North Country Trail Association
“Build, maintain, protect, and promote the North Country National Scenic Trail.”
The work
What they do
Trail building and maintenance for the 4,800-mile North Country Trail spanning eight states. Works with NPS, USFS, and state agencies.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “TO DEVELOP, MAINTAIN, PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL.”
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Watching the machines
$762KTHE ASSOCIATION CONTINUED TO PLAN THE ROUTE AND BUILD AND MAINTAIN THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL.
Read it as they filed it
TRAIL WORK AND PLANNING - THE ASSOCIATION CONTINUED TO PLAN THE ROUTE AND BUILD AND MAINTAIN THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL. IN 2025, 47 MILES OF NEW TRAIL WERE BUILT, AND 3,966 FT OF BOARDWALK PLUS 81 NEW KIOSKS, TRAILHEAD SIGNS AND INTERPRETIVE PANELS WERE INSTALLED. NCTA MAINTAINED OFF ROAD TRAIL TO MAKE IT SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO HAS A ROLE IN SECURING ACCESS FOR THE TRAIL AND PROTECTING THE CORRIDOR. IN 2025, 22 PROJECTS PERMANENTLY PROTECTING SECTIONS OF THE TRAIL WERE COMPLETED, WHICH INCLUDES 17 NEW USE AGREEMENTS AND LICENSES, 4 NEW TRAIL EASEMENTS, AND 1 LAND ACQUISITION.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Boots on the ground
$313KTHE ASSOCIATION MANAGES A VAST NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS, SUPPORTING 30 CHAPTERS AND A DOZEN AFFILIATE PARTNERS, ALL SUPPORTING THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL.
Read it as they filed it
NETWORKING AND VOLUNTEER SUPPORT - THE ASSOCIATION MANAGES A VAST NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS, SUPPORTING 30 CHAPTERS AND A DOZEN AFFILIATE PARTNERS, ALL SUPPORTING THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL. IN 2025, 1,267 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 73,479 VOLUNTEER HOURS FOR A VALUE OF $2,556,334. THE ASSOCIATION WORKED WITH 29 YOUTH PROGRAMS AND CORP CREWS TO ASSIST THE EFFORTS.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Boots on the ground
$111KTHE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO THE PUBLIC TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL.
Read it as they filed it
PUBLIC SERVICE, EDUCATION, AND CARTOGRAPHY - THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO THE PUBLIC TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL. NCTA MAKES THE TRAIL ACCESSIBLE TO ALL PEOPLE BY PROVIDING FREE DOWNLOADABLE MAPS AND DATA. IN 2025, THERE WERE OVER 200,000 VIEWS OF THE ONLINE MAPS. IN ADDITION, 5,016 HIKERS PARTICIPATED IN 313 HIKES WITH NCTA HIKE LEADERS AND 1,158 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE HIKE 100 CHALLENGE.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
70 cents of every dollar goes to the work
Read it as a snapshot, not a scorecard. Splits move year to year with grants and campaigns, and healthy shops live all across this range.
$1,186,649 programs, $285,157 management, $212,347 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The people
Who does the work
Succeeds Jan Ulferts Stewart in the officer table.
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. This one caught a changing of the guard in the act: the FY2025 officer table lists Jan Ulferts Stewart, the return itself is signed by Cheryl Kreindler. Orgs that claim their page can update it same-day. Work at NCTA? Claim this page.
Those 1,267 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If NCTA is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Make it 1,268The filings
14 years of filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $926,686 |
| 2012 | $908,564 |
| 2013 | $913,761 |
| 2014 | $910,242 |
| 2015 | $969,209 |
| 2016 | $1,075,109 |
| 2017 | $1,147,538 |
| 2018 | $1,178,264 |
| 2019 | $1,551,558 |
| 2020 | $1,425,237 |
| 2021 | $1,591,571 |
| 2022 | $2,073,829 |
| 2023 | $2,014,442 |
| 2025 | $1,814,633 |
From $927K in 2011 to $1.8M in FY25, across 14 public filings.
Across the 8 states where they work, the congressional delegations average 54 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Ways in
How to help
70 cents of your dollar goes straight to the work above.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
Find it on their site ↗SpeakComment and callOpen comment windows and call scripts for fights like these, ready to send.
Public Lands Action NetworkFollowWatch the mapEvery threatened place in the country, tracked, with who stands for each.
Threatened Lands MapStand with North Country Trail Association
45 years on the ground, 1,267 volunteers, 70 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.