Meaningful to the donor
Grandma is not buying laps. She is rewarding Emma for a goal Emma is actually trying to reach, and she knows the amount before she gives.
Introducing the Extra Mile concept
What if your school could raise more without chasing pledges?
We're exploring a new way to run walkathons, jog-a-thons, read-a-thons, and other school fundraisers. Families donate upfront. They can also offer a fixed bonus when a student reaches a goal that fits that student — not a pledge for every lap.
We're looking for PTOs to help us bring the idea to life.
In development — founding PTO partners wanted
Proposed experience
Grandma gives for Emma
An example of the idea. This is not a live checkout.
Charged today
$25
Paid today
Possible bonus
$20
If Emma reaches her own goal
Maximum $45
Emma’s goal might be 15 laps. A younger classmate’s might be 8. The bonus is for reaching that goal. It is not a charge per lap, book, or minute.
Their goal
Reward the student in front of you. Not every lap they take.
A pledge per lap, book, or minute turns the fundraiser into a rate. Extra Mile starts with a goal that belongs to that participant. The donor knows what they are cheering for. The student has a finish line they can actually reach.
Meaningful to the student
The finish line belongs to that child. Ten laps, eight books, or a shorter jog can be the achievement. It is still worth celebrating.
Nobody is left out
A price per lap asks every student to be the same kind of athlete. A personal goal can fit a younger student, a slower student, or a student doing a different activity.
After the event
Traditional pledging asks volunteers to finish the fundraiser later.
Schools adopted per-lap pledges because effort and fundraising felt connected. The collection that follows is the hard part. Extra Mile is one idea for keeping the excitement without that second job.
The money often waits
A pledge is a promise. The event can end before the school has collected it.
Volunteers become the ledger
Someone still has to match pledges, check the count, and follow up with families.
The final amount is a surprise
A donor who offers a small amount per lap may not know what they will owe.
The work continues after the celebration
Chasing what is still unpaid is a second project, after the students have gone home.
A different approach
Give now. Add a fixed bonus if the goal is met.
This is a proposed experience. Extra Mile is not in the product today.
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1
Give now
Grandma donates $25 immediately. The school has that gift the day she gives it.
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2
Add a challenge
She can optionally authorize another $20 if Emma reaches the goal set for Emma — not a dollar for every lap.
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3
Celebrate
When the goal is met, the $20 bonus is attempted with the payment method she already authorized.
The $20 is for Emma’s goal, not for each lap. Grandma’s maximum is $45, and she sees that before she gives.
More than walkathons
The same idea, in the activity your school already runs.
The activity changes. The goal stays personal. These are proposed applications, not features you can use today. A class-wide goal can be part of the conversation later. It is not the starting point.
Walkathon
One student aims for 15 laps. A classmate aims for 8. Each bonus is for that student’s goal.
Read-a-thon
One reader aims for 8 books. Another aims for 20. Donors reward the goal, not a rate per book.
Jog-a-thon
The distance is the one that student can do. The gift does not get smaller because they are younger or slower.
Founding partners
Built with PTOs. Not just for PTOs.
EventEase worked directly with Crystal Lake School PTO on the participant fundraising pages families used for their 2026 Color Run. They raised $27,662.77.
We want to do that again with two or three PTOs for Extra Mile. Participation means conversations, feedback on prototypes, and, if it fits your calendar, trying the idea at an upcoming fundraiser.
Applying does not reserve a pilot, and it does not mean Extra Mile will be available by a certain date.
Founding PTO application
Help us build Extra Mile.
Tell us about the fundraiser you are already planning. We are looking for a few schools, not a waitlist for a finished product.
We received your application.
Thank you for offering to help shape Extra Mile. This is still a concept, not a feature you can turn on, and applying does not reserve a launch date. We will follow up by email.
Planning a fundraiser sooner?
EventEase already runs school fundraisers: registration, student fundraising pages, donation collection, and a person you can call. Color Runs are the place to start.
Explore EventEase Color RunsAlready planning dances, yearbook sales, or other school events? See EventEase for PTOs .