# How to Plan a School Fun Run Fundraiser: A Simple Guide for PTAs > A plain guide for PTAs, teachers and booster clubs: get approval, pick how you raise money, count laps, keep kids safe and show families where every dollar goes. - **Author:** Kelby Dover, Founder, Run This - **Published:** 2026-10-28 - **Category:** Race Directors - **Topics:** school fun run, fundraiser, PTA, race planning - **Reading time:** 8 min - **Article:** https://runthis.run/articles/how-to-plan-a-school-fun-run-fundraiser To plan a school fun run fundraiser, get the principal's OK and a date first, then choose how you will raise money: an entry fee, flat donations, or pledges per lap. Most first-time groups do best with free or low-cost entry plus flat donations, because nobody has to chase pledges after the run. Hold it on the school field or track, give parent volunteers clear jobs (lap counting, water, first aid), and tell families exactly how much of each dollar reaches the school. A fun run is one of the easiest fundraisers to explain. Kids run or walk, and family and friends give. It also gets kids moving. The CDC recommends that children ages 6 to 17 get ["60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily."](https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-education/guidelines/) ### Who needs to approve a school fun run? Start with the principal. Bring a one-page plan: the date, where kids will run, about how many students, your goal and what the money will buy. Then ask what else is needed: - **The district.** Many districts have a facilities form or rules for events on school grounds. Ask the front office. - **Your PTA, PTO or booster board.** Vote on the event and its budget, the same as any fundraiser. - **Insurance.** National PTA tells local leaders to ["ask them to review your policy with you, to ensure your event is covered."](https://www.pta.org/local-leader-kit/fundraising/strategies/events) Call your group's insurer or your state PTA before you announce the date. - **The city.** You usually only need a city permit if the run leaves school grounds for public streets or a park. ### How should we raise the money? There are three common ways. Each has a tradeoff. - **An entry fee.** Simple and predictable. A high fee can keep some families out, so keep it low. - **Flat donations.** Families share a link and supporters give a set amount up front. The money is already in when the run ends. This is the simplest setup to run. - **Pledges per lap.** Exciting for kids ("Grandma gives $1 a lap!"), but you only know the total after the run, and someone has to collect every pledge. If you use pledges, ask supporters to set a cap. Many schools mix them: free entry for every student, plus a fundraising link for each child. One rule from National PTA is worth following whichever way you choose: ["Adults should raise PTA funds."](https://www.pta.org/local-leader-kit/fundraising/mission-driven-fundraising) Parents do the asking and the sharing. Kids never go door to door or ask strangers. **On Run This:** free races are free to put on. Turn on runner fundraising and every registrant gets their own fundraising link. A parent who registers their kids sees a link for each child, and can add a goal and a short note about why that child is running. Supporters give flat amounts on your Donate page with no account needed, and each donor gets an emailed receipt. See [setting up a fundraiser](https://runthis.run/help/directors/fundraisers). ### Should it be during the school day or on a weekend? Both work. Pick based on who you want there. - **During the school day.** Every student takes part, teachers help supervise, and you can fit it into PE or recess. Keep it short, about 30 to 45 minutes per group. - **On a weekend.** Parents, siblings and grandparents can run too. It feels like a community event, but you need more volunteers and a plan for parking. Some schools do both: a school-day lap run for students and a weekend family 5K. ### Laps on the field or a 5K in the neighborhood? **Laps on a field or track** are the easiest choice for elementary schools. There are no streets to cross, every runner stays in sight, and nobody gets lost. Set a time limit (for example, 30 minutes) instead of a distance, so every child finishes at the same moment and slower runners never feel left behind. **A 5K** suits middle schools, high schools and family events. You will need a measured course, and a permit if it uses public streets or a park. Our guide to [organizing a 5K fun run](https://runthis.run/articles/how-to-organize-a-5k-fun-run) covers the course, permits and race day. **On Run This:** if you hold a timed 5K, volunteers can time it from their phones with the free Run This Stopwatch, and the times go straight into your race results. See [timing and the Stopwatch](https://runthis.run/help/directors/timing-and-stopwatch). ### How do we count laps? Keep it simple and give each counter a small group, such as one class. - **Tally cards.** Each child carries a card, and a volunteer marks it every lap. - **Rubber bands or bracelets.** Hand one out each lap, then count them at the end. - **Class clipboards.** One volunteer per class keeps a sheet of names and tally marks. Decide before race day whether walking laps count (they should) and what happens to a lost card. ### What volunteers do we need? Give every volunteer one clear job. Common roles: - Lap counters (one per class or group) - A water table - First aid (ask the school nurse to be there or on call) - Start and finish - Check-in, if families register ahead - Music and cheering, which matter more than you think ### How do we keep kids safe? - **Water and shade.** The American Academy of Pediatrics says ["regular water and snack breaks"](https://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/sports-injuries/Pages/Exercise-Related-Heat-Illness.aspx) help prevent dehydration. Set up shade near the water table, and run in the morning when it is cooler. - **Heat.** Have a hot-day plan: a shorter run, more breaks, a later date or moving indoors. - **Food allergies.** The CDC says [about 1 in 13 children](https://www.cdc.gov/school-health-conditions/food-allergies/index.html) have food allergies, or about 2 per classroom. Choose non-food prizes and check with the nurse before handing out snacks. - **Pickup.** Agree on how kids leave a weekend event with their own adult. ### Should classes compete? A little friendly competition helps. Try a goal for each class, with prizes that cost little and need no food: extra recess, a dance party, or the principal wearing a silly costume for a day. **On Run This:** turn on [Circles](https://runthis.run/help/directors/circles), create one for each class ahead of time, and turn on circle fundraising. Each circle gets its own donate link, and gifts through it count toward that class and your school's total. Circle members are listed by name on your race page, so check your school's rules on sharing student names first. Runner fundraising also shows a public Top fundraisers list on your Donate page. If you would rather not show children's names there, uncheck "Show Top fundraisers on the Donate page" on your Fundraiser card. ### How do we tell families where the money goes? National PTA advises telling your school community [clearly how funds are raised and spent](https://www.pta.org/local-leader-kit/fundraising/mission-driven-fundraising). In practice: - **Before the run:** name the goal and what it buys. "Shade for the playground" beats "school improvements." - **After the run:** share the total raised, what the event cost and what reached the school. - **If an outside company helps run it:** ask in writing what share of each dollar the school keeps. **On Run This:** donations cost about 4% + 50¢, processing included, and donors can choose to cover that fee so the school receives every cent. Money pays out to your group's bank account, and Run This never holds it. You can download a donor list for thank-you notes. See [pricing](https://runthis.run/pricing). ### What does a timeline look like? - **8 weeks out:** principal and district approval, a date, a goal, insurance. - **6 weeks out:** open registration and giving, recruit volunteers, ask local businesses about sponsoring. - **4 weeks out:** order shirts or prizes (printing can take a few weeks). - **2 weeks out:** send a reminder with the date, what to wear and how to give. - **Race week:** confirm volunteers, mark the course, print tally cards. - **After:** thank everyone and share the final total within a few days. **On Run This:** add a custom registration question such as "Teacher or grade?" so you can sort kids by class. You can make your race public, or share it only with the families you send the link to. ### Are donations tax-deductible? It depends on your group. Only gifts to a qualified tax-exempt organization can be deducted, and you can check yours with the [IRS search tool](https://www.irs.gov/teos). Ask your treasurer how receipts are handled before you tell families a gift is deductible. Entry fees are usually not fully deductible, because the runner gets something back. This is not tax advice. Our [charity 5K guide](https://runthis.run/articles/how-to-organize-a-charity-5k-fundraiser) explains more. ### Frequently asked questions ### Do kids need their own accounts? No. On Run This, a parent adds each child as a dependent and registers the whole family in one checkout. Each child gets their own ticket, and their own fundraising link when runner fundraising is on. See [registering](https://runthis.run/help/athletes/registering). ### Can grandparents give without registering? Yes. Anyone can give on your Donate page with just a name and email. Donors can show as Anonymous or hide their amount. ### What if it rains? Pick a rain date when you set the date, or plan a shorter version in the gym. ### Do we need a timing company? Not for laps. For a timed 5K, volunteers can use the free Run This Stopwatch. For a full step-by-step plan, see [how to start a race](https://runthis.run/start-a-race). --- Source: [https://runthis.run/articles/how-to-plan-a-school-fun-run-fundraiser](https://runthis.run/articles/how-to-plan-a-school-fun-run-fundraiser) — data from Run This (runthis.run).