NWANA Nordic Walking Groups

Individual School License

The Individual School License is designed for people who want to support and develop Nordic Walking within a specific K–12 school.

This license can serve as the starting point for creating a school Nordic Walking Group, club, after-school program, or another physical activity program operated by the school or an authorized school partner.

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

Schools Included in This Category

The license may be associated with a specific:

elementary school;
middle school;
high school;
public, private, or charter school;
specialized school;
homeschool cooperative or another organized school community.

Colleges and universities are not included in this category. Separate individual licenses are available for them.

The Individual School License is associated with one selected school. A separate license in the appropriate category is required for involvement with another school.

Who Can Obtain This License?

The license may be obtained by:

teachers and physical education teachers;
coaches;
school administrators and employees;
parents and guardians;
representatives of PTAs, PTOs, and school support organizations;
school volunteers;
representatives of after-school providers and community organizations;
students interested in developing Nordic Walking in cooperation with adults and the school.

Prior school approval is not required to purchase the individual license or propose the idea of creating a new group.

However, obtaining the license does not, by itself, authorize someone to represent a particular school, use its name or logo, or describe a group as an official school program without the school’s permission.

Two Possible Group Formats

School-Operated Group

A School-Operated Nordic Walking Group is established by the school and becomes the school’s own group.

The school determines the program format, participants, schedule, and responsible personnel in accordance with its policies.

The group may operate as a school club, after-school program, physical activity initiative, staff wellness initiative, or another format selected by the school.

Authorized School Partner Group

An Authorized School Partner Group may be established by a PTA, PTO, after-school provider, nonprofit organization, community partner, or another provider with the school’s permission.

This type of group works in cooperation with the school and may offer Nordic Walking to students, employees, parents, families, or other participants selected by the school.

In either format, the group becomes part of the school or its authorized partner and develops with support from NWANA.

School Permission

Until school approval is obtained, an individual license holder may not:

represent the group as an official school program;
use the school’s name, logo, or other identifying elements;
use school facilities, equipment, or official communication channels;
organize programs or events on behalf of the school.

NWANA may begin preparing a page after the first interested person registers. Until the school grants permission, however, the page must use a neutral name and must not imply that the school has already approved the group.

How This Differs from the Community License

If children, parents, or other community members simply want to practice Nordic Walking together outside the school system, they may use the Individual Community License.

The Individual School License is intended specifically for developing Nordic Walking through or in official partnership with a particular school.

What Happens After You Obtain the License?

After registering, you become a holder of the Individual School License. NWANA records your selected school and your interest in developing Nordic Walking within the school community.

If a corresponding group and page already exist, you will be able to join them.

If no group exists, your registration may become the starting point for preparing a new page and connecting with other interested participants associated with the school.

Obtaining the license does not require you to create a group, become its leader, organize walks, or conduct school events. At the same time, it does not exclude any of these possibilities. If you wish, you may propose the initiative to the school and participate in the group’s continued development.

At the initial stage, there are no requirements regarding a minimum number of participants, a mandatory schedule, frequency of activities, designated leadership, or a particular level of activity.

The specific organizational structure and responsible personnel will be determined later if the school decides to support the creation of an official 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/.

Opportunities for the School Group

As the group develops, it may:

introduce students, employees, and families to Nordic Walking;
organize school clubs, walks, and after-school activities;
incorporate Nordic Walking into physical activity programs;
create opportunities for students of different ages and ability levels;
conduct events for the school community;
collaborate with physical education teachers, coaches, parents, and community partners;
invite qualified instructors and other specialists;
use NWANA training, standards, and instructional resources;
participate in regional and national NWANA initiatives;
develop its own ideas for school and family programs.

Roles of the School and NWANA

The school or its authorized partner independently determines the program content, participant ages, schedule, student supervision, and internal rules.

NWANA helps participants understand Nordic Walking and provides athletic experience, education, technical standards, and instructional support.

NWANA does not replace the school administration and does not manage students or school programs.

Organizing Your Own Competitions

As the school group develops, it may organize its own in-person or virtual Nordic Walking competitions with the school’s approval. Use of the NWANA name or designation as an official NWANA competition must be arranged separately.

Financial Structure

The annual $20 Individual License fee is paid to NWANA through RunSignup and is automatically prorated based on the time remaining in the current license year. The Individual License fee is an NWANA payment and is separate from the group’s revenue.

During the group’s initial development stage, only payments processed directly through the NWANA-created group website are received through NWANA’s payment account.

After NWANA operating expenses, the remaining funds received through that website are used to support that specific group’s website, programs, events, and continued development.

NWANA does not receive, control, administer, or claim any portion of money that the group raises or earns independently outside the NWANA-created group website. This includes independently received grants, sponsorships, donations, program fees, event revenue, merchandise sales, and other lawful income.

Funds obtained through the group’s own channels remain entirely under the group’s control and responsibility. Obtaining an Individual License does not give the license holder any personal ownership of or claim to the group’s funds.

If the group later receives RECOGNIZED Status and completes the required financial preparation, payment-account setup, and verification, payments processed through its NWANA website will begin going directly to the group’s own verified payment account.

The annual $200 NWANA Group License fee applies only after the group receives RECOGNIZED Status. It is not the cost of the Individual License or the initial group-development stage.

If the school or school district requires the use of its internal financial system, its rules apply. Financial activity conducted under the school’s name must be authorized by the school or school district.

RECOGNIZED Status

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

Creating a group and its page is free. No annual group fee is charged unless the group receives RECOGNIZED status.

Obtaining this status is optional. A group may develop gradually and apply later, when the school, partner, and participants are ready to assume greater responsibility for their programs, events, and administration.

The requirements and application process for RECOGNIZED status will be addressed separately at the appropriate stage of the group’s development.

The annual NWANA membership fee for a group with RECOGNIZED status is $200.

What Makes This License Unique?

The Individual School License allows Nordic Walking development to begin with one interested person and gradually become a group operated by or officially partnered with a specific school.

It brings together the school community, physical activity opportunities, and NWANA’s professional Nordic Walking experience.

The primary purpose of this license is to help schools, students, parents, and employees gradually build an accessible and sustainable Nordic Walking Group.