We believe that everyone should have access to the outdoors regardless of means, and that's why the maps, directions, and learning resources for the Walking City Trail will always be free; as will many of our trail events. But it takes a great amount of time and labor to create these trail resources. And in a metro area as expensive as Greater Boston, this poses a challenge for an independent grassroots initiative like the Walking City Trail.
We are fortunate and very grateful to have been supported by Boston hikers and outdoor enthusiasts since our inception. At this time, we are searching for institutional support for the project, such as fiscal sponsorship from a nonprofit organization, so that we can apply for grants. At the moment, our options for raising funds to keep the project growing are limited. This is why direct contributions to the Walking City Trail can make a HUGE difference. This year, individual donations have made it possible to rebuild this website, create and post weatherproof signs along the trail, and spend time building relationships with local partners to expand the trail's accessibility. You can donate directly to support our work today.
This spring, Walking City Trail supporters helped us fund three major spring projects: the rebuild and expansion of the trail website, long-lasting signs (to be installed on the trail this spring), and the launch of our earn-a-patch program in which Walking City Trail finishers can receive a free trail patch!
Looking ahead to summer and fall, the next projects include:
- Lobbying the City of Boston to hold a hearing and a vote on recognizing the WCT as an official city trail (which means taking a lot of city officials on a lot of trail outings!)
- Creating additional guiding materials for Walking City Trail exploration and navigation, including a free guidebook, story maps, and potentially an episodic audio guide as well.
- Building a coalition of trailside restaurants and businsesses.
Since we are not currently a nonprofit or a fiscally sponsored entity, your trail donation will not be tax deductible. But it will make it possible for us to invest the time and labor that these projects will require.
If you are able to make a donation to the trail, we thank you so much for your generous support!
We encourage anyone enthused about the Walking City Trail to consider lending a hand in a Boston park or urban wild, to help keep these spaces beautiful. You can also spread the word about this project to your network, or represent the trail by purchasing some of our official trail swag from the WCT store!
