Keep all of it.
handled.
minutes.
fundraiser.
How to Run a Volleyball Serve-a-Thon Fundraiser
Table of Contents
- What is a Volleyball Serve-A-Thon?
- Why Schools Choose Volleyball Serve-A-Thons
- How Much Does a Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Raise?
- How to Run a Volleyball Serve-A-Thon: Step by Step
- Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Templates & Resources
- Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Goals & Rules
- Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Theme Ideas
- Frequently Asked Questions About Volleyball Serve-A-Thons
- Related A-Thon Guides
If you aren't a member yet, join today: it's free for K-12 school groups!
What is a Volleyball Serve-A-Thon?
Serve-a-thons fit naturally inside athletic programs, but they also work as a community-building event for younger grades just learning the sport. The format runs cleanly as a single-day event in the school gym, and most of what you need (volleyballs, courts, volunteers) is already on hand.
Why Schools Choose Volleyball Serve-A-Thons
The volunteer lift is lower than most large school events. You need a gym (or two if you want to run multiple courts), volleyballs, a scorekeeping system, and a handful of helpers. Compared to galas or carnival nights, the setup is minimal and the day-of running is straightforward.
The format also opens up sponsorship opportunities that other fundraisers don't. Local sporting goods stores, dental offices, family-owned businesses, and youth leagues are often glad to back a volleyball event. Pair sponsorship with student fundraising and the total moves quickly.
How Much Does a Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Raise?
A team of 30 students raising $250 each produces $7,500 from a single day. Scale that across both a junior and senior volleyball program with strong family and community participation, and you're regularly clearing well into five figures, especially when local sponsorships are layered on top of student pledges.
Join over the 6,500 schools using FutureFund
How to Run a Volleyball Serve-A-Thon: Step by Step
Choose a Date & Theme
- Choose the date of your Volleyball Serve-A-Thon three months before the event. Serve-A-Thons usually take place on a single day, so choose one that doesn't conflict with other important events and plan for a time of year when people are unlikely to be away.
- Coordinate with the school ahead of time to reserve the gym or outdoor space if weather allows.
- Consider a theme for your Serve-A-Thon involving colors or costumes. See the Theme Ideas section below for inspiration.
Use these templates to keep your Serve-A-Thon planning on track:
Call for Volunteers
- 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 project the Volleyball Serve-A-Thon will support.
- Perform background checks for any volunteers from outside the school who need to be on campus during the event (if required by your school).
- Event Coordinator: Oversees planning and execution, and acts as main contact with the school or venue.
- Registration Team: Handles sign-ups, check-ins, and information distribution.
- Volleyball Coaches / Instructors: Guide participants on serving techniques, rules, and safety.
- Scorekeepers and Statisticians: Track serves, scores, and stats throughout the event.
- Set-Up and Tear-Down Crew: Assemble courts and equipment before the event and pack up afterward.
- Referees: Ensure fair play and rule compliance.
- Snack and Hydration Volunteers: Manage water and snack tables.
- Photographers / Videographers: Capture moments for promotion and keepsakes.
- First Aid and Safety Team: Provide basic care and monitor safety.
Choose Student Incentives
- Incentives motivate students to register for your Serve-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 group that raises the most money 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.
Create Your Serve-A-Thon Campaign
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 Serve-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 Serve-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!
Announce the Event & Sign-Up Students
- Send out an announcement of your Volleyball Serve-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 and encourage them to keep offering support.
Access our free editable Canva Volleyball Serve-A-Thon student sign-up email template:
Subject: Get Ready to Serve Big at [School Name]'s Volleyball Serve-A-Thon!
Hello Students,
Step onto the court and join our annual Volleyball Serve-A-Thon! It's a chance to practice your serves, have fun with friends, and support our school's fundraising goal.
Why join?
- Participate in a fun, active event and show off your skills.
- Help raise funds for [insert cause or project].
- Earn recognition and prizes for team spirit and fundraising achievements.
How to Sign Up:
It's easy. Just register through FutureFund [insert link], follow the steps, and start sharing your pledge page with friends and family!
Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the game, this event is for everyone. Let's serve up some fun for a great cause!
Thank you for your support![Your Name][School or Name of School Group]
Access our editable Volleyball Serve-A-Thon donor follow-up email template:
Subject: Thank You for Supporting [School Name]'s Volleyball Serve-A-Thon!
Dear [Donor's Name],
On behalf of our entire school community, thank you for contributing to our Volleyball Serve-A-Thon! Your generosity keeps our students active, engaged, and empowered to reach their goals.
Here's where we stand:
- [Number of students] have stepped up to serve!
- We've achieved [percentage]% of our fundraising goal so far.
There's still time to help us reach the finish line. Share our event link and invite others to support this spirited fundraiser through FutureFund at [insert link].
Every serve, every pledge, and every act of support brings us closer to success. Thank you for being part of it!
Thank you for your support![Your Name][School or Name of School Group]
Access our free editable Canva Volleyball Serve-A-Thon final week push email template:
Subject: One Week to Go: Help [School Name] Spike Our Goal!
Hello Families,
We're entering the home stretch of our Volleyball Serve-A-Thon, and energy is high! Our students have been serving hard, raising funds, and showing tremendous school spirit.
Here's how you can help us finish strong:
- Keep sharing your pledge link through FutureFund to reach last-minute supporters.
- Remind friends and family. Every donation, big or small, makes a difference.
Thank you for helping make this Serve-A-Thon an exciting success. Let's reach our goal and celebrate together on event day!
Thank you for your support![Your Name][School or Name of School Group]
Access our free editable Canva Volleyball Serve-A-Thon final day reminder email template:
Subject: Tomorrow's the Big Day! [School Name] Volleyball Serve-A-Thon
Hello [School Name] Students & Families,
The big day is almost here! Tomorrow we'll come together for our Volleyball Serve-A-Thon, where every serve helps support our school.
Quick reminders:
- Be sure to wear comfortable athletic clothes and bring your school spirit!
- Encourage last-minute pledges via your FutureFund link.
- Join us at [location] at [time] to cheer, volunteer, or participate!
Thank you for all your support. Together we're serving for success!
Thank you for your support![Your Name][School or Name of School Group]
Use these Canva templates to promote your Serve-A-Thon on social media and around your community. Click "Use template for new design" to customize for your event.
- Canva Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Instagram Story Template
- Canva Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Instagram Post Template
- Canva Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Printable Poster Template
Example caption: Support [School Name]'s Volleyball Serve-A-Thon on [insert date]! Help us raise funds for [insert cause] and cheer on our students as they serve for success!
Find Sponsors
Ask local businesses to sponsor the Volleyball Serve-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 swag like water bottles or towels to participants.
- Add sponsors to your school's online store using FutureFund.
Here are common sponsor arrangements to consider:
- Direct donations, either toward your fundraising goal or to help cover the costs of supplies.
- Corporate matching, 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.
Host the Volleyball Serve-A-Thon
The big day has arrived. With your planning complete, here's a sample schedule for a smooth, fun event:
- Welcome participants and volunteers, review rules, and start the day with school announcements and music.
- Conduct a group warm-up or stretching session.
- Begin serving rotations. Volunteers track serves and scores on each court.
- Provide snacks, water, and rest time for participants.
- Optional: hold a serving demonstration or technique contest.
- Continue serves and tally scores. Announce live updates to keep excitement high.
- Serve lunch and refreshments. Allow for photos and sponsor shoutouts.
- Participants complete final serves and totals are calculated.
- Announce raffle winners or mini-prizes.
- Celebrate total funds raised and number of serves completed.
- Recognize top fundraisers, teams, and spirit awards.
- Send thank-you messages through FutureFund.
- Share event highlights and total funds raised on social media.
- Invite volunteers to share feedback for next year's event.
- Host a fun reward event, like a pizza or ice-cream party, for the class or team that raised the most funds.
- Post event photos and thank-you messages online to celebrate your community's success.
Join over the 6,500 schools using FutureFund
Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Templates & Resources
Download this ready-to-use PDF for an at-a-glance view of how to organize and run your Serve-A-Thon.
Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Goals & Rules
Treat these as a base and feel free to tailor them to suit your specific event.
Allow 2–4 weeks for students to register and collect pledges before the big day. The Serve-A-Thon itself usually lasts a full day, with several serving rounds.
Teams compete to see who can complete the most accurate serves, or who raises the most in pledges. Tie the number of balls served to fundraising goals to keep motivation high.
Start promotion early so students can gather donations at least two weeks ahead of time.
FutureFund lets each participant share a unique donation link with friends and family for easy online pledging.
Volleyball is a team sport, so set fair rules for group size, rotations, and playing time so everyone participates equally.
On the event day, review safety guidelines, scoring, and fundraising rules with all teams before play begins.
Volleyball Serve-A-Thon Theme Ideas
Each team represents a country and competes for gold, silver, or bronze. Decorate with flags and award medals to top teams.
Encourage teams to coordinate themed outfits: superheroes, movie characters, or matching color schemes.
Match your Serve-A-Thon to a holiday: Halloween monsters, Christmas elves, or Valentine's "Love to Serve" themes.
Assign each team a color and let them go wild with neon, glitter, and creative accessories.
Teams can dress up based on their favorite shows, from action heroes to classic cartoons.
Keep it simple with school colors, banners, and matching headbands. Award points for team pride and enthusiasm.
Frequently Asked Questions About Volleyball Serve-A-Thons
Players form teams and collect pledges for every successful serve. On event day, they compete in timed sessions or set numbers of serves, with scores tracked by volunteers.
A school gym is ideal for small-scale events. For larger tournaments, book a multi-court volleyball facility or community center.
Indoor Serve-A-Thons can happen any time of year. Fall or winter are popular since outdoor events are limited.
Keep teams fair by balancing experience and age. Example rules:
- 6–12 players per team
- At least two players under 12 years old (if mixed ages)
- Equal court time for all players
FutureFund's reporting tab lets you instantly see total pledges, payments received, and participation stats. Go to Store → Reports → Campaign Summary to generate reports.
Yes. Add volunteer roles in your FutureFund portal so parents can sign up in a few clicks when they register their students.
Related A-Thon Guides
Looking for a different activity? Start with the Read-A-Thon, the original a-thon and our most comprehensive guide. You can also explore our other guides: Bike-A-Thon, Bowl-A-Thon, Chess-A-Thon, Dance-A-Thon, Baseball Hit-A-Thon, Basketball Hoop-A-Thon, Jog-A-Thon, Jump-A-Thon, Lift-A-Thon, Math-A-Thon, Move-A-Thon, Sing-A-Thon, Spell-A-Thon, Swim-A-Thon, Walk-A-Thon.
Browse the full library to see every a-thon fundraiser guide.
Join over the 6,500 schools using FutureFund
Darian Shimy is the founder and CEO of FutureFund Technology, a fundraising and selling platform for K-12 school groups. He has 25+ years in web-based technologies, managing engineering teams, and building products.