The Trail Organization Social Media Playbook: A Free Resource for Nonprofit Trail Organizations
Across the country, nonprofit trail organizations are doing extraordinary work.
They coordinate volunteers.
Work with land managers.
Write grants.
Maintain access.
Advocate for responsible growth.
Most are doing it with limited staff and limited time.
At Trail Builder Magazine, we believe supporting trail builders goes far beyond telling stories. It means creating practical tools that help trail organizations become more effective.
Today, we’re releasing a new free resource built specifically for volunteer-led and small-staff trail organizations:
The Trail Organization Social Media Playbook: A Practical System to Grow Volunteers, Donors, and Community Support.
Why Nonprofit Trail Organizations Struggle With Visibility
In conversations with nonprofit trail leaders across the country, one topic keeps coming up:
Too often, the organizations doing meaningful work are invisible … at least online … on social media.
Imagine a volunteer-led trail group maintaining 30 miles of singletrack. They host regular dig days. They partner with agencies. They secure small grants. Volunteers show up consistently.
But their social media presence is inconsistent … a few event reminders … long stretches of silence.
If your organization cannot demonstrate visibility and community engagement, funding conversations become harder.
Grant reviewers look for measurable impact.
Sponsors look for public momentum.
City leaders look for evidence of community support.
Land managers look for responsible stewardship.
Why Trail Organization Visibility Matters for Grant Funding and Community Trust
We know that outdoor recreation contributes billions annually to the U.S. economy and supports millions of jobs. Trails are part of that ecosystem.
Local nonprofit trail organizations strengthen:
Public health
Tourism and economic vitality
Youth engagement
Environmental sustainability
Community identity
But those benefits must be documented and shared. Social media is a great way to do so.
Trail organizations create a kind of public archive of impact by consistently sharing volunteer hours, project milestones, education efforts, and partnerships.
Social media posts demonstrate measurable results.
Instead of scrambling for proof during a grant cycle, your trail organization's visibility becomes your documentation.
That is why we built this playbook.
What Is Inside the Trail Organization Social Media Playbook
This is not a trendy marketing guide. It's not about blowing up on social media.
It is a practical trail organization social media system designed for:
Volunteer-led local trail organizations
Small nonprofit teams
Boards without communications staff
Groups with limited marketing budgets
Inside, you’ll find:
A 4-pillar content framework tailored to nonprofit trail organizations
A simple 60-minute weekly system
Platform guidance for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
Clear measurement recommendations tied to mission outcomes
A section on grant-ready visibility
25 ready-to-use post prompts
The goal is consistent documentation of the work you are already doing.
A Practical Social Media System for Volunteer-Led Trail Organizations
We understand the reality of volunteer-led trail groups.
Board members juggle full-time jobs. (I'm also a board member of a 100% volunteer-led trail org.)
Dig days take priority over documentation.
Grant deadlines come quickly.
Social media becomes reactive.
This playbook replaces overwhelm with structure.
It strengthens:
Volunteer recruitment
Donor confidence
Sponsor relationships
Grant credibility
Community trust
Social media consistency then builds trust.
Download the Free Social Media Playbook for Trail Organizations
The Trail Organization Social Media Playbook is available now as a free download.
Join thousands of trail builders on our email newsletter and get the free playbook instantly. (If you’re already an email subscriber, check your inbox for the link to download.)
Nonprofit trail organizations are the backbone of local access.
We built this playbook to help you make that work visible.
Let’s keep building.
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag, a digital media instructor, and the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. Email: sean@trailbuildermag.com
