Swim a thon Fundraiser Guide - Get in the Pool & Raise Money!

Swimming isn’t just a summer sport. Swimming, swim lessons, and of course, swim a thons are year round activities.

If you run a swim program, summer camp, or a community pool, you can use a swim a thon to raise money. In this blog, we’ll take you through the ins and outs of how to run a successful swimathon. Whether you’re using the digital swim a thon, or our pen and paper swim a thon fundraising template, you can raise thousands of dollars for your organization.

What Is a Swim a thon?

A Swim a thon is a pledge-based fundraiser built around swimming laps within a set time or distance. Participants collect pledges in advance from friends, family, and supporters, who donate based on the number of laps completed. They can also donate just flat amounts like a traditional fundraiser.

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It's one of the dozens of great fundraisers available for swim and dive programs, but one of the most efficient.

Swim a thon Math: What Could You Raise?

To make our math simple let's say that you're running a swim a thon for a high school swimming program.

- $0.25 per lap = $25

- $0.50 per lap = $50

- $1.00 per lap = $100

- $2.00 per lap = $200

The key is setting expectations clearly. You don't want any suprised at the end, like if say someone donates $10 a lap, but doesn't realize your swimmers are capable of swimming 200 laps. This should be written in your swimathon bio or on your fundraising template.

Getting Non-Swimmers Involved

One of the biggest advantages of a Swimathon is how easy it is to involve people who are not swimming. This goes for any a-thon whether it's a basketball shoot a thon, walk a thon, or lift a thon.

Families and supporters can attend, cheer, and contribute in other ways. Many teams choose to add:

• Entry fees for spectators
• Concession sales
• Raffles or silent auctions

If your Swimathon takes place at a public pool, YMCA, or community facility, there may also be opportunities to partner with the venue for shared revenue on concessions or guest passes.

Swim a thon Timeline: Step-by-Step Guide

- Six Weeks Away

Form a small planning committee. This can be as simple as a coach and one parent volunteer. Swimathons do not require large teams to run successfully, but the more help the better. If you are using digital fundraising software like Teamfi, be sure to schedule a demo and familiarize yourself with the platform.

- Five Weeks Away

Secure your pool time. Whether it is a school pool, community center, or YMCA, lock in your date early and confirm lane availability. In a perfect world, you have the facility to yourself, but that can't always happen. Post about your Swimathon on social media and through team communication channels.

- Four Weeks Away

Launch registration and pledge collection. Participants should begin sharing their pledge pages or paper forms with friends and family. Digital platforms allow you to track pledges, participants, and totals in real time. For paper fundraisers, check in with swimmers individually.

- Three Weeks Away

Secure sponsors. Even small sponsors can cover costs like signage, snacks, or awards. If sponsors offset your costs, every dollar you make from the swimathon literally just goes back to your program, especially with Teamfi as we allow you to fundraise for free.

- Two Weeks Away

Finalize logistics. Confirm lane assignments, timers, lap counters, volunteers, and equipment. Prepare signage and event schedules.

- One Week Away

Send reminders to participants and donors. Include event details, arrival times, and what swimmers should bring.

- Event Day

Arrive early to set up check-in tables, sponsor banners, and volunteer stations. Kick off the event with a brief welcome and explanation of the cause. Recognize sponsors and top fundraisers throughout the Swimathon.

After Your Swim a thon

Congratulations! Now that you've hosted a great event, it's time to wrap up. Follow up within 48 hours with thank-you messages to swimmers, donors, sponsors, and volunteers. Share total funds raised and reinforce how the money will support your program.

If you used digital swim a thon software, finalize lap counts and we've automated the collection process for you. If you used a pen and paper swim a thon template, collect pledge totals and submit donations promptly. This should be done at the event ideally, but for those who could not make it have your swimmer's reach out to collect outstanding pledges.

Ready to Launch Your Swimathon?

“It takes a community.” 

That’s the saying isn’t it? Well when it comes to a-thon fundraisers like swim-a-thons, lift-a-thons, or walk-a-thons, it really does! Your swimmers are the ones who are driving this fundraiser. Through the use of paper templates or digital a-thon software, you can provide them the tools to make fundraising easy.

Want to go pen and paper? Download our free template! Want to go digital? Sign up for a 10 minute live demo.