also discourage unhealthy competition. Try an ice cream social or a pizza party for the best results.
- Plan any event entertainment and awards as needed.
Use FutureFund to create a Pledge-A-Thon campaign and provide your campaign details.
Make sure your campaign has the following elements:
- A clear and compelling event description and rules, including what the money raised will go towards and what the incentives will be for participating students.
- A leaderboard that shows the grades and teachers for each participating class, along with how much each has raised. These are fully customizable in FutureFund, so you can create custom categories for each Hit-A-Thon.
- A template students can use to collect pledges from members of the school community. FutureFund provides a sample template for this in all A-Thon campaigns, which you can modify to include the specific details of your event.
Here's a Canva template of sample Bowl-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!
- Send out an announcement of your Bowl-A-Thon to the school community two weeks before the event begins and request that students sign up to participate.
- Share the news in as many places as possible-use the school newsletter, morning announcements, and FutureFund's messaging system to tell everyone why the event is important and how they can be part of it.
- Use FutureFund to send follow-up messages every other day leading up to the event to encourage participation.
- The night before the event, send a final reminder to get the school community excited about the event and encourage them to keep offering support.
Subject: Strike it Big at [School Name]'s Bowl-A-Thon!
Hello Students,
Get ready to roll with our exciting Bowl-A-Thon! This isn't just about knocking down pins; it's a chance to demonstrate your bowling skills, support our school, and have a blast with friends.
Why should you participate?
- Showcase your bowling talent in various fun challenges.
- Help raise funds for [insert cause or school project].
- Earn recognition and awesome prizes for your bowling skills.
How to Sign Up:
Joining is a breeze! Simply visit this link and follow the steps: [insert FutureFund link]. You'll get a link to share with friends and family to collect pledges for each pin you knock down.
Whether you're a bowling pro or just want to have fun, this event is for everyone. Let's roll our way to success and enjoyment!
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 is Making a Big Impact - [School Name] Bowl-A-Thon Update!
As our Bowl-A-Thon progresses, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your support. Your contributions are enhancing our students' enthusiasm for sports and helping us achieve our fundraising goal for [insert specific goal or cause].
Current Update:
- are geared up to strike it big on the lanes!
- We've reached [percentage] of our fundraising goal.
- There's still an opportunity to boost our bowlers through FutureFund at [insert link]. Your generosity plays a pivotal role in our success and means a lot to our school community.
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 Frame Awaits at the [School Name] Bowl-A-Thon!
Hello [Name of School] Students & Families!
We're just a day away from our Bowl-A-Thon, and excitement is at its peak! Our students are set to show their skills in a day filled with strikes, spares, and lots of fun.
Here's what you need to know:
- Just one day left to gather your pledges! Don't forget to contribute via FutureFund at [insert link].
- Join us to cheer for our young bowlers on [Date] at [Location]. Make sure to be part of the awards ceremony where we'll celebrate their accomplishments and recognize top bowlers!
Let's make this final day a striking success. Your support and encouragement are key to making a positive impact on our school and students. Let's knock down these pins together!
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 Bowl-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 Bowl-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story
- Canva Bowl-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post
- Canva Bowl-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster
Example caption: Support [insert school name]'s Bowl-A-Thon from [insert date]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to win as many games as you can!
Ask local businesses to sponsor the Bowl-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:
- Hang a banner in the gym with sponsor logos during the event.
- Offer branded water bottles or other swag to participants.
- Add sponsors to your school's online store using FutureFund.
Use these templates to keep your Bowl-a-Thon planning on track:
- 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.
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 striking success. Here's an example schedule:
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Setup and Volunteer Briefing: Volunteers arrive and set up the registration desk, lanes, and any additional stations (like food and beverage, raffle, etc.). A brief meeting is held to go over the day's schedule and responsibilities.
- 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Participant Registration and Warm-Up: Participants arrive, check in, and receive their lane assignments. They can use this time to warm up and practice.
- 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Opening Ceremony: A welcome speech by the event coordinator, an explanation of rules, and a brief motivational talk.
- 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Bowl-A-Thon Round 1: The first round of bowling begins. Participants bowl a set number of games.
- 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch and Entertainment: Participants and spectators take a break for lunch. This time can also include entertainment such as music, guest speakers, or a raffle draw.
- 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Bowl-A-Thon Round 2: The second round of bowling. Participants continue or complete their games. This can also include special challenge rounds or competitive brackets.
- 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Final Scores Tally and Break: Scorekeepers tally the final scores. Participants take a break and enjoy refreshments while waiting for results.
- 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM: Awards Ceremony: Awards and recognition are given for various achievements like highest score, best team spirit, most funds raised, etc.
- 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM: Closing Remarks and Departure: The event coordinator gives closing remarks, thanks participants, volunteers, and sponsors, and officially ends the event.
- 6:00 PM onwards: Cleanup: Volunteers and staff clean up the venue, dismantle any temporary setups, and ensure everything is returned to its original state.
- One Day After the Event: Send a thank-you message to donors with FutureFund and update them on your school group's progress.
- One Week After the Event: Hold the student celebration event (ice cream social or pizza party) for the winning class or grade!
A Bowl-A-Thon is a unique fundraiser, but it follows the same basic principles as other A-Thons, like Read-A-Thons or Walk-A-Thons. During a Bowl-A-Thon, bowling teams sign up to compete in a bowling tournament.
Teams typically pay a registration fee and collect pledges, which are the main source of donations. Overall, Bowl-A-Thons are tons of fun and less intimidating than other types of sport tournament fundraisers.
Treat these as a base and feel free to tailor these to suit your specific event.
Most Bowl-A-Thons take place over the course of a single day, since you'll need access to a bowling alley to run them. If you're holding your Bowl-A-Thon on the weekend, you might take an entire day-but if it's on a weekday and you aren't able to put off classes, it's better to make it an evening event.
The easiest way to organize your Bowl-A-Thon is to supply students with a specific number of bowling balls based on the pledges they collect, then award points based on how they bowl. Tally up the results at the end and issue a prize to the class or grade that scores the most points-this incentivizes students to fundraise and to support each other.
Bowl-A-Thons are appropriate for students of all ages-but you'll probably want to make sure you're using a 9-pin setup for younger students, since the balls are lighter and easier to bowl.
Start telling students about the Bowl-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.
Players register in teams of 4 to 8 players. The teams also do peer-to-peer fundraising and gather pledges from friends, family, and coworkers. On the day of the event, bowling balls are distributed to players depending on the amount of pledges raised.
After each team is registered and has 2 to 3 weeks to fundraise, there will be an event where the teams get to bowl using the balls they've earned. Scores are tallied up at the end of the event and the winning team (or class or grade) is awarded a group prize.
Most Bowl-A-Thons are between 2 and 10 hours. There are a few different ways you can split the time:
- As one continuous event
- As separate sessions, over the course of a week or two
- As an individual, at-home event
Bowl-A-Thons are fairly straightforward fundraisers. The most complex part of the planning will be finding a venue.
The event will need to be held at a bowling alley, so securing a venue should be the first step in your planning. Once that's taken care of, everything else is very easy to plan since the bowling alley will be able to help with things like shoe rentals and other supplies.
You'll probably want to set some ground rules for the teams, just so everyone has a fair chance. Think about:
- Number of players
- Age
- Gender
For example, if children are participating, you'll want to make sure each team has a similar number of kids. So you might make it a rule that each team needs at least 2 kids under 10.
Bowl-A-Thons are great fundraisers because they're a lot of fun-and they can raise a lot of money for your school. They're especially great if parents and students have "fundraiser fatigue" and are tired of more conventional fundraisers.
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.
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 Bowl-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.
Bowling was most popular in the 60s, so get participants to embrace that era. They can dress up in 60s clothes like ponchos, tie-dye, and bell bottoms.
While bowling was most popular in the 60s, it was still plenty popular in the 70s. Participants can dress up in their best 70s looks and groove to 70s disco music.
Instead of a blast from the past, why not a futuristic theme? Get bowlers to guess what future fashion will look like with funky fashion and face paint.
You can't go wrong with a holiday theme, even for bowling. Plan your bowl-a-thon around a fall or winter holiday like Halloween, Christmas, New Year's Day, or Valentine's Day.
A Disney theme basically just means participants can dress up like their favorite movie or TV character. Players can pick costumes individually or coordinate as a team.
Lots of bowling alleys are dimly lit, which means neon clothes will really stand out. Encourage participants to wear bright clothing, glow bracelets, and even neon face paint.