Read-A-Thon Fundraising

Raise 50% More.
No Platform Fees.

Grab a book, turn the page! PledgeStar makes your Read-A-Thon fast, fun, and profitable, helping your school raise more, one chapter at a time, with zero platform fees.

Zero platform fees Live in minutes 50+ languages

No upfront cost. No commitment.

2M+
Families Trust Us
$175+
Raised Per Student
0%
Platform Fee
MINUTES
To Launch
THOUSANDS
Of Schools Nationwide

A Format That Fits Every School

Thousands of Schools Choose PledgeStar because it adapts to any Read-A-Thon format. Here are the most popular ways schools bring theirs to life.

Page Count
  • Pledge Per Page
  • Any Book
Timed Reading
  • Minutes Read
  • Flat Donations
Genre Challenge
  • Explore Genres
  • Bonus Points
Reading Groups
  • Staggered Goals
  • Age-Appropriate
Virtual & Hybrid
  • Read Anywhere
  • Log Your Minutes
Build Your Own
  • Custom Goals
  • Custom Rules

Read More, Raise More!

Grab your favorite book, turn the page, and read your way to supporting your school!

A Read-A-Thon offers a fun and educational way to raise funds while encouraging reading and literacy. Participants gather pledges based on the number of books or pages they read or time spent reading. This structure ensures fairness among different age groups. This allows younger students to compete on an equal footing with older, more experienced readers. The straightforward format makes Read-A-Thons easy to organize and enjoyable for students, families, and schools. This fundraiser fosters a love for learning while raising much-needed funds for various educational programs or libraries.

PledgeStar's fundraising platform lets you easily organize and manage your Read-A-Thon. Simply follow these steps:

Promote the Message

Spread the word about your Read-A-Thon to students and families.

Engage in Reading

Participants commit to reading as many hours, minutes, books, or pages as possible during the event.

Raise Money

Students collect pledges from family and friends based on their reading goals.

Receive Payment

Process funds securely and direct donations toward your school or library.

A successful Read-A-Thon starts with clear goals and guidelines for participants. This clarity helps everyone understand the expectations and how to contribute. Participants set ambitious reading targets while adhering to the established rules, making the event both fair and fun.

Establishing Reading Targets for Participants

Each participant sets a personal reading goal, such as the number of minutes or hours they plan to read during the event. Such goals ensure fairness across different ages and help students stay focused and motivated. They also allow students to share their progress with donors to encourage more pledges.

Event Duration

The Read-A-Thon lasts for a set period, typically ranging from two weeks to a month, depending on the objectives. A longer duration allows participants to read more and raise more funds, but maintaining enthusiasm might prove more challenging. A shorter event creates a sense of urgency and excitement.

Types of Books Students Can Read

Students choose from various books that suit their interests and reading levels. Whether they opt for fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, or poetry, the goal encourages reading for pleasure and learning. Schools may set guidelines on the types of books allowed to ensure age-appropriate content.

Read-A-Thon fundraisers provide a unique combination of academic enrichment and financial support. These events help students improve their reading skills while creating a sense of purpose as they contribute to a cause. Read-A-Thons remain inclusive and accessible, offering a valuable opportunity to unite communities around the shared goal of enhancing education.

Helps raise funds for schools and libraries

Participants raise money through a Read-A-Thon to support various educational needs, including new books, technology upgrades, and extracurricular programs that benefit students and the wider school community.

A budget-friendly fundraising method

With PledgeStar, a Read-A-Thon provides an affordable fundraising option for schools with no expensive supplies or elaborate planning required. Choose the FREE option and pay nothing to use the platform, with donors able to add a small optional amount at checkout to help keep it free. Or choose the low, capped fee plan, where PledgeStar charges just 7% that never exceeds a $1,195 cap, so the more you raise, the smaller the percentage you pay. Either way, funds land directly in your own account right away.

No need for a lot of volunteers

A Read-A-Thon operates with minimal staff, which is one of its greatest benefits. Just one or two people can successfully manage and administer a Read-A-Thon, making it more accessible and easier to organize without relying on a large team of volunteers.

Promotes reading and literacy

A Read-A-Thon encourages students to dedicate time to reading, which improves their literacy skills. By associating reading with a fundraising goal, students feel motivated to engage with books, making learning enjoyable and impactful.

Contributes to a Worthy Cause

Participants in a Read-A-Thon raise funds for important educational initiatives or local libraries. By contributing to these causes, students learn the value of giving back and making a positive impact on their community.

Supports Inclusivity and Accessibility

Read-A-Thons welcome students of all reading levels and abilities. They provide a flexible platform, ensuring everyone feels valued and involved.

PledgeStar's platform helps you organize and execute a successful Read-A-Thon by providing simple and easy registration, customizable fundraising pages, and real-time tracking and reporting. We offer all the tools you need to manage your Read-A-Thon event efficiently. Additionally, we supply promotional resources like social media sharing and dedicated support to ensure your Read-A-Thon runs smoothly and achieves its fundraising goals.

  • Easy-to-set-up fundraising pages
  • Personalized pledge requests
  • A simplified donation process
  • Real-time tracking
  • Social sharing and engaging promotional tools

PledgeStar helps maximize fundraising while boosting event participation and management. It makes donation collection easy and efficient, leading to higher overall contributions. With PledgeStar, your Read-A-Thon stays a super-successful, fun, and stress-free event for you and your school.

Keep More of
What You Raise

PledgeStar gives your read-a-thon two ways to fundraise. Get started in minutes with the FREE plan and pay nothing to use the platform. Your group keeps everything raised minus standard processing fees, and donors can choose to add a small extra amount at checkout to keep it free.

Prefer your current plan instead? Our standard option charges a low 7% fee that never exceeds a $1,195 cap, no matter how many pages your readers log. With Donor Fee Coverage, supporters can optionally cover both platform and processing fees, so 100% of every pledge reaches your students.

With PledgeStar, your Read-A-Thon can be Free. No hidden charges, no setup costs, no subscriptions, no forced tips. Just more books read and more raised for your classroom.
Typical Fundraiser
Third-party platform
$20,000 Total raised
- $6,000-$10,000 in fees

Your school keeps
$10,000-$14,000
With PledgeStar Best
Zero platform fee
$20,000 Total raised
- $0 platform fee

Your school keeps
$20,000

Everything Your School Needs

Raise 50% More

Schools using PledgeStar consistently raise more through easy, fun outreach by automated email, text, and social media.

Fee Plans Built for Schools

Choose the free plan or our standard plan with Donor Fee Coverage, whichever fits your read-a-thon best. See pricing details →

Running a different kind of event? Explore our Jog-A-Thon, Walk-A-Thon, Fun Run & Color Run, Anything-A-Thon, or Pledge Drive pages.

Effortless Setup

Launch your campaign in minutes. Families enter names and contacts, and our platform sends emails, texts, and social posts for them.

Personalized Pages for Every Reader

Every student gets a personalized fundraising page to share with friends and family via text, email, and social media.

Reach Every Family, Any Language

With over 50 language options, families and friends near and far can participate and donate, no matter where they are.

World-Class Support

A dedicated specialist guides you through every step, from setup to launch to your final Read-A-Thon report.

3 Simple Steps to Game-Changing Results

1
🚀
Get the Word Out

Your site goes live instantly. Send families the registration link and they follow simple on-screen instructions to enter their supporters.

2
💳
Donations Flow In

Friends and family follow the link they receive, enter an amount, and pay securely with cards, digital wallets, and more. All major payment methods supported.

3
📊
Track in Real Time

Log in any time to monitor your fundraiser's progress with our easy event overview dashboard and reports.

What Schools Are Saying

Free Guide

How to Raise 2x More
for Your Read-A-Thon

Get the expert tips used by thousands of schools to boost participation, raise more, and keep more for classrooms and libraries.

It's absolutely free. No commitment required.

Or download our PDF guide
Pledge Drives Made Easy →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can donors pay per page or per minute?
Yes! Donors can pledge by page, minute, or a flat amount. We handle the math and reminders.
Can students log their reading time or pages themselves?
Yes! Students or their parents can easily log minutes or pages read through their personal link. It's quick, secure, and mobile-friendly.
How are donations collected and tracked?
All donations are processed online and tracked in real time! You'll have access to a dashboard that shows pledges, reading logs, and total funds raised at a glance.

Start Raising in Minutes

With no platform fees. Tell us a bit about your school and we'll take it from there.

Personal Information
Organization
Event Type

Standard payment processing fees apply.

Join 2M+ Families

Why Schools and Teams Choose PledgeStar

Thousands of groups trust PledgeStar to run their "a-thon" fundraisers with less work and bigger results, all without paying platform fees.

$450M+
Raised by Our Community
50%
More Raised on Average
Minutes
To Launch Your Event
  • No platform fees, ever. Donors can optionally help cover costs.
  • Automated emails and texts do the asking for you.
  • Real-time dashboard to track every donation as it comes in.
  • Dedicated support team to help you launch and grow.
What Happens Next
1 Fill out the form to set up a test fundraiser in minutes. Take a look around, then activate it whenever you're ready, no pressure.
2 You share it with your community by email, text, or social media.
3 Donations roll in and funds are transferred straight to your account.