How to Run a Swim-a-Thon Fundraiser
- Choose the date of your Swim-A-Thon three months before the event. Swim-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 plan the route, secure any necessary permits, and purchase insurance if necessary.
Use these templates to keep your Swim-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 Swim-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 all aspects of the swim-a-thon, including planning, execution, and coordination on the day of the event.
- Registration Team: Manages participant sign-ups, handles check-ins on the day of the event, and distributes information and swim materials.
- Safety and Lifeguard Team: Ensures the safety of all swimmers, monitors the pool area, and provides immediate assistance if needed.
- Lane Counters: Keeps track of the number of laps completed by each swimmer.
- Start/Finish Line Officials: Manages the start and finish of the swim, ensuring fair play and accurate timing.
- First Aid Volunteers: Provide basic first aid and coordinate with emergency services for any medical emergencies.
- Photographer/Videographer: Captures moments from the event for future promotion or as keepsakes for participants.
- Setup and Cleanup Crew: Responsible for setting up the event area before the swim-a-thon and cleaning up afterward.
- Swim Coaches or Instructors: Provide tips and encouragement to swimmers, especially younger or less experienced ones.
- Incentives motivate students to register for your Swim-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 Swim-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 Swim-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 Swim-A-Thon!
Hello Students,
Make a splash with our exciting Swim-A-Thon! This event is more than just swimming laps; it's a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate your swimming prowess, support our school, and enjoy a day full of aquatic fun and community spirit.
Why join the Swim-A-Thon?
- Take on a healthy and enjoyable swimming challenge.
- Help raise funds for [insert cause or school project].
- Earn awards and recognition for your swimming and fundraising achievements.
How to Sign Up:
Joining is a breeze! Simply click this link [insert FutureFund link], complete the registration steps, and you're ready to make waves. You'll also get a link to share with friends and family for pledges based on the number of laps you swim.
Whether you're a seasoned swimmer or just love the water, this event is for everyone. Let's swim together for a fantastic cause!
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 Makes Waves - [School Name] Swim-A-Thon Update!
We deeply appreciate your support for our Swim-A-Thon! Your contribution is propelling our efforts to provide an unforgettable experience for our students and achieve our fundraising goals for [insert specific goal or cause].
Current Update:
- enthusiastic swimmers are ready to dive in!
- We have reached [percentage] of our fundraising goal.
There's still time to back our young swimmers through FutureFund at [insert link]. Your generosity is a key part of our success and is greatly valued 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: Last Lap to Go! Final Day Before [School Name]'s Swim-A-Thon!
Hello [Name of School] Students & Families!
The big day is just around the corner! Our Swim-A-Thon is only a day away, and the excitement is at its peak. Our students are ready to swim their way to achievement and fun.
Here's what you need to know:
- Last day to secure pledges! Urge your friends and family to support you via FutureFund at [insert link].
- Join us at [Location] on [Date]. Don't miss the start at [Time] and be sure to cheer for our swimmers as they complete their laps!
Let's make the final day a swimming success. Your encouragement is invaluable to our students and helps make a significant impact on 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!
Here are some Canva templates to help you spread awareness for your Swim-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 Swim-A-Thon Template for Instagram Story
- Canva Swim-A-Thon Template for Instagram Post
- Canva Swim-A-Thon Template for Printable Poster
Example caption: Support [insert school name]'s Swim-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 Swim-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 Swim-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:
- 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Setup and Volunteer Arrival: Volunteers arrive to set up the pool area, registration desk, refreshment stations, first aid station, and any sponsor booths.
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Participant Check-In and Warm-Up: Swimmers arrive, check in, and start warming up in the pool.
- 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM: Opening Ceremony: A brief welcome speech by the event coordinator, safety briefing, and explanation of rules.
- 9:30 AM: Swim-A-Thon Start: The swim-a-thon officially begins. Swimmers start in waves based on age group or skill level.
- 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Swim-A-Thon Main Event: Swimmers complete their laps. Lane counters track the number of laps each swimmer completes.
- 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM: Family Activities: For non-swimming attendees, organize family-friendly activities near the pool, such as games, a mini fair, or face painting.
- 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: Lunch and Entertainment: Participants and spectators take a break for lunch. This time can also include entertainment like music or guest speakers.
- 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Continued Swimming: Swimmers resume or complete their laps. This session can include fun relay races or team events.
- 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Final Laps and Cool Down: The last opportunity for swimmers to complete their laps. Participants start to cool down and leave the pool.
- 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Awards Ceremony: Awards and recognition for various achievements such as most laps swum, highest fundraiser, best team spirit, etc.
- 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Closing Remarks and Departure: Thank you speech by the event coordinator, announcement of total funds raised, and official end of the event.
- 5:00 PM onwards: Cleanup: Volunteers and staff clean up the venue, dismantle any temporary setups, and ensure the area is left tidy.
- The Day After the Event: Send an update via FutureFund thanking all participants, donors, and volunteers.
- One Week After the Event: Host a celebration for the winning class or grade (pizza party or ice cream social).
A swim-a-thon is a straightforward type of a-thon. It works similarly to any running fundraising event, except you're swimming instead of running.
For PTAs, they're simple organize, since all you need is a pool or body of water. For participants, they're a bit more original than standard walk-a-thons or jog-a-thons.
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 Swim-A-Thon is the length of the event. Consider how accessible you want the event to be.
Typically, the shorter the distance, the more people who will be able to participate. You can make your Swim-A-Thon anywhere from 25 yards to 250 yards, which is 1 to 10 pool laps in most community pools.
Students will swim laps based on how much money they collect in pledges. A good rule of thumb is to have students pledge to complete one lap for every $50 raised-but adjust this based on the fitness level of your students.
Swim-A-Thons are appropriate for students of all ages-but bear in mind that younger students will probably lack the stamina of more developed athletes. We recommend shorter Swim-A-Thons for younger classes or grades.
If you want the Swim-A-Thon to be open to more people, you can also allow participants to use swim aids. This can include things like floaties, flippers, and flutter boards.
Start telling students about the Swim-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.
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.
Like other types of a-thon fundraisers, swim-a-thons use a peer-to-peer fundraising model. Participants sign up for the swim-a-thon and ask their friends, family, and coworkers (or their parents' coworkers) for support through donations.
Each swimmer participates in the swim-a-thon in exchange for the donations. The swim-a-thon itself is a set amount of swimming, either laps in a pool or a set distance in a body of water.
Swim-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 distance longer.
Swim-a-thons work for any time of year. In the colder months, you can hold them inside at a local pool. In the warmer months, you can hold them outside at a lake, pond, or ocean.
Swim-a-thons require that participants be strong swimmers. That said, you can customize the distance and make it as easy or as hard as you like.To make the tournament as fair as possible, you should create some general rules for teams. Some factors to consider include:
- Number of players
- Age
- Gender
For example, if the teams are open to all ages, you should make sure every team has a similar amount of children. So you can make a rule saying each team needs at least 2 players age 12 or under.
Swim-a-thons make great fundraisers. They're relatively easy to plan while being an original fundraiser idea.
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 Swim-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.
You can't go wrong with a sea animals theme for a swim-a-thon. Participants can dress up as their favorite aquatic animals like fish, dolphins, or sharks.
For a fantasy theme, participants can dress up as fantasy sea creatures. Mermaids, Poseidon, The Kraken, and more.
You can do a swim-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 swim for Halloween.
Swimming is one of the most popular events in the summer Olympics. For this theme, swimmers can dress up as Olympians and represent their country.
For this theme, anything goes! Get participants to add the wackiest, tackiest, and craziest accessories to their swimsuits.