How to organise a colour fun run to raise money for good causes
Colour fun runs have burst onto the scene in the last decade, becoming a popular fundraising event worldwide. Spreading bursts of colour, an exuberant atmosphere, and championing inclusivity, they offer a unique way to raise money for a worthy cause.
Whether you want to make a school fun run more colourful or organise an active charitable event in the local community, it’s an excellent way to bring people together in a relaxed, enjoyable fundraising environment.
In this article, we explore what a colour fun run is, how to organise one, and how GoFundMe can help to make your event a roaring success.
What is a colour run?
Suitable for all ages and abilities, a colour run puts more of an emphasis on fun over speed, as participants run or walk the required distance while getting doused in colourful powder by volunteers.
Not only does this make it a spectacle visually, but it also means that everyone has an enjoyable time and can raise money for a charitable cause in a unique and memorable way.
Inspired by the Hindu festival of Holi, this colourful fundraising idea has not only become popular in Australia, but is now carried out all across the world. Plus, the coloured powder that’s used is made of food-grade cornstarch, which means it’s safe for participants and the environment, and is animal cruelty-free.
How to organise your own colour fun run
Organising a colour fun run may sound like harder work than a standard fun run, but the reality is that it’s actually very simple. This is especially true if you start planning in advance and surround yourself with a team of reliable, committed volunteers.
By following our step-by-step guide, you’ll be covering participants in colour before you know it and maximising the number of donations you receive.
1. Plan the event in advance
The planning stage of a colour fun run is integral, so creating a foolproof fundraising plan is important. Before you get started, here are some of the main aspects of the fun run you’ll need to consider:
- Setting a time and date for the event.
- Deciding on a location.
- Obtaining the necessary permits and permissions.
- Calculating how many volunteers you’ll need.
- Understanding your budget.
- Working out what equipment is required.
- Considering how participants will be able to register.
- Creating a platform to receive donations.
While planning the event, you may decide that you could do with some additional help to ensure your colour run is a resounding success. If so, consider using an online event planner to help guide you through the process with up-to-date resources and information.
2. Start fundraising early
The earlier you start your fundraiser, the more donations you’re likely to receive. As soon as you’ve finalised the details of the event, it’s important to start sharing this information on all of your invites and promotional materials. It also means you can start receiving donations using a reputable, trustworthy fundraising platform such as GoFundMe.
Some of the key details you need to share to begin fundraising include:
- Why you’re holding the event.
- Information about the cause you’re fundraising for.
- How the money that’s raised will be used.
- Information about the event (start time, date, location).
- Whether there is an entrance fee.
- How people can get involved – participating, volunteering, donating.
If you do choose GoFundMe to start your fundraising journey, then make sure you check out our ultimate fundraising tips to create a compelling description and reach your donation goal.
3. Promote the event
The next step in the process is to promote the event and fundraiser. There are many ways you can do this, but the most popular methods include:
- Social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn).
- Emails and messaging groups.
- In-person and networking events.
- Flyers and other marketing materials.
- Reach out to local businesses and community groups.
Every time you share the fundraiser in a new way it can lead to a 2.5x increase in the visibility of the fundraiser and the event.
Failure to invest a healthy amount of time in promoting your colour fun run means you’re missing out on a lot of potential participants and donors, so make sure you do your best to spread the word.
Note: Doing a colour fun run for a school? Like with any school fundraiser, make sure you engage with the P&C Association and benefit from the support of its members.
4. Arrange the logistics
First of all, you need to make sure that participants know exactly what they’ll need on the day. For example, for a colour fun run, they’ll need to wear white clothing, bring spare clothes, have a towel and wet wipes handy, sun protection (cream and hats), appropriate footwear, water to keep hydrated, and ziplock bags to protect their personal belongings.
In terms of the event itself, you’ll need to consider the following:
- Water stations.
- Whether food/snacks will be made available.
- Start and finish lines.
- How much powder you need.
- Where volunteers will be placed.
- Spectator areas.
- Entertainment zones.
- Photographers and photo stations.
- Winners’ medals, certificates, and merchandise.
- Ways to donate.
Before the event, it’s also a nice touch to provide participants, volunteers, and spectators with an information pack, so they have complete visibility of the event and can prepare for the day’s activities.
5. Run the show on the day
Organising and hosting a colour fun run does come with its own set of challenges, so you’ll want to be as prepared as possible to guarantee the event is a success.
Here are some of our top tips to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day:
- Recruit a team of volunteers – Reach out to reliable individuals who will work well together as a group. You’ll want to engage with people who are organised, patient, respectful, and trustworthy. In doing so, you’ll feel supported throughout the day.
- Plan, plan, plan – Make sure you’ve planned everything in as much detail as possible, so things are less likely to go wrong on the big day. Everybody should know their role and participants, volunteers, and spectators should be fully briefed.
- Be prepared for things to go wrong – You can do all the planning and preparation in the world but, unfortunately, some difficulties can arise no matter how prepared you are. Make sure you have contingencies in place where possible.
- Arrange first aid and safety precautions – To ensure the safety of participants and volunteers, you need to make arrangements for first aid services and implement safety measures. Come equipped with basic medical supplies and consider having a trained medical professional on-site in case of emergencies.
- Consider post-race activities – The race might be over, but it doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. Plus, post-race activities are a great way of raising additional funds. You may want to organise zones with music, food, drinks, or perhaps arrange designated areas for face painting or carnival games.
Follow up after the event
Last, but by no means least, all great fundraising events should have a carefully crafted follow-up process in place. Following up with participants, volunteers, spectators, donors, and event organisers is a great way of expressing your gratitude and sharing memorable moments from the event.
Your follow-up plan should include:
- A big thank you message to all of those who got involved, such as participants, volunteers, spectators, donors, event organisers, and any other community members.
- Sending out the fundraising link again for any late donations. You don’t want to be too pushy, so make sure you politely mention that it’s not too late to donate and help make a difference.
- Share how much was raised and any other relevant information about the day, such as how the money made from donations has been spent.
- Any photos and videos that were taken during the colour fun run.
Tips for colour run organisers
Here are some final tips to ensure you’re fully up-to-speed as the organiser of the event:
- Type of colour powder – Make sure you use powder that’s made of cornstarch and is safe for participants, animals, and the environment. In terms of colour, the more colours you have the better!
- Course distance – A lot of colour runs aim for the 5k mark. However, this completely depends on the participants and the location. For example, if you’re organising a colour fun run for schools, you may want the distance to be shorter.
- Number of participants – Again, this is entirely up to you. You’ll want the number of participants to be manageable, while weighing up the fact that more runners means more money raised.
- Food and drink – Providing drinking water is essential. However, offering other refreshments and snacks, such as bananas or oranges, is your choice.
- Merchandise – Charging a small fee for t-shirts, hats, or wristbands is another great way of raising more money and making participants feel proud of their achievements.
- Certificates and medals – While this is meant to be a fun run, you could hand out certificates to those who complete the course and medals for those who are the quickest or get covered in the least amount of powder.
Start your colour run fundraiser
Now you know everything there is to know about a colour fun run, it’s time to start organising the big event and spread the word.
Remember, it’s never too early to create your fundraising page, and GoFundMe is on hand to help you raise as much money as possible for your worthy cause. As Australia’s leading online fundraising platform, we know what it takes to maxismise donations and make your colour fun run a huge success.