A Dedicated Website for Your Group

Each Nordic Walking Group can receive its own dedicated website created within the NWANA system.

The website can include:

• the group’s name, identity, and description;

• information about its community or organization;

• custom pages and navigation;

• schedules and calendars;

• photos, videos, and educational content;

• programs, activities, and event listings;

• instructor and group leadership information;

• sponsor and partner recognition;

• contact forms and participant support information;

• registration, donation, fundraising, and event components;

• results, participant lists, and other dynamic information when applicable.

The website is designed to grow with the group. It can begin as a simple page introducing a new group and later become the operational center for a fully developed RECOGNIZED NWANA Nordic Walking Group.

Participant Registration and Group Management

A group website can provide tools for registering participants for walks, training programs, clinics, meetings, challenges, events, and other group activities.

Depending on the group’s development and programs, these tools may include:

• online registration forms;

• custom participant questions;

• waivers and acknowledgments;

• participant lists and lookup tools;

• registration confirmation messages;

• program capacity and registration limits;

• discount codes and special registration offers;

• team registration;

• participant reports;

• registration and attendance records.

These tools allow the group to move beyond informal communication and begin building an organized, documented participant system.

Individual Licenses remain NWANA licenses and are issued through the NWANA Nordic Walking Groups registration system. Registration for a group’s own programs and activities may be managed through the group’s dedicated website.

Programs, Events, and Competitions

A Nordic Walking Group can use its website to create and manage its own activities.

These may include:

• community Nordic Walking sessions;

• group training programs;

• introductory clinics;

• educational workshops;

• technique assessments;

• online challenges;

• local and regional events;

• virtual competitions;

• in-person competitions;

• team participation in NWANA events;

• jointly organized events with NWANA or other RECOGNIZED groups.

Event tools may provide online registration, participant communication, waivers, event schedules, teams, fundraising, volunteer assignments, results, sponsor displays, and other event-specific resources.

Official competitions must comply with applicable NWANA rules and qualification requirements. Depending on the event, the group may need a qualified Race Director, NWANA Certified Organizer, judges, volunteers, permits, insurance, and other operational support.

NWANA will help developing groups understand what is required before they begin organizing official competitions.

NWANA Events Calendar

Use the official NWANA calendar to find upcoming walks, training sessions, educational activities, online programs, and competitions.

As NW Groups develop, the calendar will include additional activities organized by local groups.

Ticket Sales and Ticketed Events

Groups may also organize activities that require ticket sales rather than participant registration.

Examples may include:

• workshops and seminars;

• educational presentations;

• community celebrations;

• awards events;

• fundraising events;

• dinners or social gatherings;

• exhibitions;

• special programs for members and guests;

• events with timed or limited admission.

When appropriate, NWANA can help the group establish a connected ticket event with online ticket sales, payment processing, ticket confirmation, attendee management, check-in tools, merchandise options, and event reporting.

Ticketed-event capabilities may be provided through the TicketSignup tools within the broader RunSignup platform ecosystem.

Donations and Fundraising

A group may be able to use its website and connected event pages to raise funds for its programs, equipment, events, competitions, participant support, and continued development.

Available tools may include:

• online donations;

• custom donation levels;

• fundraising campaigns;

• individual fundraisers;

• team fundraisers;

• fundraising goals and progress thermometers;

• top fundraiser displays;

• donor and fundraiser communications;

• offline donation records;

• sponsor-supported fundraising;

• donation and fundraising reports.

Fundraising options must be established within the group’s approved financial and organizational structure. The availability and treatment of donations, including whether any contribution may qualify as tax-deductible, depend on the entity receiving the funds and applicable requirements.

NWANA will help the group identify an appropriate structure before fundraising tools are activated.

Sponsors and Community Partners

The group website can provide visibility for businesses, organizations, institutions, and community partners supporting the group.

Sponsor and partner resources may include:

• sponsor logos and website links;

• sponsor information pages;

• featured partner sections;

• sponsor recognition within event pages;

• sponsor offers and participant benefits;

• fundraising partnerships;

• in-kind support and prize recognition;

• sponsor inclusion in group communications.

Each group remains responsible for ensuring that its sponsorships are appropriate for its category, audience, affiliated organization, and NWANA standards.

Email and Participant Communications

Integrated communication tools can help a group stay connected with participants, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and supporters.

Depending on the group’s setup, these resources may include:

• group newsletters;

• program and event announcements;

• registration confirmations;

• scheduled email campaigns;

• automated registration follow-up messages;

• participant reminders;

• fundraising updates;

• volunteer communications;

• sponsor announcements;

• segmented contact lists;

• communication reports and engagement statistics.

Because registrations, events, donations, volunteer activities, and communications can operate within the same platform ecosystem, contact lists can be connected to the activities through which people joined the group.

This allows the group to build a long-term community instead of starting a new contact list for every program or event.

Volunteer Management

As a group grows, volunteers may help with walks, programs, competitions, fundraising, participant support, communications, and administration.

Volunteer management resources may include:

• online volunteer registration;

• volunteer roles and tasks;

• shift and time-slot selection;

• custom volunteer questions;

• volunteer coordinators;

• volunteer instructions;

• email communication;

• participation and assignment reports.

These tools can support both small community activities and larger events requiring organized teams of volunteers.

Merchandise and Additional Sales

Groups may be able to offer approved merchandise or event-related items through their registration and ticketing systems.

Depending on the program, this may include:

• group apparel;

• event merchandise;

• educational materials;

• approved Nordic Walking equipment;

• event add-ons;

• optional participant packages;

• item variants such as sizes and colors;

• shipping or event-day fulfillment;

• order and inventory reports.

Merchandise, equipment, and other items may only be offered in accordance with applicable NWANA policies, vendor agreements, organizational permissions, and financial requirements.

The Group’s Payment Account

During the initial development stage, payments collected through the NWANA-created group page may be processed through NWANA while the group establishes its leadership, programs, administrative procedures, and financial readiness.

After the group receives RECOGNIZED Status and completes the required verification and payment setup, payments collected by the group through its website for registrations, programs, events, competitions, ticket sales, and other approved group activities will begin going to the group’s own payment account.

This transition gives the group greater financial independence, but it also requires the group to be prepared to:

• verify its payment account;

• provide the required banking, organizational, and tax information;

• maintain financial records;

• manage revenue, expenses, refunds, and disputes;

• comply with payment platform requirements;

• meet applicable financial and tax obligations;

• provide required reports to NWANA.

NWANA will help the group prepare for this transition and establish its payment structure.

Individual License fees and the group’s annual $200 RECOGNIZED Group License fee remain NWANA payments and are not deposited into the group’s payment account.

Standard payment processing, registration, ticketing, or transaction fees may apply when the group uses the corresponding platform tools.

Education and Professional Development

NWANA Academy

NWANA Academy provides Nordic Walking technique education and professional training for people who want to become NWANA instructors, coaches, organizers, judges, or other qualified professionals.

Groups planning to apply for RECOGNIZED Status must have professionals whose qualifications are appropriate for their programs and intended audiences.

Available courses and new professional training pathways will be published on the Academy website as they are introduced.

Resources That Grow With the Group

A new group does not need to activate every available tool immediately.

The group can begin with:

• a dedicated website;

• basic information about the group;

• a way for interested people to connect;

• initial participant registration;

• a simple schedule of activities.

As the group develops, additional resources can be activated for:

• recurring programs;

• events and competitions;

• ticket sales;

• fundraising and donations;

• sponsors;

• volunteers;

• merchandise;

• email campaigns;

• reporting;

• independent payment processing.

NWANA will work with the group to introduce these resources in a practical order based on its actual activities, readiness, and goals.

Build Your Group With NWANA

Whether your Nordic Walking Group begins with one interested person or within an established organization, NWANA can help create the website, systems, professional connections, and development pathway needed for the group to grow.

Review the available license categories and select the option that best fits you, your community, or your organization.