NWANA Nordic Walking Groups

Individual Government Agency License

The Individual Government Agency License is intended for people interested in creating Nordic Walking opportunities within a specific government agency, municipality, department, public authority, public institution, or an official community program operated by such an organization.

This license can serve as the starting point for establishing the organization’s own Nordic Walking Group, with the opportunity for future development and official recognition by NWANA.

The annual fee for this individual license is $20. RunSignup automatically prorates the fee based on the time remaining in the current license year.

This is not an outside group independently using the name of a government agency or attempting to represent it. The group is created by the organization or with its permission, serves an audience selected by the organization, and develops within the professional NWANA system.

Two Possible Group Formats

A government agency or municipality may choose either format or use both.

1. Internal Employee Group

This group is created for employees, managers, volunteers, contractors, and other people officially connected with the organization.

It may become part of an employee health and physical activity program, workplace wellness initiative, team activity, or another internal program.

2. Public Program Group

This group is created or officially supported by a government agency or municipality for residents and participants in its programs.

It may serve the general public or a particular population, such as older adults, veterans, families, young people, people with disabilities, public health program participants, or other groups.

The organization determines the group’s audience, operating format, and use of its resources.

Who Can Obtain This License

The license may be obtained by:

an employee or manager of a government agency or municipality;
a health, physical activity, or wellness program coordinator;
a professional working with public programs;
a volunteer or contractor officially connected with the organization;
a participant in an existing program operated by the organization;
a resident interested in establishing an official Nordic Walking Group through a specific government agency.

Obtaining an Individual License does not authorize a person to represent a government agency, make decisions on its behalf, or use its name, logo, facilities, staff, or other resources without permission.

If the license holder is not an authorized representative of the organization, NWANA must receive the organization’s approval before creating and publishing a group under its name.

What Happens After You Obtain the License

After registration, NWANA records the first interested person, the specific government agency or municipality, and the proposed location of the group.

The first license demonstrates genuine interest. It does not mean that the organization has entered into an agreement with NWANA or officially approved the creation of a group.

NWANA does not create pages in advance for every government agency, city, county, department, or public authority. Work on a page begins only after at least one genuinely interested participant has registered.

Before publishing a page under the name of a specific organization, NWANA contacts its authorized representative and confirms approval for the group.

Once permission has been received:

a dedicated page may be created for the organization’s Nordic Walking Group;
the organization determines whether it will be an internal employee group, a public program for residents, or a combination of both;
other employees, residents, and program participants will be able to find and join the group;
the organization can gradually determine the most appropriate operating format;
the group can gain access to NWANA educational, organizational, and competition opportunities;
the group may eventually pursue official recognition by NWANA.

The Individual License belongs to the person. The group is associated with the specific organization or a program approved by it. Recognized status is granted separately to the group.

Individual license holders may register for and participate in NWANA in-person and virtual competitions in accordance with the rules of each event. They receive a 5% discount on NWANA competition registration fees.

If a separate athlete license is required for a particular competition, this requirement will be stated in the event rules. The athlete license can be obtained through https://license.nwaofna.org/.

No Mandatory Requirements at the Initial Stage

During the initial stage of group development, NWANA does not require a minimum number of participants, a regular activity schedule, a minimum number of events, an appointed leader, or any other level of activity.

Obtaining the license does not require a person to create a group, become its leader, conduct training sessions, organize walks, or take responsibility for public events.

At the same time, the license does not prevent the holder from doing so. With the organization’s permission, the license holder may choose to initiate the group, help bring participants together, invite others, or participate in its future development.

The purpose of the initial stage is to identify genuine interest and give the organization an opportunity to consider establishing its own Nordic Walking Group without initial obligations.

Role of the Government Agency or Municipality

The organization independently determines:

whether it supports the creation of the group;
which audience the group will serve;
whether its name and logo may be used;
whether its facilities, public spaces, equipment, or employee work time may be used;
who may coordinate the program on its behalf;
which internal approvals, permissions, and policies must be followed;
whether the organization may participate in funding, promoting, or organizing activities.

The NWANA Individual License does not replace the organization’s internal approval, a government contract, partnership agreement, public-space permit, or any other official authorization that may be required.

The NWANA Professional System

NWANA views Nordic Walking not simply as walking with poles, but as a sport and fitness discipline that requires proper technique, an understanding of movement, and professional instruction.

NWANA’s methods and educational programs are based on the practical experience of international-level athletes, including World Championship winners and medalists and competitors in other major events.

Competitive experience provides an understanding of changes in technique, breathing, coordination, load distribution, and pole action that become especially noticeable at higher speeds and under different weather conditions, on varying surfaces, hills, and descents.

This practical experience forms the foundation of NWANA education, technical standards, and methodology.

Government agencies and municipalities will be able to develop their groups with access to:

education through the NWANA Nordic Walking Academy;
NWANA technical and instructional standards;
instructor education and assessment;
health and physical activity programs;
NWANA competitions and other activities;
a unified system for the development and recognition of Nordic Walking Groups.

The Individual Government Agency License is not an instructor license or certification. Requirements for individuals who will officially teach Nordic Walking or deliver programs using NWANA methods are administered separately through the NWANA educational system.

Connection to NWANA Competitions

Government employees, residents, and public program participants can practice Nordic Walking for health and physical activity and, if they choose, participate in NWANA competitions and other programs.

Competitions give participants an opportunity to evaluate their progress, select suitable distances, improve their technique, and become part of the broader Nordic Walking system.

Government organizations may also create teams, bring employees or residents together, support participation in competitions, and incorporate Nordic Walking into public health and physical activity programs, subject to any required internal approvals.

Holders of an active Individual License receive a 5% discount on NWANA competition registration fees.

Organizing Your Own Competitions

As the group develops, it will be able not only to participate in NWANA competitions but also to organize its own in-person and virtual Nordic Walking competitions. Organizing competitions is optional. If the group operates through a specific organization, such events must be conducted with that organization’s approval. Separate approval from NWANA will be required for an event to receive official NWANA competition status. The applicable rules and opportunities will be published at a later stage.

Future RECOGNIZED Status

RECOGNIZED status applies to a group, not to an individual license holder.

During the initial stage, a group may form and develop without this status and without an annual fee. When the organization and its Nordic Walking Group are ready to operate according to NWANA standards, the group may apply for official recognition.

Requirements for recognized groups, the education of responsible individuals, the use of NWANA methods, and the delivery of programs will be established and published separately. These requirements do not apply to obtaining the initial Individual License.

The annual $200 fee applies only after a local group receives RECOGNIZED status. It does not apply to the Individual License or to a group that is still in the initial development stage.

If a program is intended to cover multiple organizations, departments, cities, counties, or a larger jurisdiction, its structure will be considered separately and may be established through a special agreement with NWANA.

An official partnership between NWANA and a government organization, if required, must also be established separately. It does not arise automatically from obtaining an Individual License or RECOGNIZED status.

Financial Administration of Programs

Obtaining an Individual License does not create any financial obligation for a government agency or municipality.

The organization’s budget, public funds, employee compensation, and funding of its own programs remain under the organization’s control and are not administered by NWANA.

If an NWANA-created page is used to collect payments for licenses, competitions, special programs, or other NWANA activities, those payments will initially be processed through the NWANA system.

Donations, sponsorships, grants, registration fees, and other funds connected with the name of a government organization or a joint program may be accepted only after all required approvals have been obtained.

The financial and administrative structure of an official program will be determined separately in accordance with the policies of the participating organization.

Specialized Program Categories

If the proposed program falls within a specialized NWANA category—such as Parks & Recreation, Healthcare, Military & Veterans, or Senior Community—NWANA may recommend establishing it under the corresponding license category.

This allows the group’s audience, program structure, and future development pathway to be defined more accurately.

What This License Provides

The Individual Government Agency License gives you an opportunity to:

demonstrate genuine interest in developing Nordic Walking through a specific government agency or municipality;
become the first potential participant in an internal or public program group;
propose the creation of the organization’s own Nordic Walking Group;
help establish a dedicated group page after permission has been received;
invite employees, residents, volunteers, and public program participants;
participate in organizing and developing the group if you choose;
gain access to the NWANA educational and methodology system;
connect health and physical activity programs with a broader system of training and competitions;
receive a 5% discount on NWANA competition registration fees;
help a government agency or municipality establish its own Nordic Walking Group with the opportunity for future official recognition by NWANA.