Spellathon or mathathon (sponsored spelling or maths test)
Each child learns a levelled spelling list or set of maths facts over about four weeks, then sits a test; family and friends sponsor per correct answer or give a flat amount.
Typically raises
$10,000
$4,000–35,000 per campaignest.
About $500 per organiser hour
Based on one primary school over about four weeks
Is it right for us?
- Money
- $10,000–50,000
- Work
- Weeks, part-time
- Helpers
- 3–6 people
- Lead time
- 1–2 months
- Red tape
- None
Fairly common: a familiar school sponsored event
- People
- 3-6: an organiser, teachers to set and mark lists, 2 volunteers to count money (estimate)
- Organiser time
- 15-25 hours incl. word lists, sponsor forms, prizes, collection and banking (estimate)
- Lead time
- 6-8 weeks: lists out about 4-5 weeks before test day (Trentham School; Wairakei School)
- Up-front cost
- $100. Printing sponsor forms and lists plus small incentive prizes; class pizza prizes can be donated (estimate).
- Risk
- Low: no stock, but pledges per word can go uncollected.
How it works
The money, as an example sum
Take about $10,100, pay about $100 of costs, and you keep about $10,000 per campaign: the typical result for one primary school over about four weeks.
From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.
Where the money figure comes from
Trentham School raised $6,600 from a mathathon (Trentham School, via search results); Matipo School children 'brought in over $19000' from a 2019 mathathon (Matipo School); a Kahurangi School newsletter reported $35,445.96, its biggest spellathon (Kahurangi School newsletter, Nov 2025, seen in search results only). Typical $10,000 is an estimate for a 300-400 roll.
Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.
Step by step
- Choose spelling (literacy focus) or maths facts (numeracy focus); alternate years keeps it fresh and distinct from the read-a-thon.
- Teachers set a levelled list per child or class (e.g. 20-40 words or basic facts) so every child can do well.
- Send home the list and a sponsor form: 'per correct answer' or 'flat amount', with a suggested cap.
- Give 4 weeks to learn the words and gather sponsors (Trentham School).
- Hold the test in class on a set day; teachers mark and write the score on the form.
- Allow about 2 weeks to collect money (Maunu School set the challenge on 10 Sept with money due 24 Sept).
- Offer an online page per class for overseas family.
- Count in pairs, record by class, bank, and announce class totals.
- Reward top classes and say exactly what the money bought (iPads, maths equipment, book room).
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
- 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.
- Free notices in local papersMany local papers print some community notices free: ask what they offer. Not every town still has one, so check what comes to your letterbox, and book early.
- Writing a press releaseA one-page story the paper can use: what’s happening, why, a quote and a photo. Coverage is up to them, not you.
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
- NeededYour own grounds or hall
- 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
Sponsorship is voluntary. A prize draw only for children over a fundraising threshold should stay within class 1 limits or be a reward instead.
Make more from it
up to double the sponsorship (estimate)
a clear total makes an easy matching ask
reaches overseas family (estimate)
grandparents abroad cannot fill in a paper form
What you can get donated
Prizes for top classes and top individual fundraisers (Matipo gave class pizza lunches and a draw for children over $100 (Matipo School)).
Tips
- Name the purchase up front: Matipo listed maths manipulatives, classroom equipment and Mathletics subscriptions (Matipo School).
- Class prizes (pizza lunch) drive collection better than individual pressure (Matipo School).
- Suggest sponsors cap their per-word pledge so a strong speller does not create an awkward bill (estimate).
Watch out for
- Running it in the same term as a read-a-thon or fun run fatigues the same sponsors.
- Online pages alone can underperform; Trentham's 2020 Givealittle page showed $40 against a $17,000 goal, as most money came in on paper (Givealittle).
- Children whose families cannot sponsor feel left out; let the whole class share a class total (estimate).
Spellathon or mathathon (sponsored spelling or maths test): checklist
0 of 11 done
Before
While it runs
After
Sponsorship is voluntary. A prize draw only for children over a fundraising threshold should stay within class 1 limits or be a reward instead.
* 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