2014 Sponsorship Opportunities

Transcription

1 Protecting the Places You Love to Hike 2014 Sponsorship Opportunities In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. John Muir American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org

2 About American Hiking Society Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national organization that promotes and protects foot trails, their surrounding natural areas, and the hiking experience. As the national voice for hikers, American Hiking Society recognizes that foot trails and hiking are essential to connect people with nature, conserve open space, provide biological corridors for diverse plants and wildlife, and for the health of Americans and our natural environment. We represent millions of hikers who are committed to beautiful places to hike and believe that the preservation of hiking trails and their environments is important and a worthwhile legacy to leave future generations. As a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization, American Hiking Society receives support for its programs and outreach from several sources including membership, individual and organizational donors, foundation grants, government agreements, and corporate sponsorships. As a 37 year old organization it is important for us to stay connected and relevant. Since January of 2013, our social presence has grown substantially, on Facebook we have gone from 15,000 to 50,000+ followers. Our Work American Hiking Society champions conservation issues, builds public and private partnerships, supports volunteer stewardship, and provides critical resources to help plan, fund, and develop trails. We also provide resources to the public about how and where to hike and are committed to increasing the participation and enjoyment of hiking by everyone. Our work is inspiring and challenging, and is built on three pillars Policy & Advocacy; Volunteerism & Stewardship; and Outreach & Education. Policy & Advocacy American Hiking Society works with Congress and federal agencies to shape public policy and legislation affecting hiking. Our efforts ensure funding for hiking trails, the preservation of natural areas and the protection of hiking experiences. Through our national advocacy/hike the Hill and regional initiatives American Hiking protects trails and the hiking experience in areas of the country where specific and urgent needs exist. Volunteerism & Stewardship American Hiking Society organizes and coordinates Volunteer Vacations and National Trails Day nationally recognized programs that help keep our trails open, safe, and enjoyable. Our National Trails Fund is the only national private grants program for hiking trails across the United States. Outreach & Education American Hiking Society is committed to increasing Americans participation in and enjoyment of hiking and conducts outreach through events, educational materials and partnerships with other recreation and conservation organizations. To continue to have wild and scenic places close to home, we need to make the outdoors inspiring, accessible and safe to all of our citizens and visitors. American Hiking, through National Trails Day and its advocacy programs, has been a key player in welcoming all people into the outdoors and in building a new generation of environmental stewards. - Sally Jewell, Former CEO of Recreational Equipment, Inc. American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 2 of 13

3 Our Accomplishments In the 1970s and 1980s Influenced the passage of amendments to the National Trails System Act to designate several new national scenic trails, encourage volunteers and trail clubs to build and maintain trails, and helped establish rail-banking (which launched the successful rails-to-trails movement). Created the Volunteer Vacations program (contributing more than 21,440 service hours in 2013). Organized HikeaNation, a thirteen-month backpacking trip spanning 4,500 miles to increase awareness about hiking trails (This hike was the inspiration for the coastto-coast American Discovery Trail). Successfully advocated for the creation of permanent staff positions within the National Park Service and Forest Service to implement the National Trails System Act along with increased funding for these trails. In the 1990s Led the creation of a national coalition of trail organizations, which in 1992 became the Partnership for the National Trails System. Launched National Trails Day in 1993 (22 years later, event registration exceeds 2,255 events). Created Hike-the-Hill : Trails Advocacy Week in 1997 to bring trails leaders and volunteers to Washington, DC to advocate for trail funding and protection. Established the National Trails Fund in 1998 (American Hiking Society has awarded $580,000 in grants). Positively influenced the Forest Service s Recreation Agenda, BLM s National Scenic and Historic Trails Strategy and Work Plan. Opened American Hiking s first regional office in Chattanooga, TN as part of the Southern Appalachians Initiative, and spearheaded the creation of the Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition to link up a 5,000 mile trail network in the Southeast. Fought major threat to trails, including rollbacks of national park protections and proposals to sell off public land. The New Millenium to Today Announced the Great Eastern Trail, a new trail system in the eastern USA that will connect more than 10,000 miles of trail. Instigated and supported the formation of the Congressional Trails Caucus. Leadership role in the creation of the BLM s 26 million acre National Landscape Conservation System. American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 3 of 13

4 Doubled the number of National Trails Day events (+2,200) across America and took a leadership role in establishing June as Great Outdoors Month nationally. Sustained advocacy support for full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Recreation Trails Program. Expanded our Alliance of Hiking Organizations to over 350 groups, representing over 500,000 hikers. Co-Founder of the Outdoor Alliance, a national coalition of human-powered outdoor recreation organizations that positively influenced national land management and recreation policy. Created our Alternative Break volunteer trail stewardship program for college students. Together with the USDA/Forest Service, spearheaded the formation of the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance. American Hiking s Families on Foot Initiative was established to promote hiking and trails for families of all walks of life, including a new family hiking guide series with Falcon Guides. Established impactful strategic alliances with America s State Parks, Boy Scouts of America, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Coalition for Recreation Trails, National Parks Second Century Coalition and others. Our Reach American Hiking Society is recognized by hikers, the media, government and elected officials, and land management agencies as the national authority on and leading voice for hikers and hiking trails. Our reach and impact is noteworthy and includes: Falcon Guides and Menasha Ride Press, hiking guide books, 20,000 copies sold/year - American Hiking Society's logo is on the front and/or back jacket Co-branded promotions and advertising with our sponsors and partners Advertisement/Editorial Content in Backpacker magazine which goes out to the following: o Total circulation 353,799 o Male/Female 71%/29% o Median Age 42 years o Median HHI $94,686 o Grad College % 50,000+ Facebook followers o 15%, age o 13%, age o 11%, age ,000+ Pinterest followers 15,000+ Twitter followers 21,000+ 'Paperless Trail' enewsletter subscribers 16,000 website visitors per month 57,000 page views per month 7,000 American Hiker membership newsletter recipients/quarterly 300+ Alliance Members, over 500,000 hikers June, 2014, American Hiking s President, Gregory Miller (left) cohosts an interagency dialogue about people and a sustainable trail system with Forest Service Chief, Tom Tidwell (right). American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 4 of 13

5 Program Reach National Trails Day 2013: Encourage and promote outdoor recreation as a means to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. 2,255 trail events took place in all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico, engaging more than 134,000 people on trails. 24,300 trail volunteers participated in 528 projects and maintained 2,084 miles of trail, resulting in $2.4 million of sweat equity. 69,000 hikers attended 1,132 hikes and hiked a cumulative distance of 313,000 miles. 11,000 bikers attended 140 bike rides and biked a cumulative distance of 172,000 miles. 6,400 paddlers attended 57 paddling trips and paddled a cumulative distance of 38,000 miles. 1,400 equestrians attended 35 horseback riding trips and rode a cumulative distance of 16,000 miles. 600 million media impressions. Volunteer Vacations 2013: Foster public land stewardship and provide volunteers the opportunity to give back to the trails they love, meet new people, and have a great time doing it. 61 trail stewardship and recreation access projects in 24 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 536 volunteers contributed 21,440 volunteer hours, worth an estimated $474,682 in sweat equity. More than 110 student volunteers in 2013 through the Alternative Break program. Most participants were experiencing trail work and a working vacation for the first time. Volunteers built or maintained over 415 miles of trail. 2 Volunteer Vacations on BLM land, 13 in National Parks, 20 in National Forests, 4 with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and 19 in State Parks or Forests. Our Demographics Your sponsorship in American Hiking provides outstanding cause-branding opportunities and promotes your brand to a core group of trail enthusiasts, advocates, and passionate outdoors people who give their time, labor, and support. Our members have deep loyalty to American Hiking and are very aware of the socially conscious companies that support us. Thus, impressions to this targeted audience are of very high quality. Annual Income > $150, % $100,000 $150, % $70,000 - $99, % $50,000 - $69, % $30,000 - $49, % < $30, % Gender Male 65% Female 35% Age <25 yrs 1.5% % % % > % Education Master or PhD 43.4% College Degree 37.0% High School 19.6% American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 5 of 13

6 Days Members Hike Annually > 20 days 53.6% % % < 5 7.9% Members Additional Outdoor Activities Car Camping 52% Canoeing/Kayaking 52% Road Biking 37% Bird Watching 36% Skiing 28% Fishing 25% Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities A partnership with American Hiking will involve national, multi-faceted recognition of your company, with specific benefits and strategies that are described in the remainder of this proposal. At higher sponsorship levels, you will receive outstanding national market recognition as an AHS sponsor and be associated with our two signature national programs-- National Trails Day (promote outdoor recreation as a means to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle)and Volunteer Vacations (foster public land stewardship and provide volunteers the opportunity to give back to the trails they love). A deeper look at what it means to be a National Trails Day and Volunteer Vacations Sponsor is outlined in the last pages of this package. American Hiking Society is connected with families and individuals across our nation, representing more than 6,000 individual members and 300+ member organizations and directly reaching more than 500,000 highly motivated, outdoor enthusiasts nationwide. In supporting American Hiking, our corporate sponsors gain access to this valuable demographic through tens of millions of impressions and creative sampling opportunities that are provided by American Hiking Society s programs, membership, website, quarterly newsletter, events, e-newsletters, press coverage, and social media. Sponsorship Highlight! American Hiking Society partnered with Nature Valley and provided a mutually beneficial branding opportunity for print-based marketing and promotions. American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 6 of 13

7 All sponsors receive the following benefits: Company logo on the AHS sponsor webpage, with hyperlink & company description Recognition in American Hiking Society s online Annual Report Recognition in American Hiker, our quarterly print newsletter, with a distribution of 30,000 National press release to announce our partnership or joint activities Company Logo on the product donor webpages on our website, in recognition for any product donations to our programs Provide onsite sampling including prizes for kids coloring contest Provide promotional gear for NTD and VV organizer kits Custom, consumer market access through social-media-based campaigns (see social media guidelines in sponsor levels below) "Like" your Facebook page on AHS Facebook page (which currently has more than 50,000 followers) Interaction on other social-media platforms; we are also on Twitter (15,000 followers), Pinterest (28,000 followers), and Google+ American Hiking Corporate Sponsorship Levels (based on yearly cash contributions). A deeper look at what it means to be a National Trails Day (NTD), Volunteer Vacations (VV), National Trails Fund (NTF), and PATH Report Sponsor is outlined in the last pages of this package: Pinnacle $100,000+ Pinnacle sponsors receive the following premier recognitions in addition to the benefits highlighted at the top of this page. o Exclusive, permanent logo/name placement on AHS website homepage (American Hiking is powered by [insert your company name here]) o Exclusive corporate sponsor page on AHS website o Recognition as a pinnacle sponsor of National Trails Day, Volunteer Vacations, National Trails Fund, and founding sponsor of The PATH Report o Company logo on NTD and VV t-shirts o Company logo on all NTD and VV materials (flyer, posters, etc) o Special company ad (hyperlinked) in monthly issue of Paperless Trail e-newsletters, with 20,000 subscribers, for 6 months o Opportunity to insert an exclusive coupon/flyer with company key message (printed by you) with AHS membership renewal letter (to over 6,000 members annually) o Use of AHS marks for print-based marketing and promotions (with approval). See the example of the co-branded Nature Valley granola bar boxes o Use of AHS marks for your web-based marketing and promotions (with approval) o Opportunity to submit two blog posts monthly on our homepage o Weekly sponsor posts and shares on AHS social media platforms (posted and shared by AHS) L.L.Bean encourages people to be good stewards of the environment. We applaud American Hiking Society's efforts to establish, protect, and maintain America's foot trails. We are proud to sponsor the National Trails Fund, to support a variety of projects at the local level with much needed resources. Janet Wyper, L.L.Bean s Manager of Community Relations American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 7 of 13

8 Patron $50,000-99,999 Patron sponsors receive the following recognitions in addition to the benefits listed at the top of page 7. o Premium logo/name placement on AHS sponsorship page o Distinct logo placement on homepage scrolling photo flash two week a month during peak National Trails Day reach o Recognition as a patron sponsor of National Trails Day, Volunteer Vacations, National Trails Fund, and founding sponsor of the PATH report o Company logo on NTD and VV t-shirts o Company logo on all NTD and VV materials (flyer, posters, etc) o Special Company ad (hyperlinked) in monthly issue of Paperless Trail e-newsletter, with 20,000 subscribers, for 3 months o Use of AHS marks for print-based marketing and promotions (with approval). See the example of the co-branded Nature Valley granola bar boxes o Use of AHS marks for your web-based marketing and promotions (with approval) o Opportunity to submit two blog posts monthly on our homepage o Bi-weekly sponsor posts on AHS social media platforms (posted and shared by AHS) Benefactor $20,000-49,999 Benefactor sponsors receive the following recognitions in addition to the benefits listed at the top of page 7. o Premium logo/name placement on AHS sponsorship page o Distinct logo placement on homepage scrolling photo flash one day a month during peak National Trails Day reach o Recognition as a benefactor sponsor of National Trails Day and Volunteer Vacations o Company logo on NTD and VV t-shirts o Company logo on all NTD and VV materials (flyer, posters, etc) o Special Company ad (hyperlinked) in monthly issue of Paperless Trail e-newsletter, with 20,000 subscribers, for 1 month o Use of AHS marks for print-based marketing and promotions (with approval). See the example of the co-branded Nature Valley granola bar boxes o Use of AHS marks for your web-based marketing and promotions (with approval) o Opportunity to submit one blog post monthly on our homepage o Monthly posts on AHS social media platforms Contributor $10,000 - $19,999 Contributor sponsors receive the following recognitions in addition to the benefits listed at the top of page 7. o Premium logo/name placement on AHS sponsorship page o Distinct logo placement on homepage scrolling photo flash once a quarter o Recognition as a contributor sponsor of one of the following programs; National Trails Day, Volunteer Vacations, National Trails Fund, or PATH Report. o Company listing on NTD or VV t-shirts American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 8 of 13

9 o Company listing on all NTD or VV materials (flyer, posters, etc) o Company logo (hyperlinked) in the issue leading up to NTD of Paperless Trail e-newsletter, with 20,000 subscribers o Opportunity to submit one blog posts monthly on our homepage o Monthly posts on AHS social media platforms Ally $5,000 - $9,999 Ally sponsors receive the following recognitions in addition to the benefits listed at the top of page 7. o Logo/name placement on AHS sponsorship page o Company logo (hyperlinked) in the issue leading up to NTD of Paperless Trail e-newsletter, with 20,000 subscribers o Opportunity to submit one blog posts quarterly on our homepage o Quarterly posts on AHS social media platforms Friend $1,500 - $4,999 Friend sponsors receive the following recognitions in addition to the benefits listed at the top of page 7. o Logo/name placement on AHS sponsorship page o Quarterly posts on AHS social media platforms American Hiking Society is committed to helping each of our sponsors achieve maximum return on investment from their sponsorship and will work to create high-impact promotions and programs that accomplish marketing goals. Program-specific sponsorships are available and require a minimum cash contribution. Please contact the Director of Development for guidelines. Current 2014 Sponsors Benefactor Sponsor - $20,000 - $49,999 American Hiking Society has a strategic and deep roster of Corporate sponsors that donate generously to the organization: Contributor Sponsors - $10,000 - $19,999 Ally Sponsors - $5,000 - $9,999 Friend Sponsors - $1,500 - $4,999 Appalachian Outdoor Readiness & Essentials Backpacker s Pantry GEAR Expo Globe Pequot/Falcon Guides Grand American Adventures/Trek America HikingBoots.com American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 9 of 13

10 Kinsail Corp Leki LOWA Menasha Ridge Press Moosejaw Mountaineering & Backcountry Travel National Geographic Maps Osprey ParksByNature Network (Pocket Ranger) Sea to Summit SF-7x Super Fruit Two Knobby Tires Wildland Trekking What it means to be a National Trails Day Sponsor American Hiking Society s National Trails Day (NTD) is the nation s largest trails and outdoor celebration and is designed to promote healthy, outdoor lifestyles, connect the general public with trails in their communities, and build partnerships to protect trails. Your sponsorship of NTD provides the opportunity for your brand to be associated with this premier nationwide event. National Trails Day sponsorships deliver a very strong value for AHS s corporate partners; the nationwide scope of the event, combined with over 600 million media impressions per year, provide unparalleled access to your organization s potential customers. As an NTD sponsor, your organization would be in very good company with other top brands. American Hiking Society s success in promoting and expanding NTD is demonstrated by the significant increase in NTD events. From 2006 to 2013, the number of NTD events has increased over 85%, from 1,210 to 2,255, and participation has increased by about 21%, from 111,000 to 134,000 trail enthusiasts. American Hiking Society will celebrate NTD with exceptional outreach and strategic partnerships. American Hiking continues to expand our successful collaboration with organizations who are effective NTD partners including the National Association of State Park Directors, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Boy Scouts of America, Student Conservation Association, National Recreation and Parks Association, Partnership for the National Trails System, Sierra Club, and The Wilderness Society. The goals and outcomes of NTD include: National Trails Day events provide an excellent opportunity for families to Increase the number and quality of NTD events and the number explore healthy, outdoor lifestyles. of participants, expand the number of trail miles built and maintained, and exceed our event hosts expectations for support and promotion Encourage and promote outdoor recreation as a means to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle Provide an outlet to introduce youth and families to outdoor recreational opportunities and enable them to give back to the trail Reverse the recent decline in the number of children and youth who are active participants in outdoor activities, with the objective of building a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts Connect adults and children with local outdoor opportunities, agencies, retailers, clubs, and organizations Broaden media coverage so that NTD maintains its position as America s foremost outdoor trails celebration Position AHS and our program partners in the eyes and minds of the public, as well as the media, as the essential national resource for hiking and trail information, support, advocacy, and education American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 10 of 13

11 Promote our partners unwavering commitment to community giving, outdoor recreation, and environmental sustainability. Product sampling aligned with NTD can have multiple components: 1) fulfillment of sample requests from NTD hosts; 2) inclusion of samples and coupons in our NTD kits; 3) sampling at selected NTD events; and 4) sampling that s associated with a Facebook pledge. Each strategy is described below. 1) Fulfillment of sample requests from NTD hosts During the online NTD event registration process, hosts would be given the opportunity to request samples (or coupons), with fulfillment of those orders handled by your organization. This mechanism is currently being successfully used by one of our other sponsors (Adventure Medical Kits). Your organization could expand the sampling beyond the host by providing additional samples or coupons that the hosts could distribute to their volunteers. Potential distribution = 1,000 to 2,000 hosts (distributed across the nation), times the number of samples/coupons provided to each. 2) Inclusion of samples and/or coupons in our NTD kits - The NTD kits are used each year to augment the events being held by NTD hosts all across the country. The kits are comprised of a wide range of great products from our partners, and they generally have a retail value of $275 (yet we sell them to NTD event hosts at the bargain price of $95). The NTD event hosts use the kit contents to reward the volunteers who participate in their NTD events. On the right is a screen shot of a Facebook posting that shows the high-quality contents in last year s kits. We ll be assembling 300 kits and would need at least that quantity of samples from your brand (though it s also possible to put multiple samples in a kit if you wish). Potential distribution = 1,500 (at 5 samples per kit). 3) Sampling at selected NTD events - We would be happy to work with you to implement sampling at selected NTD events of an appropriate size and location. NTD events vary from being small group activities to large festivals or events. We would assist you with selecting the appropriate events and with contacting the hosts to arrange for sampling activities at their events. Your organization would ship the samples directly to the hosts, along with instructions on how they are to be used. Potential distribution = 12,500 (with 500 samples being distributed at each of 25 selected events). 4) Sampling that s associated with a Facebook pledge In 2012, one of our NTD sponsors (Milk-Bone Trail Mix) invited Facebook users to make a pledge to hike with their dog on National Trails Day. Milk-Bone subsequently sent a sample to each person who made the pledge. A similar strategy could be implemented via AHS s and your Facebook pages, with the reward for pledging to hike on NTD (no dog required this time!) being a product sample or a coupon, which could be ed and would eliminate shipping costs. Potential distribution = 100,000 (given the large combined audiences available through combined social media platforms). American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 11 of 13

12 What it means to be a Volunteer Vacations (VV) Sponsor American Hiking Society has been at the forefront of trail stewardship nearly four decades, and sponsorship of our VV program will enable your company to establish a strong connection to the volunteer corps members who maintain and protect America s hiking trails. Our VV program has been designed to help nonprofit trail organizations and government agencies (which are typically understaffed and underfunded) keep public trails open for hiking and other recreational use. Through VV, participants have the opportunity to strengthen muscles they didn t know they had and to Get Out and Give Back (which is the program s motto). Volunteer Vacations crew members come from all walks of life and geographic areas. In 2013, 50% of our volunteers were students or retired professionals, with the rest representing a variety of backgrounds and professions including education, health, science, and business professionals. Women and men were equally represented, with 50% participation from each gender. Our volunteers ranged in age from 13 to 83, with the average age being 48. The goals and outcomes of VV include: Build a strong constituency for volunteer trail stewardship, with particular emphasis on youth involvement through our college Alternative Break Program Increase the number and quality of VV trips and also the number of participants, expanding our impact in terms of number of trail miles built, maintained, and conserved. A VV crew performs trail maintenance at Mojave National Preserve, which has no trail crew Volunteer Vacations is widely promoted through a variety of channels. Promotional vehicles for VV include: 1) direct mail of the VV schedules (readership of 30,000); 2) outreach events (The Travel and Adventure Show in Washington, DC; Outdoor Retailer, Canoecopia; InterBike; and presentations at REI retail outlets); 3) social media postings; 4) articles in various publications; 5) rack cards distributed in retail outlets; and 6) web content on the AHS website. Product sampling aligned with VV can have two components: 1) inclusion of samples or coupons in the packages that are sent by AHS for personal use by each crew leader, who are seen as role models by their crew members; and 2) sampling of food with all VV participants, as part of the menu at each of the week-long projects. Each strategy is described below. Here s the attractive front cover of the 2013 VV schedule. 1) Inclusion of samples in the packages sent to each crew leader. Our corporate partners have recognized the value of having their products used by the VV crew leaders, and each year we send the crew leaders a package that contains high-quality donated products. We would be happy to include your product samples or coupons. Potential distribution = 50 to 75 crew leaders. 2) Sampling of product with all VV participants, as part of the menu at each project. The registration funds provided by all VV participants are used to cover the costs of their lodging and food for the week. Each crew leader develops a menu and does the shopping for his or her crew. Coupons provided by your company could be provided to the crew leaders, who would redeem them at the grocery store. American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 12 of 13

13 What it means to be a National Trails Fund Sponsor (NTF) Sponsor National Trails Fund is the only national, privately-funded grants program dedicated to helping local volunteer groups repair and enhance hiking trails. Our partnership will offer the opportunity to be involved in a very meaningful way with American Hiking Society efforts to promote safe enjoyment of outdoor activities and to foster active, healthy lifestyles through hiking and other outdoor adventures. Supporting this program provided local trail organizations with the funding they require for critically-needed maintenance and construction projects on America s hiking trails. Hardworking volunteers, dedicated outdoor clubs, businesses and community groups tend to millions of dollars worth of backlogged trail maintenance every year. More than 300 of these committed organizations are part of American Hiking Society s Alliance of Hiking Organizations. In the annual grant competition, the National Trails Fund, Alliance Members apply for trail building grants, each valued between $500 and $5,000. Over half a million dollars worth of financial assistance has been awarded to trail clubs since the Fund s establishment in What it means to be a PATH Report Sponsor American Hiking Society will create an authoritative and informative PATH Report that will convey complex data about America s hiking trails in a way that multiple audience (general public, policy makers, land managers, conservation advocates, and business leaders will be able to understand. We will also use the report to increase media coverage and build public awareness of issues related to trails. The 2015 PATH Report will have a specific focus: 1.) To highlight the hiking trail opportunities and constraints offered by the National Trail System (National Scenic, Historic, and recreational Trails) 2.) The hiking trails offered by America s State Parks, 3.) The importance of trails to America AHS s ability to effectively advocate for hikers depends on the availability of credible and accurate information that will engender broad public support for the policies and funding that are needed to protect hiking trails. We have identified the need to develop an annual written assessment that can: Describe changes, accomplishments and goals for hiking trails Highlight the economic benefits of hiking trails Showcase the best new hiking trail projects Describe the extent of the hiking trails system For More Information For more information about these and other sponsorship opportunities, contact: Kim Lyons, Director of Development American Hiking Society klyons@americanhiking.org x 207 American Hiking Society 1422 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD (301) AmericanHiking.org Page 13 of 13