Walk Challenges vs High-Yield Challenges: Building Your Activity Mix
Not all virtual challenges are created equal. Some bring in a massive wave of participants, whilst others attract a smaller, highly lucrative crowd. If you treat every activity type exactly the same, you are likely leaving money on the table.
Understanding the fundamental difference between volume-driven activities and high-yield activities can completely transform how you plan your campaign calendar. We analysed the performance of UK campaigns run through GivePanel in 2025 to see exactly how different activity types impact the bottom line.
Here is what the data revealed about balancing your challenge mix.
The Volume Foundation: Why Walking Challenges Still Reign Supreme
Let’s cut right to the chase: Walking challenges absolutely dominated the 2025 fundraising landscape.
They accounted for a staggering 40.30% of all funds raised across the year. That means nearly half of all virtual challenge revenue came from one single activity type.
Why? Because walking challenges are incredibly accessible. They cast the widest possible net, appealing to families, older demographics, and people of all fitness levels. They might not be the flashiest or most innovative concept in the room, but they are the bedrock of social fundraising.
The Takeaway: Do not abandon walking challenges simply because they feel “done before.” They are your foundation. You can count on them for steady, predictable participation and consistent revenue year-round.
The High-Yield Specialist: The Power of the Press-Up
Here is where the data gets fascinating. While walking challenges dominated in sheer volume, press-up challenges generated the highest average funds raised per campaign at £153,552.
Despite having lower overall participation numbers than walking events, press-up challenges pack a serious punch. They attract a totally different demographic – usually younger, fitness-oriented supporters who are highly motivated, comfortable with physical exertion, and often possess highly engaged social networks.
The Takeaway: High-yield fitness challenges deliver concentrated value. They won’t give you the mass registration numbers of a step challenge, but they will drive up your average revenue per active fundraiser.
How to Build a Balanced, Data-Driven Campaign Calendar
This isn’t about choosing between a walking challenge or a high-yield fitness challenge. It’s about structuring your programme so they complement each other.
A smart, balanced virtual challenge calendar should look something like this:
- Deploy Walking Challenges During Peak Traffic: During your high-momentum months (like October and the Spring surge), run walking challenges. You have maximum market attention, so use the most accessible activity to capture the broadest possible audience.
- Test High-Yield Challenges During Quiet Months: July and August are notoriously quiet for digital fundraising. With less ad competition, this is the perfect time to launch a niche, high-yield challenge (like press-ups, cycling, or running) to a targeted, highly committed audience.
- Pause Acquisition During the Festive Season: During December and January, do not launch new challenge types. People are busy. Instead, focus entirely on activating and stewarding the supporters who are already in your database.
Innovation is Great, But Strategy is Better
We often see charities make the mistake of ditching their reliable walking challenges in pursuit of novelty. While innovation is crucial for keeping your programme fresh, you should never risk your peak fundraising months on an untested concept.
If you want to try a completely new activity type, run it during a lower-stakes period first. Measure the average funds raised, participation rates, and activation rates. If the data proves it works, scale it up and give it more promotional weight the following year.
Ready to Optimise Your Challenge Mix?
Walking challenges give you the volume you need to scale, while high-yield challenges give you the concentrated value to smash your revenue targets. You need both to build a resilient fundraising programme.
Want to build a programme that delivers consistent growth? Book a demo at givepanel.com/demo to discover how GivePanel can help you balance your campaigns, automate your stewardship, and optimise your entire challenge mix.
Already a GivePanel customer? Log in to your account today to analyse your historical challenge type performance. See exactly which activities your unique supporter base prefers, and identify the gaps in your current calendar.