If you’re organizing a readathon fundraiser and want to maximize donations without piling on admin work, Cheddar Up is the tool you’ve been looking for. Trusted by schools, PTAs, libraries, and community groups nationwide, it simplifies everything from setup and tracking to communication and donor follow-up.
Let’s break down how it works and why it delivers.
What is a Readathon Fundraiser?
A readathon fundraiser is a simple concept that is easy to organize with powerful results. Participants commit to reading books over a set period and collect pledges from family and friends in support of their fundraising goals. Donors can pledge a flat amount or contribute based on reading milestones, such as the number of books, pages, or minutes read. It’s a great way to get kids excited about reading while raising money for a cause. Plus, it builds a strong sense of community through shared goals.
Looking for more peer-to-peer fundraising options? Discover a full list of exciting athon fundraising ideas to match your group’s interests.
How Cheddar Up Supercharges Your Readathon Fundraiser
Every Reader Fundraises for your Readathon
With Cheddar Up’s peer-to-peer fundraising, every participant creates their donation page. Parents or guardians can add a photo, reading goal, and personal message, all in just a few clicks. These pages are automatically linked to your main campaign and can be shared via text, email, or social media. No separate platform needed!
Reach More Donors, Raise More Funds
With peer-to-peer fundraising, every reader becomes a powerful advocate for your cause. As readers share their pages, your readathon fundraiser grows exponentially, expanding your reach and multiplying donations with every click. It’s word-of-mouth fundraising, supercharged.
Built-In Tools to Keep You Organized
All donations and participant info are tracked automatically. You’ll always know how much each reader raised, who donated, and your overall progress. Use this data to highlight top fundraisers, recognize milestones and reading progress, and maintain momentum with real-time insights.
Payment is Friction-Free
Cheddar Up makes it super easy for donors to give — no account, no app, no hassle. Donors can pay with:
- Credit card
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- eCheck (Pro & Team only)
By default, processing fees are passed on to the donor, allowing your organization to retain all of the funds raised. Or, if you’d rather absorb the fees, you can do that too. It’s your choice.
And unlike some platforms, Cheddar Up doesn’t prompt donors to tip at checkout. No surprise add-ons or guilt trips.
Customize Every Detail
Make your readathon fundraiser look and feel like your community. With Cheddar Up, you can:
- Add a custom banner, logo, and brand colors
- Write personalized intro message and item descriptions
- Use item variations (like t-shirt sizes or reward levels)
- Embed a video to inspire donors or explain your mission
- Hightlight key details, location and FAQs
- Personalize email receipts (Pro & Team plans) with thank-you messages, links, or next steps
- Control who pays fees and how they’re shown at checkout
- Use a custom page URL and QR code to promote your fundraiser
With the Team Plan, you can take it even further by creating a fully branded group site. This site can showcase your readathon alongside other events or collections, all with your school’s name, colors, and logo front and center.
Every detail is in your hands so your fundraiser feels personal, polished, and on brand.
Top Reasons to Choose Cheddar Up for Your Readathon Fundraiser
- No coding or design skills needed
- Peer-to-peer fundraising is included in all plans (even our free basic plan!)
- Flexible payment options with low fees
- Real-time tracking & reporting
- Easy to share, easier to manage
Download Cheddar Up’s Readathon Fundraiser template to get going fast.
Before you go
You’ve got the readers. We’ve got the platform. Let’s make your readathon fundraiser a standout success.
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Elementary school fundraising is different because younger children can be active participants, but they still need adults to take the lead on money, sales, and logistics. The best fundraisers play to both strengths: kids bring the creativity, excitement, and school spirit, while adults keep everything running smoothly.
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