Athon fundraisers have long been a favorite for schools, sports teams, and community groups. They’re engaging, goal oriented, and incredibly effective. But what makes them even more powerful is combining them with peer-to-peer fundraising.
With Cheddar Up’s peer-to-peer fundraising tools, you can run an athon where each participant gets their own page to collect pledges based on activity or effort. It takes the pressure off organizers and makes giving simple for everyone.
Here is how to set up an athon on a fundraising platform that feels modern, manageable, and built to scale.
What Is a Peer-to-Peer Athon Fundraiser?
An athon fundraiser is an activity-based campaign where participants commit to doing something measurable, like reading books, walking laps, or completing challenges. Donors support these efforts through either flat donations or per-unit pledges, tied directly to the participant’s progress.
In a peer-to-peer format, each participant creates their own fundraising page. This turns every individual into a mini-fundraiser with their own audience, goal, and story to tell. It spreads your campaign’s reach and adds a personal connection that drives donations.
Common Athon Ideas
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Readathons
where participants log the number of books or minutes read.
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Walkathons
that count steps or laps.
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Shootathons
for basketball or hockey teams.
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Danceathons
for hours of participation.
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Serviceathons
tied to acts of kindness or volunteer hours.
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Swimathons
for the number of laps swum.
This format is flexible. You can customize it to fit your community’s interests and age range, and structure it as competitive, collaborative, or purely celebratory.
Why Cheddar Up Works for Athon Fundraisers
Cheddar Up gives you all the tools to run a streamlined, high-impact athon without needing extra apps or manual tracking. From setup to closeout, it handles the details, allowing you to focus on participation and promotion.
When you create a peer-to-peer campaign with Cheddar Up, you get:
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A centralized campaign page
to set the tone, explain your purpose, and collect donations
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Individual participant pages
that roll up to the main campaign and can be easily customized
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Flat or per unit pledges
so donors can choose what works best
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Built in progress tracking
for organizers and supporters to follow along
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No account required for donors
which reduces friction at checkout
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Automatic reporting and exports
to simplify reconciliation and thank you’s
All of these tools are included on the Basic Plan, with no subscription cost for organizers!
Your Athon Fundraiser, Step-by-Step
Choose Your Athon Format
Pick something that’s easy to measure and meaningful to your group. The best athons are inclusive and straightforward. You want something participants can realistically track and that resonates with your audience.
Pro Tip: Keep your age group in mind. Younger students in elementary school might track books or laps. Older participants may prefer goals based on miles, hours, or skills.
Start a Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser
When you begin your campaign on Cheddar Up, choose the peer-to-peer format. This creates your main fundraising page, allowing participants to create their own pages under it. Each participant page can be customized and shared, making it easy to collect funds from individual networks.
Invite Participants to Join
Share a simple join link with your participants so they can create their own pages under your campaign. Each participant can add their name, photo, story, and goal. They’ll receive a unique link they can share directly with their networks.
Pro tip: Encourage participants to personalize their stories. A heartfelt note, video, or photo can significantly boost donations.
Track Pledges and Progress Automatically
Donors can choose to give a flat amount or pledge per unit of activity. Participants log their progress throughout the campaign. You’ll be able to view results by individual or group in real time, giving you the visibility to celebrate milestones and recognize top fundraisers.
You can also download reports for easy reconciliation and follow-up, including customizable exports that help with prizes or donor recognition.
Athon Fundraisers That Feel Personal Perform Better
People are more likely to donate when they feel a personal connection to the cause. A peer-to-peer athon gives them that. They are supporting someone they know, tied to a cause they care about, and watching that person achieve something real.
For organizers, Cheddar Up makes the process scalable and efficient. Whether you have 10 participants or 200, everything lives in one place. No spreadsheets. No chasing payments. Just a clean, modern solution built for busy group leaders.
Before you go
Make your next athon fundraiser effortless and impactful with Cheddar Up. From personalized participant pages to built-in pledge tracking, everything you need is in one place.
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PTA Fundraising Letter Templates: Kickoff, Reminder, and Thank-You
Your fundraiser is set. The goal is in place. Now you need families to show up for the campaign. A well-written PTA fundraising letter is what makes that happen.
The templates below are ready to customize. Swap in your school name, your goal, and your dates. Then send.
If you’re still deciding on your fundraiser format, the PTA fundraising ideas guide covers your options from top to bottom. But if you’re already in motion, start here.
The best letters are short, specific, and personal. Families don’t need a history of your PTA. They need to know what you’re raising money for, how much you’re asking for, and where to go to give.
7 Different Types of Fundraisers (With 50+ Proven Examples)
If you’re tired of defaulting to the same bake sale year after year, then it might be time to explore the many types of fundraisers that will help you reach your fundraising goals.
One fundraiser format can’t do everything. Some raise fast cash, others build long-term donor relationships, and a few quietly generate revenue with almost no volunteer hours.
When you understand the different types of fundraisers available to your organization, it opens up dozens of possibilities you’ve probably never considered!
This guide breaks down seven main fundraiser types and pairs each one with proven examples you can adapt to your group’s size, budget, and goals. Ready to get started?Truth bomb: relying on one single type of fundraiser can limit your reach and exhaust your donor base over time.
Whether you’re a group leader in charge of raising funds for your community or a nonprofit organizer building a fundraising plan, it’s no secret that a mix of fundraising strategies can help you build a more resilient and sustainable financial foundation for your organization’s long-term goals.
How Dairyland Donkey Ball Grows Small-Town Fundraisers
For more than 21 years, Dairyland Donkey Ball has delivered high-energy fundraising events to rural communities across 26 states. From donkey basketball during the school year to summer donkey baseball and celebrity races, their events bring entire towns together.
Most of the communities they serve have fewer than 1,500 residents. Some have fewer than 200. When 10 donkeys arrive, it is not just another event. It is THE event.
Each fundraiser operates as a partnership. A local school group, FFA chapter, or civic organization pays a booking fee and promotes the show. Ticket revenue is split, so strong turnout benefits everyone involved.
With dozens of events happening across multiple states, consistency matters. Every town runs a little differently. Every volunteer team has different experience levels with online tools. And when your business operates on the road, you need a system that works the same way everywhere.
When CJ first discovered Cheddar Up, he saw how smoothly the platform handled dues and registrations. That experience made the decision easier when it came time to modernize ticket sales for Dairyland Donkey Ball.
The Best Fundraising Event Planning Guide + Template
Fundraising event planning can feel chaotic! Too many group texts, not enough lead time, and a race to find last-minute volunteers leaves many organizers with a headache. Sound familiar?
Luckily, there are tactics you can use to avoid common planning mistakes. For example, a fundraising event planning template gives your whole team the same starting point and keeps you organized from the get-go.
Whether you’re a first-timer organizing a school fundraiser or a seasoned nonprofit volunteer tackling your fifth annual gala, this guide walks you through planning a fundraising event from locking in your date to wrapping up after the event.
You’ll get a practical checklist and timeline for fundraising event planning, as well as specific guidance on the best fundraising event management platforms that keep everything on track. Let’s get started!
