Early-bird registration is now open for RTC’s TrailNation™ Summit! The TrailNation Summit is where the vision of trail networks at the center of healthy, thriving communities becomes reality. We’re inviting network visionaries, innovators, and practitioners from across the country to join us for two days of dynamic mobile workshops, peer learning, networking and relationship building to unlock the power of trail networks for communities nationwide. 📅 When: Oct. 27-29, 2025 📍 Where: Cleveland, Ohio Register now to secure your spot at the early-bird rate: https://lnkd.in/gshac9km! (Prices go up on May 31.)
Rails to Trails Conservancy
Non-profit Organizations
Washington, District of Columbia 15,593 followers
Building a nation connected by trails.
About us
At Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC), we believe that communities are healthier and happier when trail networks are central to their design. Since 1986, RTC has worked to bring the power of trails to more communities across the country, serving as the national voice for the rail-trail movement. With more than one million grassroots supporters, 23,000 miles of rail-trails on the ground nationwide and more than 8,000 miles of rail-trails ready to be built, our focus is on linking these corridors—creating trail networks that connect people and places, bringing transformative benefits to communities all across the country. Our flagship initiatives—TrailLink.com, TrailNation™ and the Great American Rail-Trail™—bring that strategy to life, connecting millions of people by trail. For three decades, RTC has served as the national voice for trails, setting the precedent that rail-trails are need-to-have community assets and establishing policies and practices that ensure these trails are built. Learn how: railstotrails.org.
- Website
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https://www.railstotrails.org/
External link for Rails to Trails Conservancy
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- Washington, District of Columbia
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1986
- Specialties
- Trail Development, Advocacy for biking and walking infrastructure, Community building, Economic Development, Active lifestyles, Urban Planning, Active Transportation, GIS, Environmental Planning, health , wellness , urban mobility , Mapping, Transportation Infrastructure , Mobility, Trail Networks, and Regional Planning
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
2445 M St NW
Suite 650
Washington, District of Columbia 20037, US
Employees at Rails to Trails Conservancy
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Erica Briggs
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Frederick Schaedtler
CTO at Rails-To-Trails Conservancy
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Amy Kapp
Editorial Director/Editor-in-Chief at Rails to Trails Conservancy
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Kate Kraft
✧ Action-oriented Leadership for Nonprofits ✧ Realistic & Directional Advice to Grow Your Organization ✧ Program Development, Planning & Assessments…
Updates
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We have big news: By attending our TrailNation Summit, you'll now have the opportunity to gain at least 9 AICP certification maintenance (CM) credits! During the Summit, participants will be immersed in a learning experience designed to gain the skills and build the necessary connections with professionals and advocates from different fields, geographies and areas of expertise to accelerate the development of country’s 150+ trail networks. Whether you’re a planner, advocate, government leader, or champion, you’ll leave empowered and emboldened to take the necessary actions to bring to life the impact of trail networks—essential infrastructure for America. 📅 When: Oct. 27-29, 2025 📍 Where: Cleveland, Ohio Learn more and register today—before early bird pricing ends on May 30: https://lnkd.in/gshac9km. We hope to see you in Cleveland!
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"Across the state, trails are helping small towns grow — not by reinventing themselves, but by revealing the value of what’s always been. The Year of Alabama Trails recognizes that momentum and encourages us to keep pushing it forward." Check out this great read by Yellowhammer News about the economic and quality-of-life benefits trails can deliver to communities, featuring our friends at ALABAMA TRAILS FOUNDATION INC.
So happy that Yellowhammer News shared this story from Paul DeMarco , president of ATF on the importance of trails to Alabama’s recreation economy. #alabamatrails #innovatealabama https://lnkd.in/gJHzi_kR
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Our friends at the Levitt Foundation recently announced applications for their 2026-2028 Levitt Music Series Grants! These grants can help activate underused public spaces in your town or city and bring your community together through free outdoor concerts. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/emwVHhPZ
JUST ANNOUNCED: APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN FOR LEVITT MUSIC SERIES GRANTS! Bring free, outdoor concerts to your community with a Levitt Music Series Grant of up to $40K per year for a total of up to $120K over three years! Interested nonprofits, visit https://lnkd.in/gsewvfVP to: ✅ Learn eligibility requirements ✅ Sign up for application webinar on May 7 or May 21 ✅ Register for next steps! ⏰ DEADLINE: Applications are due by 5PM PDT on Monday, June 30 ➕ In addition to the national open call, there are special opportunities for Tennessee and Mississippi organizations! Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gsewvfVP #LevittMusicSeries #Grants #FreeOutdoorMusic
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This year, Celebrate Trails Day, our annual springtime celebration of America's trails on the fourth Saturday of April, was more than a day outside. It was a day filled with joy, adventure and big impact. On May 14 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, tune in on @RailsToTrails Facebook Page for a live broadcast as we explore the impact of spending time on trails—and how big moments like Celebrate Trails Day bring that impact into full view—with our friends Whitney Potter Schwartz from Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and Cindy Ragland from the ALABAMA TRAILS FOUNDATION INC.
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Proud of the amazing impact RTC continues to have on the lives of millions of Americans— finding joy in the outdoors!
2024 was a landmark year for trails, walking and biking nationwide. At this critical moment for the trails movement, people and places are rallying for trails more than ever before—demanding access to safe places to walk, bike and be active outside. RTC is tapping into opportunity, and turning that opportunity into impact, to build a nation connected by trails. Explore our FY24 Impact Report to learn about the difference we made, together, including: 🗺️ TrailLink connected people with 40,000+ miles of multiuse trails nationwide, helping millions of Americans create Trail Moments. 🛤️ At least 150 trail networks are underway in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico 📚 Thousands of people engaged via the TrailNation Collaborative, a learning community that is helping to advance and accelerate the development of trail networks 🚲 The Great American Rail-Trail is 55% complete, celebrating 125 miles added since its cross-country route was launched in May 2019. 💲RTC advocated for and helped communities secure critical investments for trails, walking, and biking, including an estimated $2.8 billion in federal funding for active transportation. 💚 RTC helped inspire people to celebrate and advocate for trails. Take a look back at the enormous impact of trails across the country in our impact report: https://lnkd.in/eBjengMg.
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2024 was a landmark year for trails, walking and biking nationwide. At this critical moment for the trails movement, people and places are rallying for trails more than ever before—demanding access to safe places to walk, bike and be active outside. RTC is tapping into opportunity, and turning that opportunity into impact, to build a nation connected by trails. Explore our FY24 Impact Report to learn about the difference we made, together, including: 🗺️ TrailLink connected people with 40,000+ miles of multiuse trails nationwide, helping millions of Americans create Trail Moments. 🛤️ At least 150 trail networks are underway in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico 📚 Thousands of people engaged via the TrailNation Collaborative, a learning community that is helping to advance and accelerate the development of trail networks 🚲 The Great American Rail-Trail is 55% complete, celebrating 125 miles added since its cross-country route was launched in May 2019. 💲RTC advocated for and helped communities secure critical investments for trails, walking, and biking, including an estimated $2.8 billion in federal funding for active transportation. 💚 RTC helped inspire people to celebrate and advocate for trails. Take a look back at the enormous impact of trails across the country in our impact report: https://lnkd.in/eBjengMg.
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Tomorrow, May 7: Tune in for our webinar about Trail-Oriented Development and explore how these practices—and the trails that inspire them—are helping to create vibrant, connected communities. Register + learn more: https://ow.ly/1JoB50VO72N Don’t forget—this session is eligible for 1.0 AICP certification maintenance (CM) credits!
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May 7: Join us for our free webinar: "Trail-Oriented Development: How Trails Create Connected Communities." Trail-Oriented Development is an innovative planning approach that integrates multiuse trails with residential and commercial development to create walkable, bike-friendly communities that enhance mobility, promote healthier lifestyles and strengthen local economies. Tune in to learn more from expert panelists about the core principles of Trail-Oriented Development and hear how these practices, and the trails that guide them, are creating vibrant, connected communities. Thank you to our panelists: - Jen Higginbotham from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization - Maura Brophy from the NoMa Business Improvement District in Washington, DC - Jennifer Jackson from the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency in Albuquerque, NM. Register + learn more: https://lnkd.in/epk28zAb We're proud to announce that this session is eligible for 1.0 AICP certification maintenance (CM) credits!
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Thank you to Athletic Brewing Company for having RTC President Ryan Chao on their Without Compromise podcast! Our team was honored to have the opportunity to share more about our commitment to, and passion for, building a nation connected by trails—and to express our appreciation for their support! Through their Two for the Trails grant program, Athletic Brewing Company is helping to protect and restore outdoor spaces, including trail projects around the country, by spending time volunteering and donating up to $2 million annually. And as the 2025 premier sponsor of Celebrate Trails Day, Athletic Brewing Company helped us invite everyone outside on Saturday, April 26, to experience the joy of trails and the ways these spaces enrich our everyday lives. Thank you to Athletic Brewing Company for their years of support! Tune in: https://lnkd.in/gXkpCZVM #Ad Athletic Brewing Company, LLC. Milford, CT and San Diego, CA. Near Beer. <0.5% alc/vol."