The Complete Grant Guide for Hiking Clubs and Trail Nonprofits
Finding grants for hiking clubs can feel like searching for a hidden trailhead without a map. Unlike larger environmental nonprofits or conservation organizations, hiking clubs often operate in a funding gray area—too recreational for some environmental funders, too mission-specific for general community grants. You're competing with thousands of outdoor recreation groups, trail maintenance organizations, and conservation nonprofits, many of which have dedicated grant writers. Meanwhile, you're likely a volunteer board member or part-time director juggling trail work, membership coordination, and fundraising all at once.
The good news? There are grants out there for hiking clubs—you just need to know where to look and how to position your work. Whether you're maintaining trails, promoting outdoor access, building youth programming, or protecting natural spaces, this guide will help you find funding that actually fits your mission.
Quick Stats About Grants for Hiking Clubs
While there isn't a centralized database tracking grants specifically for hiking clubs, here's what we know:
- Outdoor recreation nonprofits compete within a funding pool that includes conservation groups, land trusts, trail organizations, and youth outdoor programs—a crowded field where specificity matters.
- Trends show growth in funding for outdoor equity, youth access to nature, trail stewardship, and mental health benefits of outdoor recreation—all areas where hiking clubs can position their work.
- Many hiking clubs successfully secure funding from local community foundations, outdoor gear companies, state recreation departments, and health-focused funders rather than traditional environmental grant programs.
The challenge isn't that grants don't exist—it's that they're scattered across multiple categories (recreation, conservation, health, youth development, equity) and require strategic positioning to win.
How to Find Grants for Hiking Clubs
Start with Zeffy's Grant Finder Tool (Free)
The best place to begin is Zeffy's Grant Finder—a free tool designed specifically for small nonprofits like yours. Unlike generic Google searches or overwhelming paid databases, Zeffy lets you filter by your mission, location, and eligibility criteria. You can search terms like "outdoor recreation," "trail maintenance," "youth outdoor programs," or "environmental stewardship" and see grants that actually match your work.
Compare Free vs. Paid Grant Databases
Free options:
- Grants.gov – Federal grants (often larger, more competitive, heavier applications)
- Foundation Center's free resources – Limited but useful for researching specific funders
- State recreation or natural resources departments – Often have grant programs for trail work and outdoor access
Paid options:
- Candid/Foundation Directory (~$50–$150/month) – Comprehensive but can be overwhelming
- GrantWatch (~$22/week) – Large volume, but many irrelevant results for niche orgs
- GrantStation (~$99/month) – Good for larger nonprofits with dedicated grant staff
Reality check: If you're a volunteer-run hiking club with limited capacity, paid databases may not be worth it unless you can dedicate 5+ hours/week to grant research. Start free, then upgrade only if you're consistently finding and winning grants.
Filter Strategically
When searching any database, filter by:
- Mission alignment – Does the funder care about trails, outdoor access, conservation, or recreation?
- Geographic fit – Many grants are state- or region-specific
- Eligibility requirements – Do you need a physical office? A certain budget size? Specific policies?
- Deadline – Can you realistically complete the application in time?
- Funding amount – Is it worth the effort for your capacity?
Tips to Win More Grants as a Hiking Club Nonprofit
1. Position Your Work Beyond "Just Hiking"
Funders rarely fund "hiking for fun." Frame your work around outcomes they care about: trail conservation, public land stewardship, youth outdoor access, mental health benefits, environmental education, or outdoor equity. Show measurable impact—miles of trail maintained, number of youth served, acres protected, or underserved communities reached.
2. Partner with Land Management Agencies
Grants love collaboration. If you maintain trails on public land, formalize partnerships with your local forest service, state parks, or land trust. A letter of support from a land manager strengthens your credibility and shows you're not working in isolation.
3. Highlight Volunteer Hours as In-Kind Match
Many grants require matching funds. Your volunteer trail crews are valuable—calculate their hours at the federal volunteer rate (~$33/hour) and use that as in-kind match. Document volunteer work carefully throughout the year.
4. Target Outdoor Industry Funders
Companies like REI, Patagonia, The North Face, and local outdoor retailers often have grant programs for grassroots outdoor organizations. These tend to be smaller grants ($1K–$10K) with simpler applications—perfect for volunteer-run clubs.
5. Apply to Health and Wellness Funders
Hiking clubs promote physical and mental health. Look for grants from health foundations, hospital community benefit programs, or mental health organizations interested in nature-based wellness. Frame your programming around health outcomes.
6. Show Who You Serve (Especially Underserved Communities)
If your club focuses on outdoor equity—serving youth, people of color, low-income families, people with disabilities, or other underrepresented groups—emphasize this. Funders increasingly prioritize equity and access in outdoor recreation.
7. Keep Applications Simple and Reusable
Save every grant answer you write. Create a master document with your mission statement, program descriptions, impact metrics, and budget narratives. When you find a new grant, you can adapt existing content rather than starting from scratch. This is especially critical when you're doing grant work on nights and weekends.
How to Tell If a Grant Is a Good Fit
Before spending hours on an application, run through this checklist:
✅ Do you meet the eligibility requirements? (Location, budget size, IRS status, policies, etc.)
✅ Does the funder's mission align with your work? (Look at their past grantees—are any similar to you?)
✅ Can the funding be used for your actual needs? (Some grants exclude general operating costs or volunteer expenses)
✅ Is the application effort realistic for your capacity? (A 20-page application may not be worth a $2K grant if you're all volunteers)
✅ Is the deadline manageable? (Do you have time to gather documents, write responses, and get board approval?)
✅ Are the reporting requirements doable? (Quarterly reports and site visits may be too much for a small club)
✅ Have organizations like yours won this grant before? (If all past winners are large conservation orgs with paid staff, you may not be competitive)
Pro tip: If you can't find a list of past grantees, that's a yellow flag. Transparent funders publish their awards—it helps you assess fit before applying.
Grant-Related Keywords & Search Tags for Hiking Clubs
When searching Zeffy, Grants.gov, or other databases, try these search terms:
- "trail maintenance grants"
- "outdoor recreation funding"
- "youth outdoor programs"
- "trail stewardship"
- "public land conservation"
- "outdoor equity grants"
- "environmental education"
- "community recreation grants"
- "volunteer trail crews"
- "nature-based wellness"
Also search by your state name + "trails" or "outdoor recreation" to find state-specific programs. Many state departments of natural resources or recreation have dedicated grant programs for trail work and outdoor access.
Final Thoughts
Grant funding for hiking clubs is absolutely possible—but it requires strategic positioning, smart filtering, and realistic capacity planning. Start with free tools like Zeffy's Grant Finder, focus on grants that truly fit your mission and capacity, and build reusable content so each application gets easier.
Remember: you're not just a hiking club. You're maintaining public infrastructure, promoting health and wellness, providing outdoor access, and stewarding natural spaces. Frame your work around the outcomes funders care about, and you'll find the right grants for your trail.
