If you’re organizing a readathon fundraiser and want to maximize donations without piling on admin work, Cheddar Up is the tool you’ve been looking for. Trusted by schools, PTAs, libraries, and community groups nationwide, it simplifies everything from setup and tracking to communication and donor follow-up.
Let’s break down how it works and why it delivers.
What is a Readathon Fundraiser?
A readathon fundraiser is a simple concept that is easy to organize with powerful results. Participants commit to reading books over a set period and collect pledges from family and friends in support of their fundraising goals. Donors can pledge a flat amount or contribute based on reading milestones, such as the number of books, pages, or minutes read. It’s a great way to get kids excited about reading while raising money for a cause. Plus, it builds a strong sense of community through shared goals.
Looking for more peer-to-peer fundraising options? Discover a full list of exciting athon fundraising ideas to match your group’s interests.
How Cheddar Up Supercharges Your Readathon Fundraiser
Every Reader Fundraises for your Readathon
With Cheddar Up’s peer-to-peer fundraising, every participant creates their donation page. Parents or guardians can add a photo, reading goal, and personal message, all in just a few clicks. These pages are automatically linked to your main campaign and can be shared via text, email, or social media. No separate platform needed!
Reach More Donors, Raise More Funds
With peer-to-peer fundraising, every reader becomes a powerful advocate for your cause. As readers share their pages, your readathon fundraiser grows exponentially, expanding your reach and multiplying donations with every click. It’s word-of-mouth fundraising, supercharged.
Built-In Tools to Keep You Organized
All donations and participant info are tracked automatically. You’ll always know how much each reader raised, who donated, and your overall progress. Use this data to highlight top fundraisers, recognize milestones and reading progress, and maintain momentum with real-time insights.
Payment is Friction-Free
Cheddar Up makes it super easy for donors to give — no account, no app, no hassle. Donors can pay with:
- Credit card
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- eCheck (Pro & Team only)
By default, processing fees are passed on to the donor, allowing your organization to retain all of the funds raised. Or, if you’d rather absorb the fees, you can do that too. It’s your choice.
And unlike some platforms, Cheddar Up doesn’t prompt donors to tip at checkout. No surprise add-ons or guilt trips.
Customize Every Detail
Make your readathon fundraiser look and feel like your community. With Cheddar Up, you can:
- Add a custom banner, logo, and brand colors
- Write personalized intro message and item descriptions
- Use item variations (like t-shirt sizes or reward levels)
- Embed a video to inspire donors or explain your mission
- Hightlight key details, location and FAQs
- Personalize email receipts (Pro & Team plans) with thank-you messages, links, or next steps
- Control who pays fees and how they’re shown at checkout
- Use a custom page URL and QR code to promote your fundraiser
With the Team Plan, you can take it even further by creating a fully branded group site. This site can showcase your readathon alongside other events or collections, all with your school’s name, colors, and logo front and center.
Every detail is in your hands so your fundraiser feels personal, polished, and on brand.
Top Reasons to Choose Cheddar Up for Your Readathon Fundraiser
- No coding or design skills needed
- Peer-to-peer fundraising is included in all plans (even our free basic plan!)
- Flexible payment options with low fees
- Real-time tracking & reporting
- Easy to share, easier to manage
Download Cheddar Up’s Readathon Fundraiser template to get going fast.
Before you go
You’ve got the readers. We’ve got the platform. Let’s make your readathon fundraiser a standout success.
You may also like:
Parent Teacher Conference Sign Up: Free Template + How to Schedule (Step by Step)
Parent-teacher conferences are one of the best opportunities to connect with families, but coordinating them can get hectic. Between packed calendars, back-and-forth emails, and last-minute changes, building a conference schedule can feel like the hardest part.
A parent teacher conference sign up is an online schedule that lets families book a specific time to meet with a teacher, without the back-and-forth of email. Setting one up is simple, and this guide walks you through how to create a sign up, plan your schedule, and encourage more families to participate.
A digital sign up is the easiest way to manage conference scheduling. Instead of paper sign up sheets or endless email chains, families can reserve a time that works for them while you keep everything organized in one place.
Cheddar Up makes it even easier with a free Parent Teacher Conference Sign Up template. Customize the schedule with your conference dates and available time slots, then share your sign up with families in minutes. Parents can book their preferred time from any device, and you’ll always have an up-to-date schedule.
How to Run a Concession Stand: Ultimate Guide & Checklist
Ready to serve up fan favorites that make the crowd go wild? Learning how to run a concession stand is your ticket to a wildly successful game day, school event, or nonprofit fundraiser. With a little upfront organization, you can transform your booth into a buzzing hub of excitement and a major moneymaker for your team or club that parents and volunteers will absolutely love working at.
This complete guide walks you through every step of setting up a concession stand for schools, booster clubs, youth sports teams, and fundraisers. You’ll receive all of the best concession stand tips, including how to pick your menu, recruit and schedule volunteers, handle payments smoothly, and avoid the mistakes that cost groups money every season.
Whether this is your first concession stand or you’re overhauling a tired setup, you’ll leave with a complete process, including a helpful concession stand checklist, that you can hand off to next year’s organizer.
What does a PTA president do? Duties and responsibilities
Getting elected PTA president is equal parts exciting and terrifying. One minute you’re celebrating, and the next you’re wondering what comes next. So what does the job involve? As PTA president, you’ll lead the organization, keep the board working together, and help your group stay focused on supporting students and families.
This guide walks through what to expect, from working alongside the rest of your board to navigating a typical school year. You’ll also find tools and tips that can make the administrative side of the role easier.
A PTA president is the elected leader of a parent-teacher association who guides the organization, leads meetings, and serves as the main point of contact between the PTA, school leaders, and your community. You help keep the board aligned, members informed, and everyone working toward the same goals. Local PTAs are part of a nationwide network connected to the National PTA, which offers resources and guidance for leaders at every level.
PTA vs. PTO: Which Parent Group Is Right for Your School?
PTA and PTO are often used interchangeably, but they’re actually two different types of parent organizations. The difference matters because it affects everything from where membership dues go to how your group is governed and what resources are available.
Starting a new parent group? Joining the board? Just curious what all those letters mean? This guide breaks down the PTA vs. PTO difference, compares each option side by side, and helps you decide which is the best fit for your school.
A PTA (Parent Teacher Association) is a chartered member of the National PTA. Members pay dues, a portion of which goes to the national and state organizations, and the group follows PTA bylaws in exchange for training, resources, and a voice in education advocacy. A PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) is an independent group with no national affiliation. It keeps all its funds local, writes its own bylaws, and handles its own nonprofit status and insurance.
