Kansas Trails Inc. (KTI) welcomes supporters who want to leave a lasting mark on the trails and communities of Kansas. Whether you’re inspired to make a one-time gift or explore long-term charitable planning, there are many ways to contribute.
We’ve created a comprehensive guide that outlines the many gift options available to donors, including:
Your support ensures that Kansas communities have vibrant, safe, and accessible trails for generations to come. Every gift—big or small—helps us maintain, expand, and advocate for trail systems across the state.
Click below to view the full summary of gift opportunities and start your giving journey with KTI today !
Explore our Gift Guide on all the different ways you can donate to Kansas Trails.
The Trail Ahead
Kansas Trails Inc. wasn’t born overnight—it was built mile by mile, conversation by conversation, and step by step by a growing community of passionate trail advocates. Its roots trace back to a simple but powerful question posed during the pandemic: What if Kansas had a unified voice for its trails?
That question sparked the creation of the Kansas Association of Trail Towns (KATT) workgroup—a virtual roundtable where city leaders, state agencies, and nonprofit partners came together to talk trails, share challenges, and swap ideas. As the group grew, so did its vision. Conversations that began with trails, sidewalks and bike lanes quickly expanded to include gravel routes, greenways, rivers, streams and long-distance rail-trails. It became clear that Kansas needed more than a workgroup. It needed an identity.
That next evolution came in the form of the Kansas Association of Trail Stewards (KATS)—a grassroots coalition fueled by enthusiasm and united by purpose. KATS helped shape a vision for stewardship and education. It created space for community volunteers, city planners, and trail organizations to speak the same language and share best practices. It also showed the deep need for coordination, training, and support—especially in Kansas’ rural communities, where resources are often stretched thin but the potential for impact is limitless.
Sunflower Foundation, a statewide health philanthropy, had been investing in public access trails as a public health and community development strategy for almost two decades. By default, Sunflower also served as the state’s central source of trail information, technical assistance, and networking. However, as trail enthusiasm and activity grew, Sunflower realized their ability to meet demand was limited and thus took the transformative and catalytic step to provide generous seed funding for KATS. The formation of KATS is the best of all worlds, as it provides Kansas communities, nonprofits and volunteers full access to the multiple benefits of KATS while allowing Sunflower Foundation to focus on strategic funding within its Sunflower Trails portfolio.
—not just as a nonprofit, but as a movement. A future-facing organization designed to support and connect every trail organization, city, steward, and volunteer in Kansas. Our mission is simple but bold: to be the umbrella that brings Kansas’ trails together.
Today, Kansas Trails Inc. is working closely with the State of Kansas, local Chambers of Commerce, and economic development partners to amplify the role of trails in driving outdoor tourism, community health, and rural revitalization. Whether it’s a short neighborhood loop, a regional rails-to-trails corridor, or a multi-county adventure trail, we’re here to elevate Kansas as a destination for outdoor connection.
Just like our logo, Kansas Trails Inc. is built to look forward. We honor where we started, but our eyes are on the horizon—on the communities we’ll serve, the partnerships we’ll forge, and the legacy we’ll build, one trail at a time
Our Board of Directors is made up of dedicated trail advocates, community leaders, and outdoor enthusiasts who guide the vision and strategy of Kansas Trails. Their passion and expertise help ensure that Kansas trails continue to grow, thrive, and serve people across the state.
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