Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Donations

Registration

Fundraising

Website and Online Fundraising

Team Questions

Team Captain FAQ

General Information

1. Why am I required to pay to register?
The registration fee helps offset the costs of the event, including the incredible musical performance. This ensures that all fundraising dollars directly support our beneficiaries. If you have additional questions about the registration process, please email info@FloridaAIDSWalk.org.

2. Where does the money go?
The money raised by Florida AIDS Walk supports the services provided by AIDS Healthcare Foundation and several other beneficiary organizations that are chosen each year. 100% of every dollar raised remains in Florida, to provide direct services to its residents who are affected by HIV/AIDS. Click here to learn more about this year’s beneficiaries.

3. How long is the Florida AIDS Walk?
Florida AIDS Walk is 5K (3.1 miles) and takes roughly one to two hours to complete.

4. What is the schedule for the day of the event?
Saturday, March 18, 2023
8:00 AM - Check-In Open and DJ ED TALKS on stage
9:30 AM - Opening Program
10:00 AM - Walk
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM - Flo Rida
12:35 PM - DJ Citizen Jane
1:30 PM – event close

5. Are pets welcome at the walk?
No. Animals are NOT allowed where the pre-Walk line-up and post-Walk Music Festival is being held.

6. What if I want to run the 5K; or what if I am a slow walker?
Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate in Florida AIDS Walk. Please recognize that if you run ahead of the police-supported road and lane closures, or fall behind the road closure schedule, the roads along the route will be open to traffic, and you will need to be on the sidewalk. In either case, please be aware that you are participating at your own risk.

7. Can kids participate?
Yes. Children ages 5 and under can attend free of charge. Children ages 6 and above can join as registered participants. Do Not Bring: Strollers, wagons, pets, coolers, beach umbrellas or picnic baskets.

8. What items are allowed/prohibited at the event?
What To Bring: Sunblock, sunglasses, ID, comfortable shoes, your fully-charged phone and/or camera, and cash for food & drinks
Do Not Bring: Strollers, wagons, pets, coolers, beach umbrellas or picnic baskets
STRICTLY PROHIBITED: Weapons, Glass, Outside Alcohol, Drones

9. What COVID-19 safety procedures will be in place at the event?
We will be working with the City of Ft. Lauderdale and Broward County Health Department on all necessary health and safety measures.

Donations

1. To whom should donation checks be made?
Please make checks payable to “AHF – Florida AIDS Walk.” All checks must be accompanied by a personalized donation form with the participant or team’s name and ID number. Company checks must include a contact name, email address, AND/OR mailing address to be processed. If the participant has not provided you with a donation form, you can print one from their personal fundraising page or team page. Just search for their name here.

2. Where do I mail donations?
AHF – Florida AIDS Walk
PO BOX 935744
Atlanta GA 31193-5744
All checks must be accompanied by a personalized donation form with the participant or team’s name and ID number. Company checks must include a contact name, email address, AND/OR mailing address to be processed. If the participant has not provided you with a donation form, you can print one from their personal fundraising page or team page. Just search for their name here.

If you are sending your donation via overnight or certified mail, please contact info@floridaaidswalk.org prior to sending.

3. What is a matching gift?
A matching gift is a benefit offered by some employers to encourage charitable giving among their employees. Employer matching gift programs are a great way for your donors to double or, in some cases, triple their contribution.

4. How can I approach my donors about getting a matching gift?
Your donors may not be aware that their employer participates in a matching gift program. A great way to educate and encourage donors to utilize these programs is in your fundraising letter or email. Add a “P.S.” statement at the end of your letter such as, “Double the impact of your gift at no additional cost! Visit FloridaAIDSWalk.org/matching to see if your gift can be matched through an employer matching gift program.”

5. How do I know if a company will offer a matching gift for a donation?
Visit FloridaAIDSWalk.org/matching and search for the name of the company. To get better results, try entering just a part of the employer name. If your employer doesn’t appear on the list, ask them if they might be registered under a different official name. If still do not see the name of the company listed in our search tool, select the “new company” link on the Matching Gifts page and fill out the web form to request your company be added to the list. You will be contacted via email after we have confirmed whether the company does or does not match for Florida AIDS Walk. Alternately, ask your Human Resources or Community Relations Departments directly about their matching gifts process.

6. How does a donor apply for a matching gift?
To make a matching gift, first go to FloridaAIDSWalk.org/matching and use our search tool to look up the name of a company. If the company is in our database, select it and you will see the specific instructions for that company’s matching gifts process. Different organizations have different requirements and procedures, so please look up each company individually.

To get better results, try entering just a part of the employer name. If your employer doesn’t appear on the list, ask them if they might be registered under a different official name. If still you do not see the name of the company listed in our search tool, select the “new company” link and fill out the web form to request your company be added to the list. You will be contacted via email after we have confirmed whether the company does or does not match for Florida AIDS Walk. Alternately, donors can also check with their Human Resources or Community Relations Departments to inquire about their internal process.

Important Tips:

Select the correct organization!
AHF-FL AIDS WALK
PO BOX 935744
Atlanta GA 31193-5744
If AHF-FL AIDS WALK isn’t an option, choose AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION and then designate FL AIDS WALK if given the option.
Provide the participant’s name with the submission if possible
Submit the request as soon as possible to allow ample processing time so that the participant can receive credit before the event
Make copies of matching gift forms or forward the email confirmation to info@floridaaidswalk.org for processing.

7. What happens if a mailed donation or matching gift comes in after the April 30 fundraising deadline?
The amount of the donation or matching gift will be added to the participant’s fundraising total. However, if the donation or match is for a beneficiary team, donations processed after April 30 will not qualify for AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s disbursement to that beneficiary. Remember, donations must be processed by 4/30, not postmarked. Please allow for 2 weeks for mailed donations to be posted to the participant or team fundraising account.

Registration

1. How do I register online?
Click on Register and follow the steps on your screen, where you will be guided through the registration process. Once your transaction is complete, you will receive a confirmation email from the website. This email will contain your username and password that you have selected. Please be aware that online registrants will be asked to pay a registration fee as part of the registration process.

2. What if I don't wish to register online?
If you are unable or reluctant to register online, click here to print a registration form. Mail your completed form with a check to the Florida AIDS Walk office for payment and registration. All mailed registration forms must be received on or before March 8 to ensure processing in time for the event on March 18. Or you can register or buy tickets the morning of the event at the Registration/Tickets tent beginning at 8:00 a.m. on March 18.

3. Is there a minimum amount I have to raise for the Florida AIDS Walk?
All participants must pay a registration fee. There is no fundraising requirement to participate, but we encourage all participants to set a goal of $100 or more. Check out the cool prizes we will reward you with for meeting certain milestones.

Fundraising

1. What should I do to raise funds for the Florida AIDS Walk?
Fundraising is easy. Just follow these simple steps:

Personalize your Team and/or Individual Fundraising webpage, and then send out an email to friends, family members, and co-workers. Each email sent from your webpage contains a link to support you online with a credit card.
Print your personalized donation forms from your Participant Center and pass them out.
Social Networking: Post on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter to ask your friends and other contacts for support. Write notes, share links that are news-worthy and related to the battle against HIV, and by all means, share the link to your fundraising page! (Be sure that you are mindful of each site’s anti-spam or solicitation policies.)

Matching Gift Programs. Many corporate organizations have corporate giving programs that match the contributions their employees give to a charitable organization. By utilizing the matching gift programs of your employer or your family and friends’ employers, you can quickly double or triple your fundraising dollars. Visit the Matching Gifts page for more information.
Host a fundraising party or event. Ask a local bar or restaurant to donate their space for a happy hour or fundraising dinner party. Charge a flat admission or suggest a donation. Plan a raffle, contest, or drink special to make the night exciting!
Give your team members an incentive to sign up, raise money, and walk. Ask a local business to contribute to your team by providing a reward prize or two, and then create a contest within your team or group of friends to determine who will win it. Contest ideas include: most new team members enlisted, most fundraising email requests sent using the website, highest amount raised, or most original fundraising effort.

2. How else can I support Florida AIDS Walk?
There are many opportunities for you to get involved in Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival, from volunteering to becoming a corporate or in-kind sponsor. Even if you aren’t in a position to sponsor, you may have contacts who are. To find out about any of these options, or share sponsorship leads that you think might be helpful, please contact us at info@FloridaAIDSWalk.org.

Website and Online Fundraising

3. I forgot my username and/or password. How can I find out what they are?
Go to the Log In page and click Forgot Username if you need your username, or Forgot Password if you need your password.

Remember that your username and password are case-sensitive.

Still stuck? Please contact us at info@FloridaAIDSWalk.org for assistance.

4. How can friends and family find my individual fundraising webpage to make a donation?
When you send an email from your Florida AIDS Walk Participant Center, the link to your individual fundraising webpage will automatically be included in the bottom of the email, as will the link to your team page (if applicable).

Also, on the home page of the website, friends and family can locate a participant by clicking on the “Donate” link from the home page, then searching for the participant who they wish to support. By typing in the name of the participant, they will then be able to select that participant from the results returned, which will lead them to that individual’s fundraising webpage.

5. Why is the "Donate" search not finding a participant that I know has registered?
While they are not case sensitive, you must type in the exact spelling of the first or last name of the person you are looking for. If you continue to have a problem locating a participant that you are sure has registered, please contact us at info@FloridaAIDSWalk.org.

6. How can I see who has donated to me?
Log in by entering your username and password on the Participant Log-In page. Once you are redirected to your Participant Center, click “Progress” from the menu near the right side of the screen to view your donation history.

7. Why aren't the cash and check contributions I've raised showing up on my personal fundraising webpage?
While credit card donations made through the website will automatically appear on a walker’s personal web page, cash and check donations must be processed in the Florida AIDS Walk office, which takes additional time.

8. All of my donors are not showing up on the scroll mechanism. Why?
This has happened for one of three reasons:
1) As your donors make a contribution, they have the option of choosing whether or not they want to appear in the recognition scroll.
2) The donor scroll can also take as long as an hour to refresh during peak website traffic times.
3) Your donor may not have accurately completed the process. Confirm with them that they received a confirmation email from the website.

9. How do I send an email from the Participant Center?
Select “Email and Contacts” within the Participant Center. You can use the pre-written emails as a starting point, and then edit and send your message.

If you want to create your own message, select "Create Your Own Message" to start from a blank email.

If you are creating your own message, enter the recipient’s email address or select your recipients from your Address Book after importing your contacts.

Enter the subject and body of your email. Once you have composed an email, you can save it as a template for future emails. The saved message will then appear on the list of suggested messages.

10. How do I email my team members?
You can use the same process above to send an email to everyone on your team. During the “Set Recipients” step, select Group>Teammates.

11. How can I keep track of important dates and deadlines?
Please opt-in to the Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival emails when you register. This is the fastest way to receive information as event news develops. We also encourage you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest announcements.

Team Questions

1. What is a team?
Forming a team for the Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival is a great way to make a fun event even more amazing, as well as increase your fundraising impact. Teams can consist of as few as two people, and are comprised of walkers representing a variety of companies, schools, churches, or organizations in the South Florida area. There are also many friend and family teams that participate, some of whom walk in memory of those they have lost. Teams can range in size from two to more than one hundred walkers. On-event rewards are given to the Largest Team and Top Fundraising Team.

2. What are a team leader's responsibilities?
Click here to review Team Captain FAQs.