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NAMIWalks Team Introductions

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Housekeeping

The meeting is being recorded! The slide deck and recording will be added to the

Walk Manager Resource Center within a week.

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Put your questions in the chat throughout the presentation! We will answer them in the chat or live at the end.

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The content of this presentation is for licensed NAMIWalks events only, but can be shared with your local board members, volunteers, and other local NAMI Staff.

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Agenda

  • 2026 Spring Celebrations
  • Walk Manager Challenge Winner
  • The 2027 Season Details
  • T-shirt Design and Options Reveal
  • 2027 Marketing Materials

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  • Team Captain Promotion
  • The Walk Manager Resource Center
  • A New Timeline
  • Live & Evergreen Trainings
  • A Look Ahead for 2027
  • Interim Walk Manager Support
  • Launch Your Season
  • Next Meeting and Q&A

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2026 Spring Celebrations

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2026 Spring Celebrations

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Events

Total Raised

Participants

Teams

2026

88

2025

83

$8,034,139.71

39,354

3,942

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+4%

+4%

+1%

+1%

$8,385,661.93

39,846

3,972

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Walk Manager Challenge Winner

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Walk Manager Challenge Winner

2026 Walk Manager Challenge

  • Year-over-year growth in any of the following

categories earned one entry:

    • Total Dollars Raised
    • Retention Percentage
    • Number of Teams
    • Number of Participants

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    • Number of Walk Stars
    • Total Team/Walker Dollars
    • Total Sponsorship Dollars
    • Number of App Adopters

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Walk Manager Challenge Winner

Step and Repeat

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Walk Manager Challenge Winner

Congratulations to

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The 2027 Season Details

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The 2027 Season Details

NAMIWalks Fees

  • Fees will be suspended again in 2027
  • 8th consecutive season fees have been �waived - resulting in $9.1 million kept in the field
  • Still required to pay the 5% online transaction �fee - credit/debit cards and Facebook Fundraisers - except when covered by the donor
  • A final decision regarding 2028 program fees will be communicated by January 2028, providing NAMI organizations time to plan accordingly for future budgets

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The 2027 Season Details

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The 2027 Season Details

Theme

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The 2027 Season Details

Creative Elements

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The 2027 Season Details

National Hashtag

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The 2027 Season Details

Walk Star Lapel Pin

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The 2027 Season Details

Walk Star Lapel Pin

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T-shirt Design and Options Reveal

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T-shirt Design and Options Reveal

Participant T-shirt

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T-shirt Design and Options Reveal

Participant T-shirt

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T-shirt Design and Options Reveal

Volunteer T-shirt

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T-shirt Design and Options Reveal

Staff T-shirt

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T-shirt Design and Options Reveal

Sponsor T-shirt

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T-shirt Design and Options Reveal

Board T-shirt

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2027 Marketing Materials

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2027 Marketing Materials

What You Need to Know

  • All currently offered marketing materials are

ready for order in English and Spanish:

    • Email Signature
    • Join Us Postcard
    • Poster
    • Promo Piece
    • Save the Date Postcard
    • Sponsorship Brochure

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2027 Marketing Materials

What You Need to Know

  • Marketing materials for cultivation events and

thank you efforts will be available again as

on-demand materials in English and Spanish:

    • Kickoff Flyer
    • Kickoff Postcard
    • Rally Flyer
    • Corporate Kickoff Postcard
    • Thank You Foldable Card
    • Thank You Postcard

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2027 Marketing Materials

Email Signature

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2027 Marketing Materials

Join Us Postcard

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2027 Marketing Materials

Join Us Postcard

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2027 Marketing Materials

Poster

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2027 Marketing Materials

Promo Piece

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2027 Marketing Materials

Save the Date Postcard

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2027 Marketing Materials

Save the Date Postcard

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2027 Marketing Materials

Sponsorship Brochure

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2027 Marketing Materials

Sponsorship Brochure

  • Only one change for 2027:
    • Sponsorship deadline will be automatically set to 8

weeks before your event day

    • If you would like to request a change, please email Alyssa Kardatzke at akardatzke@nami.org

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2027 Marketing Materials

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2027 Marketing Materials

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2027 Marketing Materials

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2027 Marketing Materials

On-Demand: Kickoff Flyer

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2027 Marketing Materials

On-Demand: Kickoff Postcard

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2027 Marketing Materials

On-Demand: Kickoff Postcard

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2027 Marketing Materials

On-Demand: Rally Flyer

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2027 Marketing Materials

On-Demand: Corporate Kickoff Postcard

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2027 Marketing Materials

On-Demand: Corporate Kickoff Postcard

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2027 Marketing Materials

On-Demand: Thank You Foldable Card and Postcard

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Team Captain Promotion

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Team Captain Promotion

How It Works

  • When a Team Captain registers and fundraises

$50 or more 10+ weeks before your event, they

will receive a branded NAMIWalks gift mailed directly to them

  • NAMI National will send:
    • A triggered notification to the Team Captain when they qualify
    • A scheduled message at 12 weeks before your event to all Team Captains who have not earned their gift for 2027 and all lapsed 2026 Team Captains
    • All logistics emails when complete

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Team Captain Promotion

How It Works

  • Templated 1:1 email is available on the �Walk Manager Resource Center
  • NAMI National covers all costs for the Team Captain Promotion including the purchase of the item and direct shipping to the qualifying Team Captain

�As a special reminder for Team Captains that wherever life takes them, the hope they help create travels forward…

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Team Captain Promotion

Luggage Tag

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Team Captain Promotion

Luggage Tag

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The Walk Manager Resource Center

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The Walk Manager Resource Center

The Details

  • Only one change for 2027 - adding a tab for

accessing Evergreen Trainings

  • Opens on Thursday, September 10, at 11 a.m. ET

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A New Timeline

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A New Timeline

The Difference

  • One version for all events
  • Streamlined and condensed
  • Easily customized
  • Tabs are based on months out - not by category
    • One tab for all cultivation events
  • Contains links to resources and evergreen trainings
  • Important deadlines are included on the first tab

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Live & Evergreen Trainings

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Live & Evergreen Trainings

Live Trainings

  • Monthly National Calls on the first Wednesday

of the month from October to May

  • Weekly Group Office Hours on Tuesdays with a 10 minute timely topic to start
    • Sept. 15: Engaging Youth and Young Adults with NAMI NextGen
  • Monthly Technology Coaching Calls
    • Second Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m. ET
    • Begins with a 10 minute timely topic & covers DonorDrive, the app, facebook fundraising, and text messaging

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Live & Evergreen Trainings

Live Trainings

  • Will receive invites from Emma Tomasetti this

week for the National Calls, Weekly Group Office

Hours, and Technology Coaching Calls

  • New for 2027: Walk Manager Workshops
    • 3 opportunities: Goal Setting, Recruitment, and Participant Coaching
    • 2 hour, interactive workshops
    • Must register in advance - the link to join will not be automatically sent

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Live & Evergreen Trainings

namiwalks.org/springtrainings

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Live & Evergreen Trainings

Live Trainings

  • Recap emails for National Calls will be sent

again in 2027 detailing:

    • A written review of the topics discussed
    • Links to any resources shared
    • Recording and slide deck
    • Any specific calls to action

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Live & Evergreen Trainings

Evergreen Trainings

  • New for 2027
  • Focused, bite-sized trainings for a variety of topics

such as:

    • Committee Meeting 101
    • Being Present in Your Community
    • How to Send an Email Through DonorDrive
    • Priority and Action Planning
  • Can be accessed anytime and shared with other local staff, volunteers, and committee members for your event

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A Look Ahead for 2027

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A Look Ahead for 2027

Ready:

  • Participant Guidebook
  • Timeline
  • Social Media Graphics
  • Email Templates
    • Great 8
  • Participant Training Schedule
    • New for 2027: Team Captain Workshop held April 3
  • …and more!

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A Look Ahead for 2027

What’s Next

  • A Team Captain Workbook
  • An improved Walk Manager Onboarding process
  • More resources for the Participant Resource Center
  • Resources on team-based fundraising
  • How to coach Super Teams
  • Utilizing AI for prospecting
  • Updated Quick Guide to DonorDrive

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Interim Walk Manager Support

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Interim Walk Manager Support

An Overview

  • A virtual support program that will provide

guidance, operational assistance, and fundraising

support when a NAMI Organization experiences a vacancy in the Primary Walk Manager role

  • Up to an 8 week support period while the NAMI Organization recruits and onboards a new Walk Manager
  • Predetermined areas of support to select from including: participant coaching, sponsorship, marketing, cultivation, DonorDrive, etc.

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Interim Walk Manager Support

An Overview

  • Application based program:
    • Once an application is received, Marissa Barnes

will reach out to schedule a meeting to discuss your event and requested areas of support

    • Following the meeting, an internal review process will be conducted and you will be notified of the decision
  • Application will be on the Walk Manager Resource Center

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Launch Your Season

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Launch Your Season

Your 2027 Season

  • Submit 2026 Final Accounting
  • Submit 2027 License Agreement
    • Classic Events: namiwalks.org/licenseagreement
  • Starting on Thursday, September 10, if Final Accounting is done, License Agreement is submitted, and your organization is in good standing:
    • Countersigned license agreement will start being returned with the website request form

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Launch Your Season

Your 2027 Season

  • On Monday, September 14:
    • Marketing materials will begin being

produced on a first come, first serve basis with a 5-10 business day turnaround time

    • Websites will begin launching with a 5-10 business day turnaround time

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Next Meeting and Q&A

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Next Meeting and Q&A

Goal Setting & Strategy Workshop:

Creating a Roadmap for Success

Thursday, October 1, 2026

1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT/11 a.m. MT/10 a.m. PT

Link to register in chat

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