The Walk to Cure Arthritis takes place in "nearly 60 communities across the country," and 2026 marks its 25th year.1 The Foundation doesn't publish a national walk total on the pages we reviewed, so this case is about design rather than dollars.
A tent as a reward
At the 2024 Chicago walk, held June 1 at Diversey Harbor, the reward for a strong team was real estate: "If your team raises $3,000, we will provide you with a tent, table, and 2 chairs" in the team tailgate area, "a perk reserved for our top fundraising teams."2
In South Florida, at Tree Tops Park in Davie on April 20, 2024, the bar was lower: "all teams who raise $1,500 or more will receive a private reserved tent space in the team tailgate area."3
Two cities, same organization, thresholds $1,500 apart, and that looks deliberate. A reward only motivates if teams can reach it, and what's reachable depends on the local donor base. A tent is also a reward that keeps working on walk day: the team has a home base, other walkers see it, and next year's teams want one.
Everyone else gets something too. Across walks, "anyone who raises $100 or more will receive a commemorative T-shirt at check-in."4 A low individual threshold and a higher team threshold, side by side, is easy to set up at any size. Our prize and incentive ideas cover tiered rewards in more detail.
A silent auction that knows when to close
South Florida added a second fundraiser to the morning: an onsite silent auction. The detail that matters is the timing. The walk started at 10:00, and "the auction will close at 11:00 am."3 Closing the auction an hour after the walk begins gives walkers time to finish and bid, while ending before people head home.
Adding an auction to a walk can raise extra money from people who've already shown up, but only if it doesn't pull volunteers off the course or leave items unclaimed. A fixed closing time tied to the walk schedule solves the second problem. The schedule builder can help you place a closing time around your walking shifts.
A tightly timed morning
Chicago's 2024 schedule ran: check-in at 8:30, the opening ceremony at 9:30, the walk at 10:00 and the closing ceremony at 11:15.2 Under three hours from arrival to wrap-up, with two ceremonies to bookend the walk. That's a schedule volunteers can commit to and families can fit into a Saturday.
Pinwheels: "What's your connection?"
Like several national walks, the Walk to Cure Arthritis gives walkers a way to show why they're there. Its pinwheels come in four colors:5
| Pinwheel | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | "I live with arthritis." |
| Blue | "I am a caregiver or health care partner." |
| Purple | "I love someone living with arthritis." |
| White | "I am honoring someone affected by arthritis." |
The walk also offers a Mobility Mat yoga area, a family fun zone and dog stations,4 features that suit a walk many participants may find physically demanding. Compare the Alzheimer's Association's Promise Garden flowers and AFSP's honor beads.
For a public walk like this one, the charity walk-a-thon guide has the venue, permit and team details. More examples are in our walk-a-thon case studies, including the Heart Walk's company-team model. How this flagship walk compares with four other national charities is laid out in the nonprofit charity walk examples.
Sources
- Arthritis Foundation, 25th Walk to Cure Arthritis announcement (December 5, 2025; accessed October 19, 2026).
- Arthritis Foundation, 2024 Walk to Cure Arthritis Chicago event information (accessed October 19, 2026).
- Arthritis Foundation, 2024 Walk to Cure Arthritis South Florida event information (accessed October 19, 2026).
- Arthritis Foundation, Walk to Cure Arthritis (accessed October 19, 2026).
- Arthritis Foundation, What's Your Connection? pinwheel colors (accessed October 19, 2026).