How to organise a walkathon fundraiser
A charity walk is great for raising money for any nonprofit or individual fundraiser. To make sure your next walking fundraiser brings in the donations you need, we’ve put together a list of simple fundraising ideas, tips, and practical advice that you can look to for guidance.
Don’t let unfamiliarity with a walkathon impact your fundraising efforts — walks don’t have to be an uphill struggle and can take your fundraiser to the next level when executed correctly.
What is a walkathon?
A walkathon is a community fundraising event where participants of all ages and abilities receive sponsorships and donations for completing a walk over a set course for their chosen charitable cause.
Walkathons are a popular idea for all types of charity fundraisers, providing participants with a fun day out while keeping costs low for organisers. There are no minimum distances, personal bests, or competitive rewards involved — instead, the focus is on fostering a sense of community through the unifying power of fundraising.
How to organise a charity walkathon
While charity walks are some of the easiest and low-cost events that fundraisers can utilise, knowing where to start with your own walking fundraiser can be tough.
So, whether you’re getting involved with an established walkathon or planning your own event from the ground up — here’s a step-by-step guide to making sure your charity walk marches on to success.
1. Make a plan
No charity walk becomes a success without a large degree of behind-the-scenes planning, so it’s important to get your priorities in line from the outset. Firstly, you will need to choose a charity or other worthy cause to support. If you don’t already have a person or organisation in mind, take some inspiration from the GoFundMe heroes, who have made meaningful contributions across a range of societal issues.
Next, you’ll need to start planning the logistics of your walking fundraiser event. If you’re organising your own charity walk, you’ll need to settle on a route, distance, date, and location. Keep in mind that you may need to receive a permit from local authorities depending on the location of your walk, and recruit some volunteers to assist you on the day.
2. Start your fundraiser
Once you have planned out the where, when, and how of your charity walk, you’re ready to start a fundraiser. Getting started is quick, safe, and easy — just follow these simple steps:
- Tell us the basics of where you live, what you’re fundraising for, and who you would like your donations to be sent to. This can be yourself, an individual beneficiary, or your chosen charitable organisation.
- Set a fundraising goal based on how much money you would like to raise with your walkathon. It’s okay to be ambitious, but try to set a realistic target that’s in line with the size and scope of your event. Remember that you can change your fundraising goal at any time, and you don’t need to reach it in order to receive your donations.
- Add a cover photo, as fundraisers with meaningful images tend to perform better than those without. Think carefully about which picture you’d like to share and try to add a photo that captures the spirit of your fundraiser.
- Tell your story by writing 2-3 paragraphs that sum up what makes your fundraiser unique. Being as open, honest, and descriptive as possible will help donors understand and identify with your goals. Make sure to include important practical information like who you are, what you’re fundraising for, and where any donations will be sent.
If you’re still not sure about how GoFundMe works, check out our helpful guide which answers all the most common fundraising questions.
Spread the word
Once your fundraiser is set up, you’re ready to publish it and start receiving donations for your charity walk. All that’s left to do is spread the word and update donors as your fundraiser makes progress.
Start by sharing your fundraiser with friends, family, and others in your immediate network. Word of mouth can travel fast, but boost your efforts by sharing a link to your fundraising page through email and text messages. Sharing your fundraiser on social media can be a powerful way to attract donations from all across Australia and the rest of the world, so start working on some compelling posts that will grab the attention of potential donors on Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms.
Find out more about using the internet to boost your efforts with our top tips for sharing your fundraiser online.
5 creative ideas for walkathon fundraising
While charity walks are always a great crowdfunding idea, adding some creative flair will make your walking fundraiser even more impactful, meaningful, and enjoyable. It’s important to choose ideas that can easily be implemented, especially if you’re organising the event yourself or with a small fundraising team.
You don’t want to organise a walk that requires endless permits or causes logistical planning issues, so remember to choose ideas that are fairly simple to execute. Below are just a few charity walk ideas you can consider. Of course, look for other online charity resources and refer to what other similar organisations have done if you need help getting some fundraising inspiration.
1. Costume parades
Costume parades are a great way to create excitement and boost participation for your walking fundraiser. It makes the walk a lighthearted event, which is perfect for almost any cause. In some cases, you may want to avoid costumes if you are raising funds for a sensitive issue, but in general, getting people into silly costumes will always go down well.
If it feels like a suitable fit, you can always set a costume theme that ties in with the message of your charity walk. This is a great way of encouraging participants to have fun while reminding everyone of the meaningful cause that they are supporting. Just remember to keep practical issues like visibility, comfort, and weather resistance in mind.
2. Dog walks
We all know how much dogs love a walk, so why not add some extra fun to your charity walk by encouraging participants to bring their four-legged friends? This works especially well if the cause you’re fundraising for is concerned with animals, but don’t feel limited by the theme of your fundraiser. People love their pets, so incorporating them into a walkathon fundraising event is a great way to generate excitement while getting more feet — and paws — on the ground.
As some dogs may not be suited to a charity walk environment as much as others, consider sending out registration forms to participants in advance. Gathering information on breed, size, and temperament will allow you to organise walking groups based on compatibility. For a rewarding finishing touch, you could even create branded goodie bags for the dogs who make it past the finish line.
3. Charity t-shirt walks
Boost donations for your charity walk by selling specially-designed fundraiser t-shirts. Sell t-shirts before the event so people can wear them while walking. Many charities offer branded t-shirts for fundraising events, but you could go the extra mile by requesting a custom design for your fundraiser.
If you’re fundraising individually, contact local businesses that may be willing to sponsor your event or create personalised t-shirts. Custom merchandise like t-shirts serve as a free advertisement for your fundraiser and are great for encouraging donations, so try to incorporate them in whatever way works best.
Kid-friendly walks
Charity walk ideas should always be fun and light-hearted, and what better way to create this atmosphere than by making your event kid-friendly? Many of your supporters will likely have children, so including them will make sure that you attract as many participants as possible.
Clearly state that your event is kid-friendly in your fundraiser marketing, and don’t forget to encourage parents to bring strollers for longer walks. Make sure you choose an unchallenging route that’s accessible to everyone, so parents with strollers and young, newly-walking children can participate. Beaches and bushwalks could prove tricky!
It’s also worth providing treats or simple goodie bags to keep those little faces smiling.
Make it a food event
We all know how effective a motivator tasty treats can be, so why not make your charity walk a potluck event as well? Ask supporters and volunteers to bring a treat of their choice to your walk, and savour the contributions together once you have all crossed the finish line.
It’s important to prioritise food safety for this walkathon fundraiser idea, so distribute a registration form in advance. Participants can let you know what they’re bringing to ensure a nice variety, and you can also make note of any potential food allergies. You’ll need to plan accordingly to ensure there is enough food to go around, but the enthusiasm and extra support you’ll receive will be more than worth the effort.
Get inspired by successful walking fundraisers
If you’re still not sure where to start with your fundraiser, it’s always wise to take inspiration from other organisations that have run successful charity walks in the past.
Here are some examples to get the fundraiser ideas flowing:
Coogee Public School P&C Walkathon
Coogee Public School’s P&C organised a walkathon to raise funds for much-needed additional air conditioning, heating, and ventilation in their classrooms. This was to help improve learning environments across the school and to provide a quality, sustainable, and cost-effective way to ensure students are healthy, comfortable, and ready to learn.
Tasked with walking laps around Grant Reserve in Coogee, students were able to raise $34,492 with the help of GoFundMe.
Walk for Ben
Ben Lott, a primary school teacher at Corpus Christi Primary School in Cranebrook, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017. Having undergone costly treatment in Japan, a walkathon was set up to support Ben and encourage donors to contribute by participating in the event, sponsoring a walker, or making a donation.
Using GoFundMe, $5,230 was raised to fund Ben’s ongoing treatment, as participants walked from Freshwater Beach to Shelly Beach and back.
Jo’s Walk
Brett Day organised a walkathon to raise money for The Fred Hollows Foundation, a cause that meant a lot to Brett and his late wife Jo, who sadly passed away.
Using GoFundMe, a fundraiser was created to honour Jo’s medical legacy and support a foundation that strives to end avoidable blindness in Australia and around the rest of the world. In total, $28,537 was raised on Brett’s GoFundMe page.
Start your charity walk fundraiser with GoFundMe
After sorting through ideas and planning out your walkathon, you’re ready to hit the pavement. If your charity organisation still isn’t sure how to raise money, GoFundMe is a fantastic option.
Our platform offers fundraising tools to make it simple for you to create, share, and raise money for your charity walk.