March-A-Thon 101: How to Collect Donations – Step by Step

Welcome to your March-A-Thon fundraising guide!

Whether it's your first MarchAThon or you’re a seasoned pro, this step by step guide will help you raise money with confidence, clarity, and creativity.

Fundraising isn’t just important—it’s essential to sustaining everything we do. The money raised through March-A-Thon helps us keep student dues affordable and supports the many opportunities and experiences that make JET Band and Color Guard truly exceptional. 

💡 Did You Know?

We’re proud to be one of the few high school programs that did not need to raise student dues this year—a direct result of the incredible support from our community and the success of our fundraising efforts.

With your continued participation in March-A-Thon, we hope to keep dues stable for years to come while still providing top-tier experiences for our students. Every dollar raised helps us maintain excellence without increasing financial burden.

💡Our annual goals are carefully calculated to ensure our program runs smoothly—and every student’s effort directly affects our success.

👟 Participation in fundraising is expected from all members. Whether you're reaching out to supporters or securing a sponsorship, your involvement helps maintain the quality of our program and keeps costs low for everyone.

💙🎶Let’s rally together, support each other, and make this year’s March-A-Thon a win for the whole team! 💙🎶

🎯 Fundraising Goal 🎯

Each student is encouraged to raise $250 or more to help support our program’s goals and community impact.

🛣️ Donation Methods - At a Glance 🛣️

We’ve created several ways to give, so supporters can choose what works best for them:

• ✅ Personalized Student Link
• 💵 Cash or Zelle collected along our routes
• 🎶 Home Concert Purchase
• 🏡 Community Stop Concert Purchase
• 🌐 Remote Concert Package
• 💖 General Donation
• 🏅 Business Sponsorship Opportunities

🌐 Donation Pages Overview 🌐

To make fundraising easy and flexible, we've set up two unique pages where supporters can contribute—each with its own purpose and advantages.

🔗 1. Personalized Fundraising Link (Rally)

• Every student receives their own fundraising link via text and email
• Designed for sharing with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers
• All donations made through this link count directly toward the student’s $250 goal. 

🏠 2. Main March-A-Thon Donation Page

   https://jetbandcg.boosterhub.com/about/11295

  Central Hub for all Donation Opportunities

• Includes options for:
• 🎶 Home Concert purchases
• 🏡 Community Stop Concert purchases
• 🏅 Sponsorship opportunities
• 🎶 Remote Concert purchases
• 💖 General donations to support the program
• Each option features its own clickable link for quick and easy access for our donors.
• Each option allows the donor to put the name of the student they are supporting so they will receive the credit for their hard work.

🛣️ Donation Pathways & Instructions

✅ Personalized Rally Page

• Each student will receive a personalized online donation page link, delivered directly via email and text message to the contact information listed in BoosterHub.

Step 1: Personalize Your Fundraising Link

You'll receive a prompt that says, “Why am I raising money for JET Band and Color Guard?”

• A generic message will be auto-filled, but we strongly recommend customizing it with your own story or reason.
• Include the link to the official March-A-Thon Fundraising Page so donors can view all available options.This is super important to include!

    https://jetbandcg.boosterhub.com/about/11295

• You’ll also be asked to upload a photo—choose one that shows you in action, practicing, or with your instrument.

Step 2: Invite Supporters to Donate

Add contact details for your family, friends, and supporters—just names, phone numbers, and email addresses.

• BoosterHub will automatically reach out and rally donations on your behalf.
• Minimum: 20 contacts. The more you add, the greater your success!
• Don’t forget to click ‘Save and Invite’ at the bottom to activate your list.

Step 3: Send Personal Invitations

You’ll have the option to send emails and text messages using BoosterHub’s suggested message or a version you create.

• This is also where you’ll find your unique fundraising link to share directly.

Step 4: Spread the Word

Promote your page using built-in sharing tools—Facebook, Twitter, email, or simply use the copy link button to post wherever you’d like.

• The more visibility your page gets, the more potential donors you'll reach!

*Side Note: You can go back and edit your personalized page at any time by clicking the invite link sent to your phone or email - do not delete the invite link*

The rest of the donation options below are available on our main March-A-Thon Fundraising Page—accessible via the link below or by visiting jetband.org. Each option offers a unique way for supporters to contribute and make an impact. 

https://jetbandcg.boosterhub.com/about/11295

*Side Note: Every option below prompts the donor to enter the student's name they are supporting - so they will get credit for their hard work*

✅ General Open Donation

• Families and friends can contribute by entering any amount they would like to donate. Make sure they type in the student's name they are supporting.
• Any donors who have no specific student affiliation can donate any amount they want and leave the student name field blank. 

✅ Sponsorship Opportunities

• Students can invite local businesses or community members to sponsor them.
• Sponsorship levels include different perks and they are listed on the website.

✅ Home Concert Purchase

• Families can book a special performance in front of their home during March-A-Thon along one of our 5 Routes! (All Routes listed on the main MarchAThon page)
• Donors get to choose 2 songs from the options provided when they click the link.
• This option is popular, so encourage early registration!

✅ Community Stop Concert Purchase

• Select from designated community locations to host a public performance.
• Donors get to choose 2 songs from the options provided when they click the link.
• Great way to invite extended family or neighbors to watch and donate.

✅ Remote Concert Package

• Perfect for out-of-town supporters: we send a video performance link directly to their inbox so they can join in on the fun!

Who Can You Ask?

Think outside the box—your network is bigger than you think!

Here's a list of people to consider:

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family

• Parents
• Grandparents
• Aunts & Uncles
• Cousins
• Godparents

💬 Family Friends & Neighbors

• Close family friends
• Church friends
• Friendly neighbors
• Coaches or teachers from other activities

📱 Online Network

• Social media followers (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook)
• Group chats (family, school, youth group)

👔 Adults Who Would Support You

• Former teachers or tutors
• Music instructors or scout leaders
• Your job’s manager or coworkers (with permission)
• Family’s coworkers or boss

 Tips for Success

• ✔️ Send reminders every few days—life gets busy!
• ✔️ Include a picture of you practicing
• ✔️ Always say THANK YOU—every donation matters!

🎁 March-A-Thon Prize Party: Earn Big & Celebrate Bigger! 🎁

Whether you're a top fundraiser, steady supporter, or sponsor superstar, we’ve got prizes to keep everyone energized and appreciated!

Here's how you can win:

🥇 Top Earners – Big Rewards!

The top two students who raise the most money will win Visa gift cards:

• 🥇 1st Place: $250
• 🥈 2nd Place: $150

🎯 Goal Getters – Drawing for Donors

Raise $250 or more and your name goes into a drawing for one of these awesome prizes:

• 🎁 $50 Visa Gift Card
• 🌮 $50 Cabo Bob’s Gift Card
• 🍦 $50 Tutti Frutti Gift Card

Two winners will be chosen—so hit that target!

💸 Elite Earners – $1000+ Drawing

Raise $1000 or more and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win:

• 💳 $100 Visa Gift Card

Two winners will be chosen!

🤝 Sponsor Squad – Bring One, Win One

If you secure a sponsorship, your name goes into a drawing to win:

• 🏆 One $100 Visa Gift Card

Every sponsor counts, and so do you!

🏅 Sponsorship Point Challenge

Each sponsorship tier earns you points:

• Bronze = 1 point
• Silver = 2 points
• Gold = 3 points
• Platinum = 4 points

📊 The student with the most points wins a $250 Visa Gift Card!

📊 The student with the second most points wins a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Let’s turn your networking skills into prize power!

The SECTION with the most Sponsorship Points (must be over 10) will be treated to a social! (Cabo Bobs, Cici's, or similiar)

🎉 Bonus Prize: All-Band Celebration

If we blow past our $60,000 fundraising goal and hit $70,000 or more the entire JET Band & Color Guard will enjoy:

🍕 Pizza & Ice Cream Party!

Let’s rally the troops and make this a prize-filled, memory-making March-A-Thon! 💃🎺🔥