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April 2025 Newsletter

RTC’s TrailNation™ Collaborative is a multidisciplinary learning community for anyone interested in working in trail and active transportation. Join the email list.

Join Us at the International Trails Summit!

Later this month, Rails to Trails Conservancy will be heading to the International Trails Summit in Madison, Wisconsin. As part of the conference, RTC will be hosting a number of sessions and events on Wednesday, April 16, including a series of TrailNation® sessions designed to explore the fundamentals of trail network development through case studies, best practices and tools developed alongside our TrailNation project partners.

Creating a TrailNation: Accelerating Trail Networks – 10:30 a.m.
Funding Trails: Getting $120 Million in Our MPO’s TIP
Creating a TrailNation: Funding Advocacy – 1:30 p.m.
Creating a TrailNation: Inclusive Marketing – 3:00 p.m.
Partnering for Grants Greatness – 3:00 p.m.
TrailNation Collaborative Happy Hour With SmithGroup (Registration is required.) – 4:30-6 p.m.

As a member of the TrailNation Collaborative attending ITS, you’re invited to join RTC for a special networking happy hour on Wednesday night sponsored by SmithGroup. Space is limited—register for the networking happy hour here.

RTC Adding AICP CM Credits to Our Educational Opportunities!

Great news for planners and professionals: RTC is now offering AICP Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for our educational programs.

Starting this spring, you can earn CM credits by participating in RTC’s webinars and at the upcoming TrailNation Summit this October in Cleveland. It’s a great way to stay current on best practices in trail network planning and development—and get credit for it.

Look for AICP CM credit details in our upcoming webinar announcements and TrailNation Summit agenda.

Registration Now Open: Join Us at the TrailNation^™ Summit in Cleveland, Ohio!

Rails to Trails Conservancy’s TrailNation Summit is where the vision of trail networks at the center of healthy, thriving communities becomes a reality.

Register now to join us Oct. 27–29, 2025, when RTC will gather 500 trail network visionaries, innovators and practitioners from across the country for two days of dynamic mobile workshops, immersive learning opportunities, strategic conversations, and relationship building to unlock the power of trail networks for communities nationwide.

Register today! Early bird registration closes on May 30.

Input Needed: Share Your Successes!

The TrailNation Collaborative is shining a spotlight on the innovators driving trail network development across the country—and we want to feature you.

Have a success story, creative approach or breakthrough in your work? Share it with us for a chance to be featured in our newsletter and on our digital platforms—reaching thousands of advocates, planners and professionals who are shaping the future of connected trails.

Let your work inspire others. Submit your story today!

Share Your Success Story!

Upcoming TrailNation Collaborative Events

2018 TrailNation Summit | Photo courtesy RTC

In response to your feedback, many of this year’s TrailNation Collaborative events will be focused on helping you access BIL funding. Our webinars and interactive online dialogues will provide opportunities to connect with other trail experts and advocates, all while giving you the tools and resources you need to take advantage of this critical moment. Mark your calendars for the virtual events coming up this year!

International Trails Summit (Madison, Wisconsin)
Monday, April 14—Thursday, April 17 | Register Here

ITS TrailNation Collaborative Happy Hour co-sponsored by SmithGroup!
Wednesday, April 16 | RSVP Here

Celebrate Trails Day (in your community)
Saturday, April 26 | Learn More

Join RTC in inviting everyone outside on April 26 to celebrate the joy and impact of America’s trails. Share your event plans with us and check out our helpful partner resources.

Trail-Oriented Development: How Trails Create Connected Communities
Wednesday, May 7 | Register Here

TrailNation Summit (Cleveland, Ohio)
Monday, Oct. 27—Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025 | Register Here

Funding Opportunities

Warrior Expeditions bike ride to commemorate 5th anniversary of Great American Rail-Trail | Photo by Mariah Miranda Photography

NOW OPEN: Safe Street and Roads for All (SS4A)

Deadline: Thursday, June 26

The United States Department of Transportation has opened a new application period for the SS4A program, making $982 million available, with 40% set aside for planning and demonstration projects. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) specifically mentions bicyclists and bicycle infrastructure, but prioritizes “low cost, high impact” projects and indicates that projects that reduce travel lanes will be viewed less favorably. In your applications, it will be important to make a strong evidence-based case for the safety and cost-effective nature of your projects.

T-Mobile Hometown Grants
Deadline: Monday, June 30
Main Street America is partnering with T‑Mobile to provide grants of up to $50,000 to communities with populations of 50,000 or less to build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities.

Get more information about funding sources for trails and active transportation on RTC’s Federal Funding Resources page.

Resources

Woman on webinar - Photo courtesy Getty Images — Photo courtesy Getty Images

RTC: Bay Area Trails Collaborative Art P rogramming on Trails
This Trail Talk webinar from RTC’s Bay Area Trails Collaborative featured a panel of experts that discussed placemaking on trails through art and best practices for arts/trails programming.

Transportation Safety for Tribes: Pedestrian Safety in Tribal Areas
This study report discusses available resources and provides new tools for Tribal agencies and others who may be involved with pedestrian safety to help determine high-risk areas within Tribal communities, identify potential safety improvements and prioritize potential improvements or locations.

People for Bikes: Recreational Bicycling Access Tool

The Recreational Bicycling Access Tool, developed by PeopleForBikes in partnership with REI and Axis Maps, evaluates the accessibility, quality and connectivity of recreational biking facilities across the United States using data from OpenStreetMap and the U.S. Census.

Rails to Trails Conservancy Webinars From the Archive

Miss a recent webinar or online dialogue? You can find free access to all our recent RTC virtual events in the webinar archive or Resource Library on our website. This includes the newest addition to our TrailNation Playbook in Action series, Building Investment Strategies That Unlock Funding, which is designed to spark your imagination for vibrant and inclusive trail programming!