How to organise a walkathon fundraiser
A charity walk is a great way to raise money for any not-for-profit or personal cause. Here you can find some simple fundraising ideas, tips, and practical advice to help your next walking fundraiser succeed.
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. Walkathon distances can also vary. From a 1km walk for a children’s fundraiser to 5km or even 10km walks for teenagers or adults.
How to organise a charity walkathon
Charity walks are one of the easiest, lowest-cost events to organise. But knowing where to start with your own can still be tough.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making sure your charity walk marches on to success.
1. Make a plan
Every successful charity walk starts with solid planning behind the scenes. Get your priorities sorted early. Firstly, you will need to choose a charity or other worthy cause to support. Take some inspiration from a few of the best Australian charities to donate to that 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 obtain 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:
Set a fundraising goal based on how much you’d like to raise. It’s fine to be ambitious, but keep the target realistic for the size 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. Be as open and descriptive as possible to help donors understand and identify with your goals. Make sure to include important practical information. Share 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.
3. 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. WhatsApp is one of the largest networks for personal outreach in Australia. Creating a group and getting locals to support you and receive updates via a WhatsApp group is a great way to promote your fundraiser.
Social media is another powerful way to attract donations from across Australia and beyond. Start creating posts that grab attention 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
Adding some creative flair to your crowdfunding 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 light-hearted event, which is perfect for almost any cause. If you’re raising funds for a sensitive issue, costumes might not be the right fit. Otherwise, getting people into silly costumes will almost 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. Remind 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? It 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. Get more feet, and paws, on the ground.
Some dogs may not be suited to a busy charity walk. Consider sending 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
Get your walk team into matching custom t-shirts to boost visibility and spirit on the day. Many charities offer branded shirts for fundraising events. You could even go the extra mile with a custom design. Walkers wearing them out and about is a great, free way to spark conversations and awareness for your cause before donations even start rolling in.
If you’re fundraising individually, contact local businesses that may be willing to sponsor your event or create personalised t-shirts. Custom shirts are a simple, visible way to promote your fundraiser wherever your walk takes you.
4. 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. 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. This is important for parents with strollers and young children to participate. Beaches and bushwalks could prove tricky!
It’s also worth providing treats or simple goodie bags to keep those little faces smiling.
5. Make it a food event
We all know what an effective motivator tasty treats can be, so why not make your charity walk a bring-a-plate event as well? Ask supporters and volunteers to bring a treat of their choice to your walk and savour the contributions together once you’ve all crossed the finish line.
Food safety matters for this one. Distribute a registration form in advance. Participants can let you know what they’re bringing to ensure a nice variety. Don’t forget to 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
Take inspiration from other walking fundraisers. Alexander Glover’s Strides Against Suicide saw him begin an unsupported walk around Australia to raise awareness for men’s mental health and suicide prevention.
Here are some examples to get the fundraiser ideas flowing:
10K for Good Challenge
In 2025, staff from three Australian businesses completed a 12km charity walk for three charities. Employer donation-matching doubled the impact of every dollar raised. The charities they supported were The Kids’ Cancer Project, SANE Australia, and WIRES. The teams supported them through their referral program donations as well as by attending their in-person charity events.
Support the Great Walk 2025 – 18th Annual Fundraiser
The Great Walk Foundation is a registered charity, and in 2025 it marked its 18th annual walk. Garth Butler and Jonathan Green took part in the walk and raised $8,650 of the $10k goal, and walked 160km alongside other dedicated participants to do so.
Australia Wheelchair Walk for MND 2025
In 2025, Billy Whiston decided to embark on a life-changing challenge where he walked 14,418km around Australia while pushing a wheelchair. He did it to raise funds and awareness for four incredible organisations: FightMND, MND Australia, MND Association, and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
The GoFundMe was designed to cover the essential costs of the journey and was focused on raising awareness for MND and these four organisations..
Start your charity walk fundraiser with GoFundMe
After sorting through ideas and planning your walkathon, you’re ready to hit the pavement. If your charity organisation is still wondering how to raise money, GoFundMe is a fantastic option.
There’s no cost to get started. Our team fundraising feature lets every walker collect their own sponsorships. It’s an easy way to work toward one shared goal together. Learn more about team fundraising.
Our fundraising tools make it simple to create your fundraiser, share your story, and collect donations every step of the way.