Read-a-thon
Children log reading time over two to four weeks and family and friends sponsor them.
Typically raises
$3,000
$500–15,000 per campaignest.
About $171 per organiser hour
Based on one school over 2-4 weeks
Is it right for us?
- Money
- $2,000–10,000
- Work
- A few evenings
- Helpers
- 3–6 people
- Lead time
- 1–2 months
- Red tape
- None
Fairly common: a familiar school sponsored event
- People
- 2-5
- Organiser time
- 10-25 (estimate)
- Lead time
- 3-5 weeks
- Up-front cost
- $0–$200. Reading logs; online platform fees come out of funds.
- Risk
- Very low.
How it works
The money, as an example sum
Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result for one school over 2-4 weeks is about $3,000 per campaign.
From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.
Where the money figure comes from
Overseas data only: Zeffy reports 172 read-a-thons since 2024 with a median of about $500 (currency not NZD). NZ provider Go Raise It offers read-a-thons but publishes no averages. Figures are estimates.
Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.
Step by step
- Set the period and target.
- Open online pages or paper sponsor forms.
- Send reading logs home.
- Post weekly class progress.
- Celebrate at assembly.
- Collect pledges in a fixed window.
Getting the word out
Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.
- Ask for help
- Participants to collect sponsors from family, friends and workmates.
- Ask people to buy
- Sponsors to pledge, then pay up after the event.
- When to start
- Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 3–4 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.
Where to put it
- School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
- Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.
- Facebook events and what’s-on listingsMake a Facebook event people can say they’re going to, and list it on your council’s or town’s what’s-on page.
- Community newsletters and magazinesResidents’ newsletters, village magazines and other churches’ bulletins often run community notices free. Small ones close early.
- Other groups sharing itAsk the school, kindy, church, sports club or marae down the road to share it in their newsletter or page. Offer to share theirs back.
The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.
What you’ll need
- Place
- Not neededNone needed
- Landowner’s permission
- Not needed
- Council permit
- Not needed
- Food rules
- Not neededNo food sold
- Alcohol
- Not neededNo alcohol sold
- Gambling rules
- Not neededNot gambling
Online sponsorship pages take a fee (Givealittle 5% plus card fee; commercial school platforms more).
Make more from it
Second-hand book sale at the finish
often $200-800 (estimate)
families already in a reading frame of mind
Business matches donations for a set window
can double gifts up to the cap
donors give more when each dollar counts twice
Stack it: on its own, about $3,000. With the add-on above, roughly
$3,500est.
What you can get donated
Books for prizes from a local bookshop.
Tips
- Flat sponsorship beats per-minute pledges for collection.
Watch out for
- Pressure on families who cannot give.
Read-a-thon: checklist
0 of 9 done
Before
While it runs
After
Online sponsorship pages take a fee (Givealittle 5% plus card fee; commercial school platforms more).
Also pairs with: Book fair, Class competition
Sources
* General fundraising information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Money figures are examples and estimates, not promises. Check current official requirements before you commit. About this guide