Planning a field day might seem like a challenging task at first, but it’s actually quite simple when you break down the process into manageable steps. Follow these steps to plan your field day fundraiser: 

1. Set a goal. Your goal will give you something to work toward and help you determine the event entry fee. Your goal should be aligned with your event’s purpose. For instance, let’s say you’re fundraising for your school’s basketball team to be able to participate in an upcoming tournament. The tournament has a team entry fee of $1,500 and the transportation costs will be around $500, so you should set a fundraising goal of at least $2,000 to cover these expenses.
2. Determine an entry fee. Choose your event entry fee by considering your fundraising goal and expected participation rate. Going off the previous example, you might expect your event to include about 200 people. Therefore, you should set an entry fee of at least $10 to ensure that you reach your $2,000 fundraising goal. Make sure to underestimate your event attendance rate so you have a better chance of meeting your fundraising goal. 
3. Choose your location. Large, open fields tend to work best for field day events. You might choose your school’s football field or a local park. Also, have a backup location in mind if possible in case of rain. This might be your school’s gym or a local community center. Ensure both locations can accommodate your expected number of attendees. 
4. Recruit volunteers. Depending on the size of your event, you may require volunteers to help with set-up, concessions, first-aid, and clean-up. Plus, you may also need volunteers to act as referees or judges for your field day activities. Reach out to past event volunteers, school parents, and other community members to ask them to be volunteers for your event. Offer incentives, such as free t-shirts or concessions, to make volunteering more enticing. 
5. Create a schedule/map for your event. To reduce confusion, plan an event schedule that explains which events will take place, where they will happen, and when. Space out your events or separate your event venue into different sections for different events. This ensures that you won’t face any mishaps, such as your 100-yard dash runners crashing into your egg-and-spoon racers. 
6. Market your event. You’ll need to get the word out about your event so that you have enough participants to reach your fundraising goal. Market your event using flyers, social media posts, emails, direct mail, and word-of-mouth advertising. Ask your organization’s members and your volunteers to tell their family and friends about your event and encourage them to come. 
7. Gather prizes for participants. Prizes can add another level of excitement to your field day. You might choose a few larger prizes for winners of major events, like your 100-yard dash or water balloon toss. You can also offer prizes to all participants, such as medals.