Fun Run sponsors are local businesses that give money or goods in exchange for visibility with school families. Start with businesses already connected to your families, offer three or four tiers priced against your goal, send a one-page sponsor sheet with a deadline tied to shirt printing, and thank every sponsor publicly.
Why business sponsors matter
Sponsors can cover your event costs, so more of what families give goes to the project. A title sponsor who pays for the T-shirts turns your biggest expense into advertising for them.
Sponsorship is one revenue stream alongside online donations and cash and checks; see how a Fun Run fundraiser works for the full picture.
Get Movin' schools collect $1,557,521 a year in business sponsor donations.
Who to ask first
Start with businesses that already have a tie to your school. They say yes faster.
- Businesses owned by school parents or grandparents
- Businesses where parents work in management
- Places families visit weekly: dentists, orthodontists, pediatricians, pizza shops, gyms, real estate agents, car dealers
- Past sponsors of your school's other events
Ask families at kickoff to name one business they could introduce you to. A warm introduction beats a cold visit.
Sponsor tiers and how to price them
Use three or four tiers so every business finds a fit.
| Tier | What the sponsor gets |
|---|---|
| Title sponsor (one) | Largest logo on the shirt and banner, logo in parent emails and on the school's social posts, thanks at the kickoff assembly and on event day |
| Station or lap sponsor | Signage at a station or lap marker, logo on the shirt, social thank-you |
| Supporter | Name on the sponsor banner and a thank-you post |
| In-kind | Recognition matched to value for donated water, prizes, printing or color powder |
Pricing tiers for your school
Price from your costs and goal, not from another school's sheet.
- Title: set it near the cost of your shirts or your largest event expense, so one sponsor covers it.
- Station or lap: divide your remaining sponsor target by the number of stations you can sign.
- Supporter: keep it low enough that a small shop can say yes on the spot.
- Check your community: ask what local businesses have given to school events before and stay in that range.
Your Fun Run budget gives you the cost numbers to price against.
The one-page sponsor sheet
Hand every business the same single page. Include:
- Your school, the event date and what the money funds
- Reach: number of students and families, and where logos will appear
- The tiers, with your price and benefits for each
- The deadline to commit and send a logo
- How to pay and who to contact, with a phone number and email
The ask, in brief
Lead with visibility and families, not charity. Something like:
Follow up once by phone or in person. Full email and letter versions are in our Fun Run sponsor letter templates.
Deadlines tied to shirt printing
Work backward from the shirt order. Logos must be in hand before you send artwork to the printer, and shirts need to arrive before the kickoff assembly.
Start sponsor outreach about 3 weeks before launch, which matches the Fun Run planning timeline. Late sponsors can still join the banner and thank-you posts.
Recognition and thank-yous
Deliver everything you promised, then a little more. Thank sponsors from the stage on event day, post photos tagging them, and send a thank-you note signed by students.
Send each sponsor a short recap after the event with photos of their logo in use. It is the easiest way to get a yes next year.
Get sponsor help from a coach
Every Get Movin' group gets a free Personal Event Coach, a former PTO/PTA volunteer, plus the FundHub Event Toolbox of 100+ guides, templates and printables.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get sponsors for a school Fun Run?
Start with businesses connected to your families: parent-owned shops, employers, and places families visit every week. Bring a one-page sponsor sheet with tiers and a deadline, lead with visibility to school families rather than charity, follow up once, and thank sponsors publicly after the event.
How much should Fun Run sponsorships cost?
Price tiers from your own costs and goal. Set the title sponsorship near the cost of your shirts or largest expense, divide the remaining sponsor target across station sponsors, and keep a supporter level small businesses can say yes to. Check what local businesses have given to school events before.
What do Fun Run sponsors get?
Visibility with school families. Depending on the tier, that means a logo on the T-shirt, signage at a station or lap marker, their name on the sponsor banner, their logo in parent emails and on the school's social posts, thanks at the kickoff assembly and event day, and social media thank-you posts.
When should we ask for sponsors?
Start about 3 weeks before your fundraising window opens, and set the sponsor deadline before your shirt artwork is due to the printer. Sponsors who commit after that date can still appear on the banner and in thank-you posts, but not on the shirt.