Short answer: Documented color runs in the United States reported results from about $1,200 to more than $50,000. A few published their costs: one Virginia PTO reported about $6,000 in costs on $25,010.50 raised, and a Florida PTO reported $60,000 raised with $50,000 profit. Results depend on the size of the school, sponsors and how giving works, so treat each as one event, not a benchmark.
These are color runs that schools, parent groups, churches and charities ran themselves and documented somewhere you can check. It is the evidence behind the advice in our color run fundraising guide. Each event is shown as its source reports it. We don't average them, rank them or compare dollars across countries, because the events differ too much in size, format and what their totals include.
How events get in
- The source is the organizer or an independent publisher: the school, PTA, PTO or charity's own site, newsletter or minutes, a school district, a diocesan or nonprofit publication, or local news.
- No fundraising-platform campaign pages. Those pages show a running total, not a documented result, and we don't link fundraising platforms.
- No events run by a fundraising or event company. We want to show what groups did themselves.
- Results are worded exactly as published. "More than $10,000" stays "more than $10,000". Projections and pre-event totals are left out.
- Currency is shown for every event outside the United States.
Method note: The database has 37 entries and was last reviewed on Oct 20, 2026. It is not a random sample. Events that went well are far more likely to be written up than events that disappointed, so the results skew high. A few pages give no date; they are marked as undated.
The database
Download the full list as a spreadsheet: color run case database (CSV). Events marked "costs published" are profiled below.
United States (24)
| Organization and place | Year | Published result | What stands out | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Elementary PTO Hibbing, Minnesota | 2023 | over $56,000 | Goal was $30,000; funds for field trips and classroom extras | WDIO, May 19, 2023 |
| Morgan Elementary PTA Clemmons, North Carolina | 2024 | more than $45,000 | Fun run by grade; only fifth graders finished with color | Clemmons Courier, Nov 28, 2024 |
| Dudley Elementary PTO Franklin County, Virginia | 2025 | $25,010.50 costs published | About $6,000 in costs; 43 local business sponsors | Smith Mountain Eagle, Oct 6, 2025 |
| Wards Creek Elementary PTO St. Johns County, Florida | 2025 | $60,000 raised; $50,000 profit costs published | Reported in School Advisory Council minutes | Wards Creek Elementary SAC minutes, Oct 16, 2025 |
| Oquirrh Elementary PTA Jordan School District, Utah | 2025 | about $8,600 estimated revenue | Replaced the school carnival; concessions and $5 color bags | Oquirrh Elementary PTA minutes, Oct 6, 2025 |
| Hampton Township PTA (Marian E. McKeown Elementary) Newton, New Jersey | 2023 | about $6,000 from sponsors, about $4,000 from participants, about $350 in donations | 5K and 1-mile walk; the PTA president said the Sunday date may have lowered turnout | Township Journal, Sep 26, 2023 |
| Wasuma Elementary PTA Ahwahnee, California | 2018 | over $7,500 | Per-lap or flat pledges; gold sponsors paid for every student's shirt | Sierra News Online, Oct 25, 2018 |
| Towamensing Elementary PTO Palmerton Area, Pennsylvania | 2023 | $5,867.39 | Fourth annual; goal was $5,000 | Times News, May 31, 2023 |
| Minisink Valley Elementary and Intermediate PTOs Slate Hill, New York | 2023 | over $21,000 | First event; campus course designed by a coach | Minisink Valley CSD, Oct 27, 2023 |
| Gentry Primary School (for the PTO) Gentry, Arkansas | 2025 | $18,000 | Ten named local business sponsors | Gentry Public Schools, Oct 16, 2025 |
| Sheldon Middle School Sheldon, Iowa | 2019 | about $30,900 in donations | Obstacle color run; 227 of 330 students collected sponsorships; replaced a magazine sale | N'West Iowa REVIEW, undated page |
| Mokena School District 159 PTA Mokena, Illinois | 2025 | an estimated $13,000 | Sensory dash, kids' dash and 5K; more than 700 took part | Patch, Jun 4, 2025 |
| Country View Elementary PTO Verona, Wisconsin | 2023 | over $10,000 | Over 200 students took part | Verona Press, undated page |
| Country View Elementary PTO Verona, Wisconsin | 2026 | over $9,000 | Evening event with a color-powder dance party; goal was $10,000 | Verona Press, undated page |
| St. James Elementary Washington, Iowa | 2023 | $4,411 | Catholic PreK–5; closed streets; each student asked to raise $40 | Washington Evening Journal, Oct 7, 2024 |
| William H. Bashaw Elementary Manatee County, Florida | 2022 (as dated in the page address) | more than $10,000 | Super hero theme; about 680 ran and 229 fundraised | Your Observer, undated page |
| Howard Elementary PTO Kokomo area, Indiana | Not stated | more than $16,000 | First color run; corporate sponsors | Kokomo Tribune, undated page |
| West Cary Middle School PTA Cary, North Carolina | 2017 | more than $3,000 | First event; more than 360 families and students took part | Cary Citizen, May 2, 2017 |
| Adele Harrison Middle School PTO Sonoma, California | Not stated | more than $6,000 | A different color each lap | Sonoma Index-Tribune, undated page |
| Aspen Elementary PTA Jordan School District, Utah | Not stated | $40,000 for the PTA | Evening event with a dunk tank and pies for teachers | Jordan School District, undated page |
| First Baptist Christian Academy Palm Coast area, Florida | 2018 | $1,200 | For athletics; four stations; 70 took part | Palm Coast Observer, Sep 30, 2018 |
| St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Thomas More parishes, youth ministry Indiana, Pennsylvania · church | 2021 | over $1,800 | About 100 runners; for youth conference travel | The Catholic Accent, Sep 3, 2021 |
| Sycamore Middle School, for North Valley Sparrow Foundation Gridley, California · charity | 2024 | $5,000 donated | Sponsor logos on shirt backs; student-run stations | Gridley Herald, Mar 28, 2024 |
| Setauket Elementary School, for a student's family Three Village, New York · charity | 2017 | more than $6,800 | About 600 registered; most came despite rain | Patch (district release), Oct 23, 2017 |
Australia (6)
| Organization and place | Year | Published result | What stands out | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baulkham Hills North Public School P&C New South Wales, Australia | 2019 | about AU$33,000 raised; profit around AU$21,000 costs published | Donated board-game prizes for top classes | Baulkham Hills North P&C minutes, Jun 18, 2019 |
| Exmouth District High School P&C Exmouth, Western Australia | 2018 | more than AU$7,500 | Fully sponsored, so all funds went to the school; 45 volunteers | Pilbara News, Oct 29, 2018 |
| Kareela Public School P&C Kareela, New South Wales | 2018 | more than AU$14,000 on the day | Run by the P&C itself; businesses were invited to match parent gifts | St George & Sutherland Shire Leader, Mar 26, 2018 |
| Singleton Heights Public School P&C Singleton, New South Wales | 2024 | AU$15,688.29 | Obstacle-course color run in the playground | Singleton Heights Public School, May 21, 2024 |
| St Joseph's Primary School parents and friends Warragul, Victoria | 2025 | almost AU$16,500 | Obstacle course with color and water | Warragul & Drouin Gazette, Nov 27, 2025 |
| Marri Grove Primary P&C Byford, Western Australia | 2019 | about AU$15,000 | First color run, on the school oval | Examiner, Apr 4, 2019 |
New Zealand (2)
| Organization and place | Year | Published result | What stands out | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puketaha School PTA Hamilton, New Zealand | Not stated | over NZ$12,500 after expenses costs published | The PTA's most successful fundraiser outside its spring fair | Puketaha School newsletter, undated page |
| Cambridge Primary School PTA Cambridge, New Zealand | 2023 | more than NZ$13,000 | Seven color stands and a water slide finish | Cambridge News, Nov 16, 2023 |
United Kingdom (5)
| Organization and place | Year | Published result | What stands out | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onthank Primary Parent Council East Ayrshire, Scotland | 2025 | over £7,000 | Seven local business sponsors | East Ayrshire Council, Jul 18, 2025 |
| Friends of William Howard School Brampton, Cumbria, England | 2025 | more than £1,000 so far | Six businesses each sponsored a color station; total not final when published | William Howard School, Oct 3, 2025 |
| Friends of Langshott Primary Horley, Surrey, England | Not stated | profit just over £6,000 costs published | Entry up to £3 for pupils and £5 for others; £1,000 on powder plus white shirts; £50 station sponsors | pta.co.uk case study, undated page |
| Stamford Green Primary PTA Epsom, Surrey, England | Not stated | over £6,000 costs published | Tickets priced to break even; profit from sponsors, Gift Aid and food | pta.co.uk case study, undated page |
| Lingen Davies cancer charity Shrewsbury, England · charity | 2023 | £42,000 | Second year; more than 700 took part | Shropshire Star, Apr 26, 2023 |
Events that published costs
Few groups publish what their color run cost, which is exactly what a new organizer most needs to know. These six published a cost, a profit or a pricing basis:
| Event | What was published | What it implies |
|---|---|---|
| Dudley Elementary PTO, Virginia, 2025 | $25,010.50 raised; costs "around $6000" for powder, shirts and supplies | Arithmetic Costs were about 24% of the amount raised |
| Wards Creek Elementary PTO, Florida, 2025 | $60,000 raised, $50,000 profit | A $10,000 difference, about 17% of the amount raised; the minutes don't itemize it |
| Baulkham Hills North P&C, Australia, 2019 | About AU$33,000 raised, profit around AU$21,000 | About AU$12,000 of costs and deductions, roughly 36% of the amount raised |
| Puketaha School PTA, New Zealand | Over NZ$12,500 "after expenses" | A net figure only; expenses not stated |
| Friends of Langshott Primary, England | Profit just over £6,000; £1,000 on powder plus white shirts for everyone | With more than 320 sign-ups, at most about £3 of powder per participant |
| Stamford Green Primary PTA, England | Over £6,000; tickets priced to break even | The profit came from sponsorship, tax relief on gifts and food, not from tickets |
The three events with both a gross and a cost or profit figure put costs at about 17% to 36% of the amount raised, measured differently at each event. One of those figures, Wards Creek's, is a gap between raised and profit that the minutes don't label as costs. That spread is the honest takeaway: costs are a real share of a color run's gross, and they vary with shirts, sponsors and how much powder each participant gets. Our canonical example in the color run cost guide has costs at 18% of gross in its middle case.
Profiles worth reading
Dudley Elementary PTO, Franklin County, Virginia: sponsors cover the costs
Nearly 180 students raised money to take part, ran laps of the track in event shirts and bandanas while volunteers and teachers sprayed powder, and finished with a color toss in a circle. The PTO reported $25,010.50, a new record, against costs of around $6,000. The planning decision that stands out is the sponsor program: 43 local businesses, including 27 gold sponsors at $500, and the article says local corporate sponsorships cover the event's costs. The PTO also runs the event itself with volunteers. Arithmetic The 27 gold sponsorships alone come to $13,500, more than twice the stated costs. The article doesn't say whether sponsor money is part of the $25,010.50.
Wards Creek Elementary PTO, St. Johns County, Florida: the profit line matters
The school's advisory council minutes record the PTO's report: the color run raised $60,000 and made $50,000 in profit, with sunshades for the swing sets as the first purchase. It is one of the few public records that separates raised from kept. If your board reports only the raised number, adopt this habit. Families and sponsors trust a group that tells them what it kept.
Oquirrh Elementary PTA, Utah: the operations notes every first-timer needs
Oquirrh's PTA minutes are unusually candid. In 2024 the color run replaced the school carnival as the main fundraiser. Students wore white shirts from home, teachers dusted color from PTA-supplied bottles, and families could buy $5 color bags. In 2025 the PTA planned heats every 15 minutes; 160 lb of powder was bagged into 340 bags that sold out quickly, and the rough estimate of revenue was about $8,600: $4,700 in online donations, $500 in cash donations and about $3,400 from concessions. Arithmetic Concessions were about 40% of the estimate. The minutes list what went wrong (food sold out, low volunteer turnout, possibly because of a conflicting high-school event, confusing online preorders) and the fixes: a dedicated powder-refill volunteer, wide-mouth funnels, more bottles filled in advance, and asking volunteers for 30-minute shifts. Read them before you write your volunteer plan (October 2025 minutes).
Baulkham Hills North Public School P&C, New South Wales: class prizes and a profit check
The P&C minutes report about AU$33,000 raised and a profit of around AU$21,000, with small amounts still arriving. The P&C bought the powder itself, and donated board games went to the top fundraising classes, which the minutes say were well received. The same minutes record that the committee would need to decide whether to offer prizes at all the next year. That is a question worth asking every year, and the color run prizes guide covers how to answer it.
Hampton Township PTA, New Jersey: the revenue mix and the Sunday lesson
The PTA's second color run, a 5K with a one-mile walk at the township recreation fields, brought in about $6,000 from sponsors, about $4,000 from participants and about $350 in donations. Arithmetic Sponsors were about 58% of the roughly $10,350 total. Turnout fell from about 350 to about 250, and the PTA president said the lower number may have been because it was held on a Sunday, when people attend church. The next event was tentatively planned for a Saturday. Students in grades 3 to 5 designed the shirt in art class.
Sheldon Middle School, Iowa: replacing a product sale
Sheldon's first color run was an obstacle course with nine obstacles. All students ran, and 227 of 330 collected sponsorships, about 69%. The school reported about $30,900 in donations, compared with a yearly budget of roughly $12,000 for field trips, activities and planners. It replaced a long-running magazine sale whose profits were falling, and because the result was so strong, the school planned to skip fundraising the next year and hold the color run every other year. Groups tired of product sales will recognize the reasoning.
Morgan Elementary PTA, North Carolina: color for one grade
Morgan's fall fun run had each grade run about 0.6 miles around a lake path, and only fifth graders finished with color, which the PTA president called "sort of a rite of passage" for fifth graders. The PTA reported more than $45,000. Keeping powder to one grade cuts the powder bill and the cleanup, keeps the youngest students out of the cloud, and gives older students something to look forward to. It is a model worth copying if your committee is unsure about powder for the whole school. The color run vs. fun run comparison covers other hybrid options.
Langshott and Stamford Green, England: two ticket models
Both are described in UK parent-association case studies. Friends of Langshott Primary charged up to £3 for pupils and £5 for others, had more than 320 sign-ups, spent £1,000 on powder plus white shirts for everyone, sold £50 sponsorships for each color station, and reported a profit of just over £6,000 including a company's match funding. Stamford Green Primary priced tickets at £8.50 per child to break even, sold more than 400 before ordering powder, and made over £6,000 from sponsorship, tax relief on gifts and food. Selling tickets before ordering powder is a habit worth borrowing from both.
Churches and charities
A youth ministry shared by two parishes in Indiana, Pennsylvania, held a first color fun run for about 100 runners and raised over $1,800 toward youth conference travel. The diocesan paper noted that priests taking part helped build community. In England, the Lingen Davies cancer charity's second color run drew more than 700 people and raised £42,000. Two school-run charity events show another model: Sycamore Middle School in California gave $5,000 to a cancer support foundation, and Setauket Elementary in New York raised more than $6,800 for a student's family. The guide for churches and nonprofits covers what changes when you run a color run for the public.
What these events show
- Size and community matter more than format. Published results run from about $1,200 at a small Florida academy to over $50,000 at large elementary schools. No two events are comparable without knowing enrollment, sponsors and what the total includes.
- Sponsors appear again and again. Dudley, Hampton Township, Gentry, Wasuma, Onthank and Exmouth all credit local businesses. In Exmouth the event was fully sponsored, so every dollar raised went to the school.
- Costs are real. Where gross and costs were both published, costs came to about 17% to 36% of the amount raised, measured differently at each event. Wards Creek's figure is a raised-minus-profit gap the source doesn't label as costs.
- Many groups chose a color run to replace a product sale or a carnival. Sheldon Middle School, St. James Elementary and Oquirrh Elementary said so.
- Participation in fundraising is never universal. Sheldon reported about 69% of students collecting sponsorships; at Bashaw Elementary, 229 of about 680 runners fundraised, about 34%. Plan the cautious case.
Postponements, heat and other lessons
- Rain and wet fields. The Howell, New Jersey education foundation's color run was postponed two weeks in a row because rain left the fields too wet. Pick a rain date when you pick the date.
- Low registration. A Gustine, California color run was postponed with only 30 registrants and a rain forecast, with refunds or a roll-over offered. Set a go/no-go registration number before you order powder.
- Heat. At Hunter River High School in New South Wales, students ran laps on a day over 40 °C and the fire brigade hosed them with cool water each lap (News Of The Area). Set a heat plan with your safety lead before the day.
- Cleanup. After a large commercial color run in Atlanta in 2012, residents complained about residue on streets and cars, and the organizer paid to buff stained paint and hired 40 workers to clean the streets. The cleanup guide explains how to avoid this at any scale.
Add your event
Ran a color run your group documented publicly? Email the link to hello@walk-a-thon.com. We add events that meet the rules above, re-check every link each quarter, and correct any entry the organizer asks us to. Want to compare color runs with other events? See our walk-a-thon case studies and guides for walking events.
Sources
- Patch, Howell schools color run postponed again. patch.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Westside Connect, Gustine color run postponed due to low participation and weather concerns. westsideconnect.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- News Of The Area, Hunter River High School colour run. newsofthearea.com.au (accessed October 20, 2026)
- WSB-TV, Color Run leaves some upset. wsbtv.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- WDIO, Lincoln Elementary PTO (2023). wdio.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Clemmons Courier, Morgan Elementary PTA (2024). clemmonscourier.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Smith Mountain Eagle, Dudley Elementary PTO (2025). smithmountaineagle.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Wards Creek Elementary SAC minutes, Wards Creek Elementary PTO (2025). www-wce.stjohns.k12.fl.us (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Oquirrh Elementary PTA minutes, Oquirrh Elementary PTA (2025). oquirrh.jordandistrict.org (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Township Journal, Hampton Township PTA (Marian E. McKeown Elementary) (2023). townshipjournal.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Sierra News Online, Wasuma Elementary PTA (2018). sierranewsonline.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Times News, Towamensing Elementary PTO (2023). tnonline.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Minisink Valley CSD, Minisink Valley Elementary and Intermediate PTOs (2023). minisink.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Gentry Public Schools, Gentry Primary School (for the PTO) (2025). gentrypioneers.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- N'West Iowa REVIEW, Sheldon Middle School (2019). nwestiowa.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Patch, Mokena School District 159 PTA (2025). patch.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Verona Press, Country View Elementary PTO (2023). veronapress.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Verona Press, Country View Elementary PTO (2026). veronapress.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Washington Evening Journal, St. James Elementary (2023). southeastiowaunion.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Your Observer, William H. Bashaw Elementary (2022 (as dated in the page address)). yourobserver.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Kokomo Tribune, Howard Elementary PTO. kokomotribune.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Cary Citizen, West Cary Middle School PTA (2017). carycitizenarchive.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Sonoma Index-Tribune, Adele Harrison Middle School PTO. sonomanews.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Jordan School District, Aspen Elementary PTA. jordandistrict.org (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Palm Coast Observer, First Baptist Christian Academy (2018). observerlocalnews.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Baulkham Hills North P&C minutes, Baulkham Hills North Public School P&C (2019). baulkhamn-p.schools.nsw.gov.au (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Puketaha School newsletter, Puketaha School PTA. puketahas.schoolzineplus.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Cambridge News, Cambridge Primary School PTA (2023). cambridgenews.nz (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Pilbara News, Exmouth District High School P&C (2018). pilbaranews.com.au (accessed October 20, 2026)
- St George & Sutherland Shire Leader, Kareela Public School P&C (2018). theleader.com.au (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Singleton Heights Public School, Singleton Heights Public School P&C (2024). singletonh-p.schools.nsw.gov.au (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Warragul & Drouin Gazette, St Joseph's Primary School parents and friends (2025). thegazette.com.au (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Examiner, Marri Grove Primary P&C (2019). yourlocalexaminer.com.au (accessed October 20, 2026)
- East Ayrshire Council, Onthank Primary Parent Council (2025). newsroom.east-ayrshire.gov.uk (accessed October 20, 2026)
- William Howard School, Friends of William Howard School (2025). williamhoward.cumbria.sch.uk (accessed October 20, 2026)
- pta.co.uk case study, Friends of Langshott Primary. pta.co.uk (accessed October 20, 2026)
- pta.co.uk case study, Stamford Green Primary PTA. pta.co.uk (accessed October 20, 2026)
- The Catholic Accent, St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Thomas More parishes, youth ministry (2021). theaccentonline.org (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Shropshire Star, Lingen Davies cancer charity (2023). shropshirestar.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Gridley Herald, Sycamore Middle School, for North Valley Sparrow Foundation (2024). gridleyherald.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
- Patch (district release), Setauket Elementary School, for a student's family (2017). patch.com (accessed October 20, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a school color run raise?
There is no reliable average. The documented events here range from about $1,200 to more than $50,000, and the totals include different things: some count sponsors and concessions, some only donations. Estimate yours from your own numbers with the color run fundraising calculator: participants, the share who fundraise, donors each and the average gift.
Why don't you include events run by fundraising companies?
This database shows what groups can do on their own, and a company-run event mixes the company's fee and services into the result. We also don't link fundraising platforms or companies anywhere on this site. Our PTA and PTO guide covers the decision between running a color run yourselves and hiring outside help.
Can I use these examples in a proposal to our board?
Yes. Link to the original source rather than this page, quote the result exactly as the source words it, and say what the total includes if the source says. Pair one or two examples from schools like yours with your own estimate from the calculator, so the board sees both evidence and a plan.
How often is the database updated?
We review it every quarter: we re-check each link, add new events that meet the rules and note any correction. The date of the last review is in the method note near the top of the page. You can download the whole list as a CSV file.