Private Fundraising

A Prescription for Congress: Invest in Transportation That Meets Americans' Needs

Posted 02/13/18 by Patrick Wojahn, Kevin Mills in Policy, Building Trails | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Facts and FIgures, Federal, Funding, Government Agencies, Mode Shift, Partnership for Active Transportation, Private Fundraising, State and Federal Programs, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Transportation and Health, Walkability and Bikeability

President Trump released his proposal for federal policy to build—and rebuild—our nation’s infrastructure. More infrastructure investment could be great for America, but only if it is invested in a balanced transportation system that meets the evolving needs of 21st-century America. Balanced transportation means investing in maintenance for our roads and bridges. It means investing in public transit and rail systems.

Full Story
Tampa Riverwalk, funded by a TIGER grant | Photo courtesy Matthew Paulson | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

How Funding for Trails Moves America: 5 Trails Funded by TIGER

Posted 08/22/17 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in America's Trails, Success Stories, Policy | Tagged with Arkansas, Case Studies, District Of Columbia, Federal, Funding, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Private Fundraising, State and Federal Programs, Success Stories, Trail Destinations

The federal TIGER program has funded more than $340 million in projects for trails, walking and biking to date—making it a powerful resource for those who want to create multimodal transportation choices in their communities for those who cannot or choose not to drive. Through the leveraging of additional federal, state, local and even private philanthropic sources, the highly competitive program (which also funds highway, freight rail, transit and maritime projects) promotes interplay between all levels of government and the private sector and strikes a good deal for federal transportation investments.

Bobby Whittaker, president of Ferry County Rail Trail Partners, with 770-foot trestle over Curlew Lake in background | Photo by Rich Landers

Former R.E.M. Tour Manager Creates Rural Connections in Washington

Posted 11/07/16 by Amy Kapp in Success Stories, Building Trails | Tagged with Champions, Featured Magazine Articles, Private Fundraising, Rural Communities, Success Stories, Washington

It may be a no-brainer that Seattle-born Bobby Whittaker has always loved the outdoors, having been raised by the first American to summit Mt. Everest. It was the city’s music scene, however, that led him to a rewarding 25-year career, first with Sub Pop Records, and then as a manager and tour manager with iconic bands including Mudhoney and R.E.M. A decade ago, Whittaker read about a former rail line in rural Ferry County, Washington—a place he’d long been going to “slow down.” Now trail advocates in Ferry County are on their way to completing the 25-mile “rock n’ roll” rail-trail, which is changing people’s lives.

Photo © Tricounty Rails to Trails

Small Ticket Grants to Make Big Impact on Trails in Six Communities

Posted 03/30/14 by Pat Tomes in Building Trails | Tagged with Local Organizing, Pennsylvania, Private Fundraising

Now in its seventh year, the Trail Assistance Mini-Grant Program managed by RTC was begun as a way to assist trail organizations or municipalities who need to make small repairs and improvements to their trail outside of the regular Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant schedule and well below the higher dollar amounts usually requested on major trail development grants.

Photo © Pinellas County

Florida's $50 Million a Savvy Investment in the State

Posted 04/22/13 by Ken Bryan in Building Trails, Policy | Tagged with Case Studies, Facts and FIgures, Florida, Private Fundraising, Tourism and Economic Stimulus

Florida's decision this week to set aside $50 million for the creation of a 275-mile cross-state trail is not only great news for those of us who love trails, biking, riding and hiking - it is also a tremendous shot in the arm for thousands of main street businesses and the state's economy.

Photo © Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Microfinancing, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy style

Posted 03/26/13 by Pat Tomes in Building Trails | Tagged with Local Organizing, Pennsylvania, Private Fundraising

That's why we started the Pennsylvania Mini-Grants Program, which is supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - to assist local organizations that need to make small repairs and improvements to their trail, below the amounts typically requested in larger state and federal grants.

Photo © Mountain Watershed Association

A Few Hundred Dollars or a Few Grand, Mini-Grants Program Helps Pennsylvania Rail-Trails

Posted 01/22/13 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails | Tagged with Local Organizing, Pennsylvania, Private Fundraising

Many projects were made possible by the Trail Mini-Grant Program for Pennsylvania Rail-Trails. Managed by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), this funding source helps trail organizations or municipalities in Pennsylvania that need to make small repairs or improvements to their trail, for dollar amounts typically well below that requested in major grants.

Photo of the CYCLE kids cruising around Camden © Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

The CYCLE Continues - William Penn Supports RTC's Work in Camden

Posted 12/19/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Success Stories, Building Trails | Tagged with Ecology and Environment, New Jersey, Private Fundraising, Schools and Young People, Urban Pathways

The ongoing transformation of Camden, New Jersey, is a terrific case study of what Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is about. From our core mission of recycling disused rail corridors into public pathways, in recent years RTC has expanded that work to building broader, more connected urban trail networks and encouraging new generations of Americans to walk and bike for daily transportation.