How to Run a Sing-a-Thon Fundraiser

Sing-a-thons are out-of-the-box fundraisers that are engaging and effective. Participants have fun and help fundraise for their school, extra-curricular program, or club.

This page outlines the A-Z of sing-a-thons, including planning, tracking donations, and tips for organizing and promoting the fundraiser.

student and teacher participating in a sing-a-thon fundraiser

Sing-a-Thon Guide

Table of Contents

students and teachers participating in a sing-a-thon fundraiser

Sing-a-Thon 101

A quick introduction to what a sing-a-thon is and how it works.

what is a read-a-thon

What is an "A-Thon" & How Does it Work?

An “a-thon” can be a powerful fundraising tool (and a lot of fun, too!)

what do you need to run a read-a-thon?

What Do You Need to Run a Sing-A-Thon?

Learn what it takes to run a successful sing-a-thon.

using a read-a-thon to fundraise

Using a Sing-a-Thon to Fundraise

How to raise money with sing-a-thons.

read-a-thon tools and resources

Sing-a-Thon Templates, Tools, & Resources

See how FutureFund makes managing sing-a-thon pledges effortless.

read-a-thon theme ideas

Sing-a-Thon Theme Ideas

Feel inspired with our sing-a-thon theme examples.

students and teachers planning a sing-a-thon fundraiser

Start Your Sing-a-Thon With FutureFund

Our integrated pledge campaign fundraising tool allows you to collect donations (via cash, debit, or credit) and easily manage fundraising progress. Get started for free.

Sing-a-Thon 101: A Quick Guide

What is a Sing-a-Thon?

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.

Sing-a-Thon FAQ

How does a sing-a-thon work?

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.

How long does a sing-a-thon last?

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

When should you hold a sing-a-thon?

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.

What do you need for a sing-a-thon?

Sing-a-thons require a bit of event coordination. You’ll want to look into the following at least a few months in advance:

    1. An event venue (your school gym can work for this)
    2. Sound system
    3. Decorations

Are sing-a-thons good fundraisers?

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.

What is an "A Thon"?

what is a read-a-thon?

A Thon's Are Fun & Effective Event-Based Fundraisers

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.

What Do You Need to Run a Sing-a-Thon?

Community raising money for school

Use FutureFund to Power It

FutureFund’s built-in pledge campaigns allow you to easily collect money and keep donations organized. Since parents cover payment processing fees, 100% of the funds raised go to your school!

Easy for Everyone

Any good fundraiser needs to be easy to plan, participate in, and most importantly, get donations. FutureFund makes planning and running a sing-a-thon as easy as possible.

Donate Online

Instead of dealing with paper pledge forms and cash and cheques, take the process online. Donors can donate instantly online with their credit or debit cards.

All-in-One

Always know how the fundraiser is going. Easily view how much money has been raised and more with detailed reporting.

Using a Sing-a-Thon for Fundraising

Managing & Organizing Pledges

Each student will sign up as a participant in the fundraiser. Then, they can collect pledges individually by credit or debit card. These pledges will be recorded in FutureFund and will count towards the student’s total and the grand total for the fundraiser.

Paperwork & Donor Payment Management

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.

Using FutureFund to Accept Online Donations

Donors don’t need to have cash or a checkbook handy to donate. They can easily donate through an emailable donation link and pay by credit or debit card. Any cash donations can also be noted in the system to be collected later.

using future fund for fundraising
goals and rules

Sing-a-Thon Goals & Rules

Length of Time

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.

Singing Goal

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.

Other Considerations

Sing-a-thons draw a crowd, which makes it a great opportunity for sponsors. In exchange for advertising and recognition, ask sponsors for donations in the form of money or supplies.

If you’re looking for a virtual fundraiser, sing-a-thons can easily be held online through a video call. Alternatively, you don’t need to host an event at all, and participants can simply track their singing time at home.

Recommended Starting Rules

Follow these steps for a successful sing-a-thon:

    1. Before you start telling students about the sing-a-thon, you should decide the following:
        • Date(s) of the sing-a-thon
        • Duration of the sing-a-thon
        • The song list and theme (if you have one)
    2. Start telling students about the sing-a-thon at least 1 month before it starts, especially if the event is on the weekend.
    3. Students should be signed up in your fundraising system and gathering donations at least 7 days before the fundraiser starts.
    4. On the day the fundraiser starts, be sure to re-explain the rules and encourage students to continue fundraising.

Sing-a-Thon Templates & Resources

read a thon templates
sample read-a-thon rules

Sample Sing-a-Thon Rules

These rules are a great starting point for organizing your sing-a-thon.

sample read-a-thon description

Sample Sing-a-Thon Event Description

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

online pledges w/ futurefund

Set Up Online Pledges With FutureFund

Let parents and supporters donate online with FutureFund’s online pledges. Try it out for free!

Sing-a-Thon Theme Ideas

Holiday

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.

Blast from the Past

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.

Classical

They call classical music classical for a reason. You can’t go wrong with classic songs by composers like Mozart and Beethoven.

Around the World

Take a trip around the world without leaving home. Choose songs from around the world and take guests on a musical journey.

Silly Songs

This theme lets you have fun with your sing-a-thon fundraiser. Choose funny, goofy songs to entertain both your singers and your guests.

Genre Specific

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.

Find Other Fundraiser
Ideas & Guides

How to Run a Jump-a-Thon Fundraiser

How to Run a Jump-a-Thon Fundraiser

Jump-a-Thon fundraisers are great ways to raise money while also being active. See how a jump-a-thon works & what you’ll need to run one in our in-depth guide.

How to Run a Spell-a-Thon Fundraiser

How to Run a Spell-a-Thon Fundraiser

Spell-a-Thon fundraisers are great ways to raise money while also practicing academics. See how a spell-a-thon works & what you’ll need to run one here.

How to Run a Math-a-Thon Fundraiser

How to Run a Math-a-Thon Fundraiser

Math-a-Thon fundraisers are great ways to raise money while also practicing academics. See how a math-a-thon works & what you’ll need to run one in our guide.