Resources
Thank you for supporting the American Heart Association and joining the Heart Walk community. Our need is great and your support is critical. You will help raise awareness, heart rates, and life-saving dollars for heart and brain health.
We know you are ready to get started and tell everyone how important this is to you. With their support, you can achieve your goal and make a big impact. We are here to help you be successful with tips on how to invite your network to join you in raising lifesaving funds for the mission of the American Heart Association. Every walk you do, every step you take, fights heart disease, so let's get started.
Step 1 - Start using the Heart Walk mobile App!
Manage and share your Heart Walk experience on the go with our new Heart Walk mobile app! This FREE app lets you fundraise and connect with others through social media and email, update your web pages and check your fundraising progress all from the palm of your hand. iPhone/iPad | Android
iTunes
Google Play
Heart Walk Achievement Badges. By participating in Heart Walk, you can earn fun, new badges! You can earn badges based on fundraising milestones or other actions taken like:
- Making a personal donation
- Receiving 5 or more donations
- Hitting your fundraising goal
- Signing up as a Heart Walk Coach
- Downloading the NEW Heart Walk Mobile App
- Fundraising on Social Media
- How has heart disease or stroke impacted my life and why do I believe it's important to support the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association?
- Why was I inspired to join the Heart Walk community this year?
- What are my goals this year? Am I committed to bettering my health, Heartwalking for the first time, or raising more money so I can help more people this year?
- Friends and family
- Current or former colleagues and classmates
- Neighbors
- Your professional, volunteer or religious network
- Your professional and personal social media connections
- What is my Why
- What is my fundraising commitment and how much progress have I made?
- How can a donor support me?
- Announce that you've decided to participate in the Heart Walk, share your story and why this movement is so important/personal to you, and ask for support. Get social. Share your story on Facebook, Twitter, and especially on LinkedIn in order to maximize your fundraising reach.
- Share at least two updates on your progress to your goal and always include a deadline date. Be sure to thank everyone who has already donated to your efforts, and offer a gentle reminder to those who haven't yet done so.
- Bring the fun and emotional experience of the day of the Heart Walk to everyone, share details about what your experience was like along with some photos from the event. This is a great opportunity to thank everyone who has supported you and remind others who haven't yet donated.
- Celebrate when you reach your goal! Not to mention share the collective impact we made through what we raised together as a community. Thank your donors and remind them that it wouldn't have been possible without their support.
Step 2 - Personalize Your page and Define Your Why.
If you add a photo and personal story to your page, stats show you will raise 3X as much then if you don't. What an easy way to triple your impact!
Remember, almost everyone knows someone who has been affected by heart disease or stroke.
What is your Why? Practice telling your story by asking yourself the following questions. The answers might help you inspire donors to support you:
Step 3 - Set a Goal and Lead the Way
A goal not only gives you something to reach for, it also helps those you ask to support you understand what an impactful donation would be to your personal fundraising efforts. Lead the way by kicking off your fundraising with a self-donation.
Step 4 - Identify Your Donor Prospects
As you kick off outreach to your networks, we recommend creating a list so you don't leave anyone out! Nothing is worse than not getting the message everyone else did. Remember to include ALL of your network, no matter where they live - they can ALL be potential donors and help you make a greater impact! Here are some recommendations to get your list going:
Step 5 - Ask
The most successful fundraisers have one simple thing in common: they ask as many people for support as possible and in a very personal way. Ask in person or send emails and text messages easily from your participant center
Start by personalizing a message to the people you identified. There are template resources inside your participant center to get you started. What might you want to add?
An excellent fundraising email, text or letter should address the following questions:
Step 6 - Stay in Touch
Use these tips and sample social posts to inspire your family and friends to become co-walkers or ask for donations. Include the link to your personal fundraising page to make it easy for your network to donate.
Share Your "Why"
Use social media to let everyone in your network know why you #iHeartScience. Share your "why" or tag family and friends you want to recruit as co-walkers. You can also post inspiration to help others engage in giving back and link to your personal fundraising center to raise donations.
Update Regularly
Tap in to all your social media accounts - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, ect. - to keep your network updated on your fundraising progress and send thank you notes to individuals for their donations.
Get Tagging!
Using hashtags will connect you to other walkers and help the entire community rally around the event. Use #iHeartScience, #HeartWalk, or #[city]HeartWalk, in your posts and search these hashtags to see what other walkers are saying.
Update your photos.
Save these photos and upload as your cover photo on Facebook, header photo on Twitter, and a photo on Instagram.
Quick Tips
- Share Your #iHeartScience on Twitter
Tweet the link to your participant page and ask family and friends to become co-walkers, ask for donations, or ask others to share your message! Include hashtags #iHeartScience, #[city]HeartWalk, and #HeartWalk. - Use Your Professional Network
Use LinkedIn and ask colleagues for their support. - Say Thanks
Use social media to say a public "thank you" to those who have registered to walk or made a donation on your page to inspire others to make a donation or join the team.
Sample Posts
Not sure where to start? Raising awareness and funds through social media is as easy as copying and pasting the messages below. Don’t forget to add a link to your personal page and to upload photos or videos that tell your story.
Facebook & Instagram (use with photo or graphic when appropriate)
Before the event:
- I’m #Heartwalking to improve the overall health and well-being of Americans and future generations. Please help me reach my fundraising goal of [$xx] at [link to participant page] #Heartwalking #[localeventhashtag]
- [Company name] is #Heartwalking together to improve the health of [city]. Join us today to support our efforts to make [city] a healthier place for all of us by helping me reach my fundraising goal of [$xx) at [link to participant page] #Heartwalking #[localeventhashtag]
- I’m #Heartwalking in [celebration/memory] of [name of a heart disease or stroke survivor]. You can help me reach my fundraising goal of [$xx] through the [city] Heart Walk by making a donation at [link to participant page] to accelerate science to save lives and impact the overall well-being of Americans. #Heartwalking #[localeventhashtag]
Day of event and after:
- Today’s the day and I am [$xx] away from raising my goal! I’m #heartwalking, so please take a step with me and donate to my efforts to fight heart disease and stroke at [link to participant page]. #Heartwalking #[localeventhashtag]
- I celebrated at the Heart Walk today! Thank you to everyone who donated and cheered me on. This was important to me and I know together we can fight heart disease and stroke. #Heartwalking #[localeventhashtag]
- The Heart Walk event is over, but you can still donate. Visit my personal fundraising page and donate now to reach my goal of $[xx] at [link to participant page]. #Heartwalking #HealthyForGood #eventhashtag
Before the event:
- I am walking to ensure the health of future generations and for my (grandma, grandpa, brother, sister, include a personal refernce). Donate to [link to participant page]. #Heartwalking #[localeventhashtag]
- I’m participating in the #[localeventhashtag] on [date]. Join our team or donate [insert team page]. #Heartwalking
- I’m at (insert percentage) of my fundraising goal for #[localeventhashtag]. Please donate & help me reach 100% today [link to participant page]. #Heartwalking
Day of event and after:
- I’m finally #Heartwalking today! You can still donate at link to participant page] #[localeventhashtag]
- I beat my fundraising goal for #[localeventhashtag]. THANK YOU! #Heartwalking #healthyforgood
- I walked to fight heart disease and today. Thank you to everyone who donated! #Heartwalking #[localeventhashtag] (add photo)
American Heart Association Mission Statement:
To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.