What is a Color Run and How it can Make your School Fundraiser a Success

Color runs have become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason – they're a creative way to get everyone involved in school fundraising and can add some extra excitement to your event! So what is a color run? Essentially, it’s a fun run with added bursts of color that take your fundraiser to the next level!

In this blog, you’ll learn more about: 

• Why You Should Have a Color Run
• Tips to Make Your Fundraiser a Success
• How Booster Can Help with Your Fundraiser

Read on to learn all the details about this type of fundraiser, why it's so successful and how you can bring colorful fun to your school’s next event! 

What is a Color Run?

Similar to fun runs, students collect pledges ahead of time and then run or walk along a “racetrack” commonly set up at a school’s field or parking lot. They earn funds for each lap they take, collectively working together to reach their school’s fundraising goal.

But what sets this type of fundraiser apart from just a regular fun run is the color stations set up along the course. As the students pass through each color station, teachers and volunteers throw color powder (generally made from corn starch) at them. The result? Flying bursts of color that decorate the course and the students! 

Pro Tip: Make sure you have your students wear white shirts to really show off the colors. You can even order custom shirts ahead of time to really build up the excitement. If you decide to go this route, reach out to local businesses to see if they would like to sponsor your event by purchasing the t-shirts for students in exchange for having their business name displayed on them. 

Overall, a color run is an excellent way to raise funds for your school while also building a sense of community. Students will enjoy being active and spending time with one another while families will love having the opportunity to support them and cheer them on. 

Is a Color Run Right for Your School?

Now that you have the answers to “what is a color run,” you can next determine if this type of fundraiser is a good fit for your school. There are multiple benefits to choosing a color run for your next event. First, it encourages participants to move their bodies, which is a healthy feature for any school activity. 

The added element of color powders will also get your students and families extra excited about your fundraiser, which will motivate them to actively participate. The results? More funds raised! 

Because your students will have a blast and be covered in the fun color powder, color runs create amazing photo opportunities! You can encourage participants to share their photos on social media and create a hashtag for your event to generate buzz (and more donations). 

When considering a color run, you should also take into account any limitations hosting this type of fundraiser might have for your school. As mentioned above, you will need a large area such as a field or parking lot you can use the day of the event. You may also want to consider scheduling an alternative rain date in case the weather is not in your favor. 

Finally, the age of the students that will participate in the event will have an impact on how you plan your event. For elementary age kids, you may want to set the goals lower and make the course shorter, while older students may appreciate more of a challenge. 

Tips to Make Your Color Run a Success 

Color runs are a brilliant choice for many schools and can help you successfully reach your fundraising goals. But they do require a decent amount of planning, volunteers and other resources.

For this reason, many schools opt to use an outside organization such as Booster that can help make their fundraiser a success. With Booster, you have the option to choose from a basic DIY package all the way up to full service where the organization plans and executes your entire fundraiser. 

To help make your decision, start by getting a general estimate of how many volunteers you need and how many you actually have. Parents, staff and community members are all great options to ask to help with your event. Then you can use Booster to fill in your needs!

Getting the word out about your event and collecting as many pledges as possible is the key to your success. One way to streamline this process and save time is by using an online fundraising platform such as MyBooster. This can allow your families to take all their efforts online and share personal pledge pages with friends and family via text, email and social media. Donations are also collected online so pledges can come from anywhere in the world!

Traditional marketing strategies such as lawn signs, banners at pick up/drop off lines and posters are also extremely effective. Keep your community engaged! 

And of course, any successful fundraiser should be fun for students and their families! Try holding contests and awarding prizes for achievements throughout your fundraiser to keep the momentum high. 

On event day, small additions can really bring up the energy. Make a playlist ahead of time and blast some inspirational music while students are racing, reward students with snacks and drinks, or set up a photo booth area to capture the moment. You can also raise additional funds by hosting a bake sale or spirit wear sale for students and spectators. Get creative!

So next time someone asks you, “what is a color run?” You’ve got the answer! It’s a great fundraiser your school can try out for its next event! There are many ways to design this type of fundraiser to fit your school’s needs, but the concept is simple. A color run is a super fun and creative way to get students active and raise money for your school!

For a free consultation with a fundraising expert, visit https://www.choosebooster.com/events/get-started and fill out the form today!