Color Run Fundraiser: The Complete Guide to Running a Successful Event

The Color Run Fundraiser – Painting Your Fundraiser in Living Color.

If you’ve sold one too many coupon books or cookie dough tubs, you know how hard it is to get money for your sports team, organization, or group. Maybe you’re not looking for a traditional fundraiser like a crowdfunding fundraiser or a pick a date calendar fundraiser?

One way to make a splash is a color run fundraiser. It’s a new way of fundraising less than 15 years old, but cities and organizations around the country are using color runs to appeal to those besides the traditional 5k participant.

5k’s, marathons, and races are intense. Color runs are much more focused on having fun and appeal to more families.

When you pair that built-in buzz with Teamfi’s zero-platform-fee digital pledge pages, the equation is simple:

More color + More donors − Platform fees = Record-setting revenue for your program.

This guide delivers everything you need—from “What on earth is a color run?” to post-event cleanup—so you can paint your path to profit without second-guessing a single step.

‍What Is a Color Run Fundraiser?

A color run is a non-competitive walk-or-run event where participants start the course in crisp white shirts and cross the finish line looking like human tie-dye. Volunteers stationed along the route blast runners with clouds of safe, food-grade corn-starch powder tinted in vivid hues—think electric blue, neon pink, sunshine yellow. The focus is on color, camaraderie, and candid photos, not finish-line times.

The name “color run” is a little deceptive. The word run makes things feel competitive and strenuous, and while many do try to cross the finish line first, color runs are first and foremost fun. It’s non-competitive with many choosing to jog or walk the length of the course.

The format traces its inspiration to the Hindu festival of Holi, a centuries-old celebration of renewal where revelers toss colored powders to mark the arrival of spring. In 2011, Phoenix hosted the first modern U.S. color run; within a year, more than 600 000 people in 50 cities were running through technicolor plumes. The concept caught on because it democratized road racing—no expensive timing chips, no sprinting elites, just families, coworkers, and teams moving (or dancing) their way through a 3- to 5-kilometer loop.

For fundraisers, the brilliance lies in visual virality. Photos of powder-plastered participants flood social media, organically promoting your cause far beyond traditional flyers. Add Teamfi’s pledge model—each runner has a personal donation link that grandparents can sponsor from any device—and your donor reach multiplies again.

Finally, color runs are inclusive and approachable. Grandparents can walk, toddlers can ride in strollers, varsity athletes can sprint—all while supporting the same goal. That broad appeal not only boosts registration numbers but also attracts local sponsors eager to attach their logos to a wholesome, family-friendly spectacle.

Why Pair Your Color Run With Teamfi?

So you might be saying, “Why would I need to use software for my Color Run Fundraiser?” The answer is simple –you can use Teamfi donation pages to collect registration payments, sponsorship payments, and all the donations for your event…the best part? It’s completely free (zero platform fees), easily shareable, completely customizable for your event, and provides for you to have an individual donation page for each participant.

Here’s the TLDR;

• 0% platform fees – Keep all your hard-earned money with your organization – Teamfi takes zero cut of any payments or funds raised.
• Customizable event donation pages – Teamfi automatically generates a unique donation page for your color run event, with the opportunity to add a logo, describe your event, and tailor it to your liking.
• Real-time updates – A live dashboard for you to track your fundraiser with over ten live metrics to monitor donation tracking, participant progress, and overall trends in your fundraiser. Think of it as a live snapshot of your event’s progress.
• Unique Participant Pages – Our Teamfi software allows you to offer individual donation pages for each of your participants, allowing you to track participant donation totals individually. A great way to motivate individuals to gather donations for your cause.

The only cost associated with using Teamfi’s digital fundraising software is standard payment processing (2.9% + $0.30 a transaction) which is paid to Stripe to ensure your fundraiser is as secure as possible.

Setting Up Your Color Run Fundraiser for Success Step-by-Step:

Step 1: Set a Smart Goal & Budget

• Figure out your needs. List expenses—color powder, permits, insurance, bibs, photography, water, DJ, portable restrooms.
• Aim high but realistic. Let’s say your 200 member high school class is looking to raise money, with a $15,000 goal. If 50 members of your class participate in the color run, with registrations covering expenses, each class participant needs to fundraise an additional $300.

For a successful event, one might project about $3,000 in expenses. With 100 participants, registration costs should be about $30 per person to cover expenses. These costs include:

• Color powder - More color is better than too little color. $1,000
• Safety gear - Masks/gloves at request. $25
• Bibs / wristbands - $25-$50.
• Water & cups - $10. If you need to get coolers, closer to $100.
• Course supplies - Caution tape, tables, cones. $100.
• Sound / music - Professional DJ or speakers with your own playlist. Cost varies.
  Permits & venue fees - Cost varies.
• Liability insurance - Single day liability insurance covering up to $1m. $200.
• First-aid kit & EMT standby - $100.
• Marketing & printing - Posters, banners, possibly a billboard or sign at prominent spots in town. $200.
  Snacks for volunteers - $50.
• Cleanup supplies - $25.
• Medals - $50.
• Custom white event T-shirts (optional)  - $1000 for 100 t-shirts.
• Inflatable finish-line arch (optional) - $175.
• Portable toilets (optional) - $300.
• Professional photographer / drone pilot (optional) - $250

Step 2: Pick the Perfect Date, Time, and Venue

The perfect time for your fundraiser is dependent on your organization you’re raising money for. If it’s a school fundraiser, having the fun run in the summer can be an excellent choice.

• Season: Late April through early October offers mild temperatures, with summer mornings being ideal to avoid heat. However, this can vary greatly depending on where your color run will be hosted geographically – In very warm climates, late fall or early spring might offer a more comfortable fundraiser environment.
• Schedule: A Saturday 9 a.m. or Sunday 2 p.m. start invites entire families. Families are who are going to be the primary driver of fundraising dollars.
• Course: A looped ¼-mile school track (12 laps ≈ 3 mi) simplifies traffic control. Parks or closed parking lots work too—just confirm powder use is allowed with those in charge of the facilities.

There are, of course, large cities that host color runs each year, spanning blocks of downtown. Not all color runs are like this, in fact small towns can host some of the most intimate and exciting fun runs whether on their main street or in a closed location like a track.

Step 3:  Put Together an Elite Volunteer Group.

The more volunteers you have, the lower the cost of hosting your color run. Volunteers will be important for registration, distribution of colors, course marshals, photography, and setup and tear down of the event.

To successfully run a color run, 20 volunteers will be needed at the very least. The more the better!

• 3-4 Volunteers: Registration (Race Day) and Event Marketing (Pre Race)
• 2-3 Volunteers: Course Marshals (Race Day) and Sponsor Gathering (Pre Race)
• 1 Volunteer: Lead Contact for Race Day and Pre Race
• 4-5 Volunteers: Color Distribution (Race Day) and Purchasing (Pre-Race)
• 2-3 Volunteers: Logistics (Race Day) and Insurance/First Aid Contacts (Pre-Race/Race Day)
• 3-4 Volunteers: Photography, Media, and General Race Help (Race Day) and Social Media (Pre-Race)

Step 4: Pre-race Success.

Ordering supplies for the color run including colors. Colors for color-runs can cost upwards of $1,000 even for medium sized events. Most experts in the field recommend about 1 pound of color per participant to guarantee big photo-worthy bursts.

Additionally, knock out any other important pre-race task.

• Insurance, permits if required, and waivers. While these aren’t the first things that come to mind, anytime you’re hosting an event, liability insurance is essential.

Step 5: Market Like You Mean It.

Marketing your Color Run Fundraiser leading up to the event can be the most important part! Without proper marketing, you may get little to no participants. Here’s a few ways you can jump-start your Color run’s participation with focused marketing:

• Early Bird Discounts: $5–$10 discount for the first 7 days drives engagement and interest.
• Countdown Content: Schedule 10 social posts from the organization you’re raising money for, emphasize it’s a fundraiser. Highlight behind-the-scenes powder testing, volunteer spotlights, sponsor shout-outs to get people excited.
• Email Drips: Sending emails to a registrant list leading up to the event can help encourage them to get others to register too.
• Sponsor Alignment: Package logo placement on runner bibs, shirts, mile-marker banners, and the inflatable finish arch if you choose to have one.‍

Step 6: Execute a Flawless Event Day.

You’ve done the hard work, now it’s time to not only execute, but also have fun in the process while raising money during your color run. Now is where those 20+ volunteers really come into play.

• Color Toss Opening Ceremony: Hand each runner a mini packet of color at the start of the race. Count down from 10; on zero, everyone launches powder skyward for a rainbow cloud that doubles as your drone-shot hero image if you opt to hire a drone operator. Again, not a requirement, but would be great if you have extra budget. If registration numbers soar, that’s when you can go to extras.
• Wave Starts: To prevent bottlenecks, release 25 participants every 60–90 seconds. Have the runners be released first, then the walkers. Have people indicate at registration whether they’re running or walking. Color Crews restock powder between waves.
• Route Magic: DJs or a high-energy playlist every quarter-mile. If you’re using a high school track, that makes this task a little bit easier as a centrally located DJ will be able to cover all angles of the track.
• Blow-Off Zone: Two leaf blowers whisk excess powder in 30 seconds.
• Award Ceremony: Recognize top fundraisers, best costume, and most-spirited volunteer. Use Teamfi leaderboards to project live results on a screen.

7. Cleanup & Sustainability

Because powders are cornstarch-based and biodegradable, sidewalk residue rinses off with a garden hose or light power-wash. On grass, one sprinkler cycle dissolves color completely. Station a dedicated Green Team to separate recyclables (water bottles, food packaging) from landfill waste so you leave your venue cleaner than you found it. A good cleanup is a must for publicity and future events.

The Ultimate Pairing - Color Runs and A-Thons, as Well as Other “Fun”draising Ideas

Your registration costs should cover your baseline costs of a color run at the minimum. If you’re looking to raise more money (of course!), turn your color run into an a-thon fundraiser.

By pairing color run registration with Teamfi’s a-thon fundraising software, you’re well on your way to success.

An example of this is the well known walk-a-thon, which is simply a fundraiser in which individuals try to get pledge donations for how many laps or miles they complete on a given time interval – you can learn more about walk-a-thon fundraisers in our walk-a-thon FAQ page.

Whether you’re walking or running, this is a great way to have individuals support you or your child during the color run and raise additional money for the organization. If it’s a set course, how many laps you complete is a great example of how to execute this sort of fundraiser, by pledging a certain amount per lap walked.

If the a-thon isn’t for you, here are some other ways you can raise more money with your color run by layering in additional fundraising opportunities:

• Sponsorships – This should be top priority, even selling sponsorships that include social media shoutouts and a spot on a t-shirt is a great way to raise money. Consider different tiers for different levels of sponsorship to up the ante.
• Food Trucks – Let food trucks pay $300 to attend the event, allowing them to keep all proceeds. This gives you a guaranteed amount of money raised going in and saves the trouble of counting sales and doing a percentage based giveback. The $300 can be changed depending on how many are in attendance.
• Bake Sale – Combining a simple bake sale and selling baked goods at your color run is another way of layering on additional fundraising opportunities.
• Photographer –  Hire a photographer and provide participants the option to buy photos from the event with proceeds being kicked back to the fundraiser.

Ready to Paint the Town (and Your Bottom Line)?

Launching your color run with Teamfi takes less time than ordering paint powder samples:

1. Schedule a demo and create your free Teamfi account.
2. Let us know your date, goal, and participant list. After the demo, we’ll get you set up, every runner receives a personal pledge page complete with share-ready links.
3. If you have more questions on products like our walkathon, we answer them for you here.
   

No contracts. No hidden fees. Just color, community, and the most profitable fundraiser you’ve ever hosted.

Send us an email or schedule a free 10-minute demo to get things started. Let’s turn your next fundraiser into a living, breathing rainbow of revenue.