2024-08-13T11:41:38-07:00 2024-03-31 990EZ 2023-04-01 223075047 Vermont Trails & Greenways Council VERM 2066815853 PO Box 183 East Montpelier VT 05651 Nicholas Bennette Chair of the Board of Directors 2066815853 2024-08-13 1 2023 2024-08-08 14:25:15Z X X X X https://vermonttgc.org/ X X 54945 X 51750 0 3195 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 54945 0 0 39124 24733 0 294 7939 72090 -17145 41712 0 24567 41712 24567 0 0 0 0 41712 24567 0 0 41712 24567 To promote trails and greenways and to ensure that people will always have access to the landscape of Vermont. Program Service Area 1: promote the development, maintenance, and preservation of high quality, public-access trails and greenways in Vermont. Accomplishments include helping secure significant public funds for flood recovery, raising awareness of stewardship needs, and providing testimony on relevant legislation. In the wake of severe flooding in the summer of 2023, the VTGC collected information from over 80 trail stewardship groups across Vermont and communicated both funding and technical needs to help secure $1M in public flood recovery funds for trails. In terms of raising awareness of stewardship needs, VTGC Board and Staff testified on four occasions in Vermont House committees, with supporting information and resources provided by the Council. The Council co-hosted the first ever Outdoor Recreation Day at the Statehouse, bringing together nearly 100 trail advocates, and hosted a site visit for interested legislators to better understand the connections between trails and thriving local communities. 0 28236 Program Service Area 2: Educate, inform, and connect the recreational trails and greenways community in Vermont. Accomplishments include the redesign and launch of a new website, hosting a statewide Trails Symposium, and circulation of a monthly educational newsletter to nearly 500 recipients. The Council completed a major update of its website, which serves as a source of information and resources for the trail stewardship community in Vermont, with an emphasis on better understanding needs and challenges. This effort followed an in-depth stakeholder survey completed by thirty five Vermont-based organizations, whose perspectives informed the focus areas and content of the revised website. Building off this effort, the VTGC launched a monthly e-newsletter containing relevant learning events, grant opportunities, available materials, and opportunities to get involved in trail advocacy. Subscription in this newsletter has grown organically to over 500 recipients, and is now seen as a vital resource for trail stewardship groups in Vermont. In terms of educational events, the VTGC partnered with the Vermont Recreation and Parks Association to host the Vermont Conference on Recreation and Trails Symposium in the Fall of 2023, which brought together hundreds of participants across public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, and municipal groups to share success stories, learn about new methods and tools, and strengthen our collective network. 0 24926 Program Service Area 3: Advise the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources on all matters relevant to recreational trails and greenways. Accomplishments include the development of a draft Cooperative Agreement between the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, providing guidance on updates to the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant program, formally supporting the development of Vermont's Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), and participating in the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) Steering Committee. While the VTGC has long been recognized in statute as an official advisory body to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources through the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR), VTGC Board and Staff worked closely with FPR representatives to develop a formal partnership agreement that officially defines how both organizations will individually and collaboratively advance the landscape for trail-based recreation in Vermont. This draft agreement is awaiting formal ratification from the State. The past year was also a critical period for developing long-term plans for trails and greenways in Vermont, with the development of both a new 5-year SCORP, for which the Council serves on the technical advisory committee, and the development of a new VOREC Action Plan, with VTGC actively engaged in shaping its development. VTGC has also been closely involved in the Vermont Conservation Strategy Initiative, which will define Vermont's approach to meeting 30 by 30 and 50 by 50 conservation goals, advising how recreational trails can help advance the desired land protection outcomes. 0 9758 62920 Nicholas Bennette Chair of the Board of Directors 10 0 0 0 Tommy O'Connor Vice Chair of the Board of Directors 1 0 0 0 Carolyn Lawrence Secretary 2 0 0 0 Caitrin Maloney Treasurer 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VT NEK Bookkeeping Services PO Box 126 East Haven VT 058370126 8024730408 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 NONE NONE 1 X 0 345 0 44270 54945 99560 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 345 0 44270 54945 99560 99560 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 99560 0 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 10500 0 0 10500 0 Schedule C, Part II-B, Line 1 The Vermont Trails and Greenways Council is designated in Vermont statute as an advisory body to the State through the Agency of Natural Resources. Additionally, we seek to provide legislators guidance on issues, legislation, and regulations that impact recreational trails and greenways. In addition to being invited to testify for our expertise and perspective, the Council - through both it's volunteer Board and a (Line 1a) and a contractor, Maidstone Consulting (Line 1b) - the Council worked directly with legislators to develop and advance a bill (H.673) that would have helped improve support for trail stewardship and the quality of public-access trails in Vermont. 50% of our contracted work with Maidstone Consulting ($10,500, Line 1g) was in pursuit of this specific legislative matter and directly in support of our primary purpose to promote trails and greenways in Vermont. Form 990-EZ, Part I, Line 16 Form 990-EZ, Part I, Line 16 (Additional Expenses): CC/Bank Fees -$184.42; Insurance - $1,923.00; Legal / Administrative Fees - $527.38; Marketing - $249.74; Meeting Space - $485.00; Office Supplies - $331.75; Technology Equipment - $1,036.76; Technology Services - $2,070.11; Travel Lodging - $124.36; Website hosting - $1,006.80