How to Run a Sing-a-Thon Fundraiser
- Choose the date of your Sing-A-Thon three months before the event. Sing-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 make sure the school auditorium is available, get insurance if necessary, and arrange custodial services.
Use these templates to keep your Sing-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 Sing-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: Manages overall event planning, coordination, and execution.
- Stage Manager: Oversees stage setup, sound checks, and performance schedule.
- Talent Coordinator: Manages participant registration, organizes the lineup, and coordinates rehearsals.
- Sound Engineers/Technicians: Manages audio equipment, ensures high-quality sound for performances, and assists performers with microphones and other audio needs.
- Lighting Technician: Manages stage lighting to enhance performances and create the desired atmosphere.
- Registration and Check-in Volunteers: Manage the check-in desk and assist participants and donors with registration and information.
- Audience Coordinators: Manages audience seating, ensures safety and comfort, and assists with crowd control.
- First Aid Volunteers: Provide basic first aid and handle any medical situations or emergencies.
- Photographer/Videographer: Captures photos and videos of the event for promotion and as keepsakes for participants.
- Cleanup Crew: Responsible for post-event cleanup, ensuring the venue is left tidy and all equipment is stored properly.
- Incentives motivate students to register for your Sing-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 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.
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 Sing-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.
- Send out an announcement of your Sing-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: Dive into Fun at [School Name]'s Annual Sing-a-Thon!
Hello Students,
Get ready to showcase your vocal talents at our upcoming Sing-A-Thon! This event isn't just about singing; it's an opportunity to express yourself, support our school, and enjoy a day filled with music and joy.
Why join the Sing-A-Thon?
- Perform your favorite songs on stage.
- Help raise funds for [insert cause or school project].
- Win exciting prizes and gain recognition for your singing talents.
How to Sign Up:
Joining is simple and fun! Click on this link [insert FutureFund link], follow the easy registration steps, and start warming up your vocal cords. You'll also get a link to share with friends and family for pledges based on your performance.
Whether you're a budding singer or just love music, this event is for everyone. Let's make some beautiful melodies 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!
Subject: Your Support Strikes a Chord - [School Name] Sing-A-Thon Update!
Thank you for supporting our Sing-A-Thon! Your contributions are key to providing an unforgettable experience for our students and reaching our fundraising goals for [insert specific goal or cause].
Current Update:
- talented singers are ready to take the stage!
- We've reached [percentage] of our fundraising target.
It's not too late to support our performers through FutureFund at [insert link]. Your generosity is crucial to our success and is deeply appreciated by our entire 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] Sing-A-Thon!
Hello [Name of School] Students & Families!
The curtain is about to rise! Our Sing-A-Thon is just a day away, and the excitement is palpable. Our students are ready to charm you with their voices and performances.
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 at [Location] on [Date]. The show starts at [Time], so come early to grab a good seat and cheer for our singers!
Your support and encouragement are vital to our students and help make a significant impact on our school community. Let’s sing our hearts out!
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 Sing-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 Sing-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story
- Canva Sing-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post
- Canva Sing-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster
Example caption: Support [insert school name]'s Sing-A-Thon from [insert date]. Help our school community raise money for [insert cause] by registering to sing!
Ask local businesses to sponsor the Sing-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 Sing-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 successful. Here's a sample event schedule:
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Setup and Volunteer Arrival: Volunteers arrive and set up the stage, sound system, audience seating, and any additional stations (like refreshments, registration desk).
- 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Participant Check-In and Sound Checks: Singers arrive, check in, and perform sound checks on stage in a scheduled order.
- 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Opening Ceremony: A welcome speech by the event coordinator, introduction of judges or special guests, and an overview of the day's events.
- 10:30 AM: Sing-A-Thon Kick-Off: The first group of singers begins their performances. The order can be predetermined or drawn randomly.
- 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: Lunch Break: A break for lunch with food available for purchase. This can also be a time for guest performances or interactive activities for the audience.
- 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Continued Performances: Singing performances resume. This can include solo performances, duets, and group numbers.
- 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Special Guest Performance: A special performance by a guest artist or a local celebrity, providing a break for the participants.
- 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM: Final Performances: The last set of participants take the stage.
- 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM: Judges Deliberation and Audience Vote: If there's a competitive element, judges deliberate, and audience votes are tallied.
- 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Awards Ceremony: Announcement of winners, distribution of prizes for various categories like best solo, best group, audience favorite, etc.
- 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM: Closing Remarks and Departure: Thank you speech by the event coordinator, final fundraising tally announcement, and the official end of the event.
- 7:00 PM onwards: Cleanup: Volunteers and staff begin cleaning up the venue, dismantling the stage and sound equipment, and ensuring the area is left tidy.
- One Day After Event: Send a thank-you email to all participants, donors, and volunteers.
- One Week After Event: Hold a celebration for the winning class or grade (ice cream social or pizza party).
Sing-a-thons are unique, but they follow the same basic format as other a-thons, like read-a-thons or dance-a-thons. Participants sing for a certain amount of time and gather donations in the form of pledges.
You can build a sing-a-thon into a school concert and turn it into a fundraising opportunity. Because the money is going back to the school, most people are happy to support it.
Treat these as a base and feel free to tailor these to suit your specific event.
Sing-a-thons can follow a few different formats: a one-time event, multiple singing sessions, or virtually/at-home. Most sing-a-thons are held as one-time events, similar to any concert.
As a one-time event, the sing-a-thon should last between 2 and 4 hours. If you're doing your event in multiple sessions or at home, then the event can be anywhere from 4 to 10 hours.
The goal will be largely dependent on the length of your sing-a-thon. A one-time event should have a shorter time goal than multiple sessions or an at-home event, for example.
Typically, singers should set a goal of singing at least 1 hour per session. For one-time events, participants should try and sing for at least 2-3 hours.
Sing-A-Thons are appropriate for all ages-but you'll probably want to choose songs for younger students and let older students choose their own (as long as they're appropriate for schools).
Start telling students about the Sing-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.
If your Sing-A-Thon takes place over multiple days, take an opportunity halfway through to remind students how many days they have left to participate.
A sing-a-thon is a type of peer-to-peer fundraiser. In exchange for their time singing, people pledge donations to the singers. Donors can be family, friends, and coworkers (or parents' coworkers).
The exact rules for your sing-a-thon are totally up to you, so you can customize the event to fit your school. Sing-a-thons can be done as one continuous event, split into sessions, or at-home.
Most sing-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
Sing-a-thons can be held any time of year. However, since sing-a-thons are usually held inside, they're a great winter fundraiser. That way, you can save the summer months for fundraisers that can only be held outside.
Sing-a-thons require a bit of event coordination. You'll want to look into the following at least a few months in advance:
- An event venue (your school gym can work for this)
- Sound system
- Decorations
Sing-A-Thons are great fundraisers, especially if your school has a music program, choir, or musically-talented students. If your students are passionate about singing, this is an excellent way for them to show off their skills and raise money doing it.
You can also gather donations through ticket sales and pledges, increasing the fundraising potential.
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 Sing-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.
A holiday or Christmas concert is a classic theme, and it works great for sing-a-thons. Incorporate Christmas carols and songs for other holidays like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
This historical theme allows you to incorporate songs from any era. You can even take guests through the decades with songs from the past to the present.
Take a trip around the world without leaving home. Choose songs from around the world and take guests on a musical journey.
This theme lets you have fun with your sing-a-thon fundraiser. Choose funny, goofy songs to entertain both your singers and your guests.
You can pick almost any music genre for your sing-a-thon: county, pop, hip hop, and more. Just make sure you can find clean versions of the songs you choose.