Introducing the NSMBA Community Trail Fund, boosting support to our Volunteer Trail Building community for specific projects.
Trails are the backbone of outdoor recreation, bringing communities together and creating adventure, wellness, and connection with nature. Behind the scenes, it’s the dedication of our volunteer builders that keeps these trails thriving. To empower them and ensure the sustainability of our trail systems, we’re stoked to introduce the Community Trail Fund.
Why This Fund Matters
Trail building is more than just hard work; it’s an art form that requires specialized skills, tools, and resources. While grants, sponsorships, and other revenue streams have supported us in the past, they can be unpredictable. The Community Trail Fund ensures we’re always ready to support our volunteers and tackle new projects, no matter the funding climate.
This fund provides us with:
- Flexibility: Immediate funding for critical needs, especially when grants require matching funds or delays would impact progress.
- Reliability: A safety net for volunteers, ensuring they have what they need to build and maintain world-class trails.
- Sustainability: The ability to handle essential maintenance, certifications, and projects without pausing for external funding.
What the Fund Supports
The Trail Builders Fund is designed with our volunteers and the trails’ needs in mind. Here’s how it helps:
- Project Materials & Tools: Covering the costs of chainsaw maintenance, specialized tools (like rock slings or Shapeshifter tools), gloves, oil, and fuel to keep equipment ready for action.
- Safety First: Providing First Aid or Chainsaw Safety Certifications for our volunteers to work safely and confidently in the field.
- Skilled Labor: Funding hourly pay for specialized projects like bridge replacements, trail reroutes, or major reclamation work that exceeds the scope of volunteer efforts.
- New Trails, New Experiences: Allocating funds for new projects, especially as matching contributions for grant applications, ensuring our trail network continues to expand and evolve.
What This Fund Does Not Cover
To remain focused, we’ve set clear boundaries on what this fund won’t support:
- Personal clothing or gear.
- Purchases of new chainsaws or motorized equipment.
- Bike parts or maintenance.
A Call to Action
Our trails are more than paths in the woods; they’re gateways to experiences that enrich lives. By contributing to the Community Trail Fund, you’re not just supporting trails—you’re investing in a legacy of accessible outdoor recreation for generations to come.
Whether you’re a trail enthusiast, a local business, or an outdoor advocate, your contribution ensures we can meet challenges head-on and keep our trails a cornerstone of the community.
Join us in creating a future where our trails and the volunteers who build them are always supported. Trails for All, Trails Forever.
The Community Trail Fund will replace “Trail Boost” donations and create a separate pot of funding. NSMBA ‘Donations to trails’ remain unchanged.
Visit our Donate Page