Walk Your Way and Fundraise 

Click here for a PDF version of this toolkit. 

Choose Your Own Experience: Pledge, Hike, Host a Community Walk and Make a Difference! You create the challenge, timeline, and fundraising goals. Pledge to walk a certain number of miles in a month and ask your network to donate. Host your own walk by inviting your friends, family, co-workers, and local community to join you on a specific day and time! 

The first step is to Register to Become a Fundraiser.  

Once registered you can create your walk event page

Once you’re registered and happy with your homepage, select “Start a Walk” from the menu on the left.

 

In the drop-down menu, select “Hike/Walk” or “DIY Walk.”


Enter your walk details, include the goal,  and personalize the description.
Check out the additional personalizing inspirations below:   

  • “We’re walking 5 miles in honor of Jonathan who has battled Crohn’s disease for 5 years!”
  • “We’re walking for Dad! Join us and help end IBD!”   

Complete the rest of the walk details, click save, and you’re ready to start fundraising!

NOTE: If you are asking people to join you on your walk/hike, check “Allow people to register for this event online.” and select your suggested or required donation amount. If you are not charging people to attend, select “Don’t ask for a donation.”

Walk Guide &Checklist

Utilize this guide and checklist for support if you plan to host a walk at a specific site in the community and are inviting others to join you on a specific day and time.

Logistics

❑ Pick a Location

  • Explore locations without site fees, opportunities to get space donated, or negotiate a reduced rate.
  • Does this location offer a weather contingency option? 

❑ Determine a date and time

  • We recommend planning a minimum of 3 months in advance.
  • Try picking a date that would work for you annually to help attendees mark their calendar year after year.

❑ Permits (usually for larger events involving the public) and insurance

  • Visit your local municipality building to determine timelines and who you should be working with. Consider what city, park, or street permits you may need.
  • If insurance is required, organizers must purchase an insurance policy at their sole expense, or use donations made directly to the third-party event. To purchase one-day insurance, we suggest K&K Insurance, www.kandkinsurance.com (800-637-4757), or a similar insurance company.

Set a Goal & Prepare a Budget

❑ How many teams or individual walkers do you anticipate?

  • Will you require a registration fee or have a suggested donation?

❑ Determine possible expenses and estimate costs.

❑ Consider reaching out to businesses for in-support or a corporate donation.

  • To ensure your corporate donations are applied to your fundraiser gifts can be made online directly through your event page or via check utilizing our Corporate Donation form.
  • Ask for in-kind donations to offset expenses and/or add to your event experience?
    • For example, food, beverage, sound system, T-shirts, decorations, etc.

Registration & Fundraising

❑ If you are not requiring a registration fee consider how else you will encourage donations. 

Committee & Volunteers

❑ Recruit your crew to help you organize, plan, and execute your walk.

❑ Delegate tasks and check in regularly to monitor the group’s progress.

Promotion

❑ How will people find out about your walk?

  • Make a list of your network and potential supports
  • Email, call, text and share your event on social media. Access our social media toolkit here.
  • Create a flyer utilizing our customizable templates, Green or White versions, to help promote your walk.

❑ Canva.com is another great resource for creating promotional materials.

❑ Refer to the “Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Brand Guidelines” when creating promotional materials.

Day of the Walk

❑ Schedule a day of run-through, meet with your volunteers, and ensure everyone knows their roles and responsibilities.

❑ Create a checklist of the day’s schedule, including a list of contact information of vendors and volunteers, etc.

❑ Have fun and greet attendees to communicate the walk’s schedule.

Post Event

❑ Be sure to thank attendees, volunteers, and supporters through an email or personal note.

❑ Ensure any donations made via cash or check are attributed to your walk by mailing them to the Foundation along with our Offline Donation Form.

Congratulations on a successful walk!

For additional support reach out to our DIY team at DIY@crohnscolitisfoundation.org