PTA Colour Run Budget Planner: What It Costs and What You Will Raise

Before your PTA committee says yes to a colour run, someone is going to ask: "What will it cost and what will we make?" This post gives you the real numbers so you can build a budget, present it with confidence, and avoid any surprises.

The Quick Answer

A school colour run typically costs £300 to £800 to put on and raises £1,500 to £8,000 depending on school size and fundraising model. That means your return on investment is consistently strong, with net profit margins of 70% to 90% for well-run events.

Compare that to a Christmas fair (which can cost £500 to £1,500 in setup, prizes, and supplies) or a professional fundraising company (which takes 30% to 50% of your gross revenue). The colour run's low cost base is one of its biggest advantages.

Expense Breakdown

Here are the realistic costs for a typical UK primary school colour run:

Essential Costs

Item	Cost Range	Notes
Colour powder	£200 - £500	Your biggest expense. Based on 300g per person in 5kg bags. A 200-pupil school needs roughly 12-14 bags.
Disposable cups	£3 - £8	For volunteers to scoop and throw powder. Packs from Poundland or a supermarket.
Hazard tape / barrier tape	£3 - £5	To mark the course. One or two rolls is usually enough.
Bin bags	£1 - £2	For cleanup and empty powder bags.
Printing	£10 - £30	Parent letters, consent forms, sponsorship forms, signage. Most schools print in-house.
First aid supplies	£0 - £15	Top up the school's existing first aid kit with extra plasters, eye rinse, and paper towels.
Total essentials	£220 - £560

Optional Costs

Item	Cost Range	Notes
Medals	£0.80 - £1.50 each	Popular but not required. 200 medals at £1 each = £200. Some schools skip medals entirely or use printed certificates instead (virtually free).
White t-shirts	£1.50 - £3.00 each	Only if you want to provide branded event shirts. Most schools ask children to bring their own white t-shirt.
Sunglasses	£0.50 - £1.00 each	Optional eye protection for children. Some schools include them, most do not.
Cones	£0 - £15	Most schools already own cones from PE equipment. If not, a set of 10 costs under £15.
Speaker / PA hire	£0 - £30	A Bluetooth speaker works fine. Most schools or PTA members own one.
Banners / signage	£0 - £40	Nice to have but not essential. Handmade signs work perfectly well for a school event.

The medals decision: Medals are the single biggest optional cost. At £1 each for 200 children, that is £200 you could save. Some schools use printed certificates (cost: virtually nothing) or skip finisher awards entirely. Children do not need a medal to have an amazing time. If your budget is tight, cut the medals first.

Costs You Probably Do Not Have

• Insurance: If your PTA is a member of Parentkind or PTA+, public liability cover is included in your membership (around £100 to £130 per year, not per event). If the school is running the event, their existing insurance covers it.
• Venue hire: Zero if you are using your own school field or playground.
• DJ or entertainment: A Bluetooth speaker and a playlist is all you need.
• Professional event company: You are doing this yourself. That is why you keep 100% of the revenue.

Revenue Projections

Your revenue depends on your fundraising model. Here are realistic projections for a 200-pupil primary school:

Model 1: Ticket Only

Revenue Source	Calculation	Amount
Entry fees	160 pupils x £5 (80% participation)	£800
Gross revenue		£800
Expenses		-£350
Net raised		£450

Model 2: Sponsorship Only

Revenue Source	Calculation	Amount
Sponsorship	160 pupils x £20 avg x 85% collection	£2,720
Gross revenue		£2,720
Expenses		-£350
Net raised		£2,370

Model 3: Hybrid (Recommended)

Revenue Source	Calculation	Amount
Entry fees	160 pupils x £5	£800
Sponsorship	160 pupils x £18 avg x 85% collection	£2,448
Local sponsors	3 businesses x £100 avg	£300
Extra powder sales on the day	50 cups x £1	£50
Gross revenue		£3,598
Expenses		-£400
Net raised		£3,198

The hybrid model consistently outperforms the other two. The entry fee covers your costs upfront (so you are never out of pocket), and the sponsorship is pure profit on top.

Budget by School Size

School Size	Typical Powder Cost	Typical Total Expenses	Likely Net Revenue (Hybrid)
100 pupils	£150 - £250	£250 - £450	£1,000 - £2,500
200 pupils	£250 - £400	£350 - £600	£2,000 - £5,000
300 pupils	£350 - £500	£450 - £750	£3,000 - £7,000
400+ pupils	£450 - £650	£550 - £900	£4,000 - £10,000

How to Present the Budget to Your PTA Committee

When you bring this to your PTA meeting, frame it simply:

"We will spend approximately £[amount] to put on the colour run. Based on [your school size] pupils and a hybrid fundraising model, we can realistically expect to raise £[conservative estimate] to £[strong estimate] net. The money will fund [specific goal]."

Have the expense breakdown ready in case anyone asks, and be clear about which costs are essential and which are optional. If the committee is nervous about the upfront spend, point out that the entry fee alone covers the costs before any sponsorship comes in.

Five Ways to Keep Costs Down

1. Skip the medals. Use printed certificates or no finisher award at all. Saves £100 to £300.
2. Ask children to bring their own white t-shirts. Do not buy event shirts in year one. You can add branded shirts in year two once you know the event works.
3. Use school resources. Cones from PE, a speaker from a staff member, printing from the school office. Most of what you need already exists somewhere in your school.
4. Get a sponsor to cover the powder. A single local business sponsoring £250 to £400 covers your entire powder cost. Everything else you raise is pure profit.
5. Order the right amount of powder. Use 300g per person as your guide and do not over-order. Our powder quantity guide helps you calculate exactly what you need.

After the Event: Reporting the Numbers

After all sponsorship is collected and expenses are paid, report these figures to your PTA committee and school community:

• Gross revenue: Total money in (entry fees + sponsorship + sponsors + any extras)
• Total expenses: Itemised list of what was spent
• Net raised: Gross minus expenses. This is the headline number.
• Per-pupil average: Net raised divided by number of participating pupils. Useful for benchmarking next year.
• What the money will fund: The specific thing(s) the money is being spent on. This is what you share with parents and display in the school entrance hall.

Keeping clear records makes it easy to plan next year's event, justify the time and effort to the headteacher, and build community support for future fundraising.

Download Our Free Budget Template

Our School Colour Run Planning Pack includes a budget planner template you can fill in with your own numbers. It covers all the expense categories above plus revenue projections for each fundraising model.

For the complete planning guide, visit our Colour Run Planning Hub.