November 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.

Action Needed: Help Protect Railbanking

As Congress approaches the next transportation law, the future of funding for trails, walking and biking is in question. Along with the grant cancellations and freezes, the “Rails to Trails Landowner Rights Act” (H.R. 4924) poses an existential threat to America’s rail-trails at the heart of multi-use trail systems across the country.  

This bill would make the railbanking law unusable, threatening thousands of miles of trails and place untenable additional requirements of trail managers seeking rail banking agreements. RTC has provided further analysis of this dangerous bill here.  

Take Action:  

Rails to Trails Conservancy has heard from leaders in Congress that the committee hasn’t heard enough opposition to this bill. Call the House Committee on Natural Resources at (202) 225-2761 and tell them you oppose H.R. 4924, the “Rails to Trails Landowner Rights Act. You can find the list of committee members here.  

Railbanking Resources:  

TrailNation Summit in Review

Last month, nearly 400 people representing 40 states gathered in Cleveland for RTC’s TrailNation Summit. In this powerful display of the trails movement, we came together for learning, connection and fun.  

Among the many highlights was Tuesday’s World Cafe session, connecting industry experts with those leading the trail networks movement in attendance. TrailNation Collaborative member Tom Bilcze (Ohio to Erie Trail) shared his insights in his recent blog piece “What I Learned Speed Dating for Trails”.  

Tuesday evening we continued the celebrations with the first-ever TrailNation Pitch Fest. This reception was full of connections and highlighted three remarkable projects that are harnessing the power of trails to connect communities. Congratulations to Emerson Rosenberg of West Michigan Trails for winning a grant for her pitch highlighting the importance of completing the River-to-River Interurban Trail in Wayland, MI!  

Catch up on the plenary sessions:  

If you attended the Summit, please take 5 minutes to complete this short survey to share your feedback and inform future convenings.  

Whether or not you were able to attend, RTC is pleased to share many of the resources from the Summit, including a PDF of the TrailNation Workbook, plenary recordings, and copies of master class presentations here. 

Upcoming TrailNation Collaborative Events

Our learning events, webinars and interactive online dialogues provide opportunities to connect with other trail experts and advocates, all while giving you the tools and resources you need to advance your trail network. Mark your calendars for the events coming up this year!

Leveraging Statewide Planning to Advance Trail Development (virtual) | Wednesday, Dec. 10

Celebrating Progress on the Great American Rail-Trail (virtual) | Wednesday, Dec. 17

Get Ready for Celebrate Trails Day! (virtual) | Wednesday, Jan. 21

Save the Date: Celebrate Trails Day (in-person; national) | Saturday, April 25

Find registration links for all sessions at railstotrails.org/webinars.

Funding Opportunities

APPLY NOW: Active People, Healthy Nation Walkability Action Institute
Deadline: Friday, Dec. 12
Applications are now open for eligible recipients to apply for participation in a State-based Active People, Healthy Nation Walkability Action Institute to help create communities that promote safe, accessible opportunities to walk, bike, and roll. For the 2025–2026 project year, funding is available to support two states. Participation will be determined through a competitive but streamlined application process.   

T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program
Deadline: Wednesday, Dec. 31
For communities with populations of 50,000 or less, the program provides grants of up to $50,000 to help build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities. Nonprofits and municipalities are encouraged to apply.

Walmart Spark Good Local Grants 
Deadline: Wednesday, Dec. 31
Walmart’s local grants are designed to support local organizations that meet the unique needs of the communities where we operate, build pride among all associates, and deepen relationships. Each year, Walmart U.S. stores, Sam’s Clubs and Distribution Centers award local cash grants ranging from $250 to $5000.   

FHWA Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund
Deadline: Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026
This grant program provides funding to address transportation safety issues identified by federally recognized tribes, including funding for separated roadway infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians.  

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

Resources

RTC: TrailNation Summit Resources
Looking for a digital copy of the TrailNation Workbook or any of the resources mentioned at the Summit? We’re happy to provide digital resources to help apply the Summit to your work. If you’re looking for a particular resource that isn’t listed, please reach out to Mary Ellen Koontz, TrailNation Collaborative Lead at maryellen@railstotrails.org.  

Reimagine the Civic Commons: How Civic Infrastructure Powers Small Local Businesses
Public spaces like parks and trails are critical infrastructure that improve communities on many levels—including by activating spaces and creating a strong sense of livability which can result in stronger local economies.  

Reimagine the Civic Commons: How Civic Infrastructure Powers Small Local Businesses
Public spaces like parks and trails are critical infrastructure that improve communities on many levels—including by activating spaces and creating a strong sense of livability which can result in stronger local economies.  

American Trails: Conducting Visitor and Recreational User Research to Tell an Economic Story
This DIY guide from the Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation can aid organizations in conducting visitor and user research through templates, equations and examples, along with extensive additional resources so quantify the impact of trail outdoor infrastructure investments.  

Smart Growth America: The Role of Bike Audits in Building Better Communities
Completing walking and biking audits are an important part of developing a gap-filling strategy. In this recent blog, experts from Smart Growth America reflect on their Week Without Driving challenge and the role of bike audits to ensure that cycling infrastructure, like trails, are prioritized in transportation planning.  

America Walks: Communications 101: How to Think About Your Strategy
Using his forty years of experience in advocacy and organizing, America Walks Executive Director Mike McGinn covers the elements of a clear, compelling communications strategy—including message development and testing, how to find and use polling data to strengthen your case, why a good message alone isn’t enough, and common pitfalls to watch out for. 

RTC: 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 our recent “Innovative State Legislative Approaches” and “State DOT Engagement” sessions with RTC’s policy team and recordings of the TrailNation Summit plenary sessions! 

Other Events You Won’t Want to Miss!

American Trails: Moab Ambassador Program: Education and Promotion of Responsible Recreation | Thursday, Dec. 11

American Trails: Aggregate Trail Surfacing: From Fundamentals to Field Application | Thursday, Jan. 8

Tools for Collaborative Members

Get access to all the resources you need to create a vibrant trail network for your community—from funding opportunities to technical assistance.