Swim-a-Thons are a great way for USA Swimming member clubs to earn additional funds for their upcoming swim seasons. Take it from the Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Club (SMAC), who exceeded their fundraising goal earlier this year. In a total of 17 pools with around 500 swimmers, SMAC was able to use multiple resources to help implement a successful Swim-a-Thon. Erika Jackman, Fundraising Director at SMAC, gave her advice on how to implement a successful event.
First, SMAC’s Swim-a-Thon success relied heavily on preparation.
The Swim-a-Thon committee met regularly beforehand to figure out a strategy on how to inform members and get their involvement. They decided to reach and promote the event to everyone on the club in multiple ways. This included:
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Sending an overview email to parents.
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Posting on Facebook and Instagram to reach athletes and additional parents.
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Promoting the list of prizes which would be available each week.
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Holding a Swim-a-Thon launch for members. At the launch, the committee provided:
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A promo bag with the Swim-a-Thon informational packets inside.
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Swim-a-Thon t-shirts for coaches.
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In-person conversations about the event to discuss what athletes and parents could do to participate, goal fundraising amount and what the funds would be used for.
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Providing extra Swim-a-Thon caps, bag tags, and stickers to coaches so they could distribute among their swimmers accordingly.
