Tahoe Rim Trail Association
“Maintain and enhance the Tahoe Rim Trail system.”
The work
What they do
Trail maintenance and stewardship for the 170-mile Tahoe Rim Trail around Lake Tahoe. Works on USFS lands and coordinates volunteer projects.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE TAHOE RIM TRAIL SYSTEM, PRACTICE AND INSPIRE STEWARDSHIP, AND PRESERVE RECREATIONAL ACCESS TO THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE LAKE TAHOE REGION.”
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Boots on the ground
$350KDISTRIBUTE INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS, PROGRAMS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FACILITATED BY THE ASSOCIATION AND THE TAHOE RIM TRAIL.
Read it as they filed it
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS: DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS, PROGRAMS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FACILITATED BY THE ASSOCIATION AND THE TAHOE RIM TRAIL. IN 2024, TRTA HAD 700,000 ANNUAL USERS AND ENGAGED INDIVIDUALS AT 67 HOSTED TRAIL AMBASSADOR DAYS TO TEACH SUSTAINABLE TRAIL USE.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Boots on the ground
$348KMAINTAINS AND ENHANCES THE TAHOE RIM TRAIL SYSTEM BY ORGANIZING AND TRAINING VOLUNTEERS TO BUILD, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE ITS NEARLY 200 MILES OF TRAIL.
Read it as they filed it
TRAIL OPERATIONS PROGRAM: MAINTAINS AND ENHANCES THE TAHOE RIM TRAIL SYSTEM BY ORGANIZING AND TRAINING VOLUNTEERS TO BUILD, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE ITS NEARLY 200 MILES OF TRAIL. IN 2024, THE TRTA LEVERAGED THE SUPPORT OF ACTIVE CREW LEADERS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED 70 DAYS TO MAINTAIN EVERY MILE OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM. THE ASSOCIATION CLEARED 392 DOWNED TREES FROM THE TRAIL, AND COMPLETED MAJOR MAINTENANCE ON TRAILS.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Youth Programs
$226KCONDUCTS OVERNIGHT YOUTH BACKPACKING TRIPS SO THE PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPERIENCE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF TIME SPENT OUTDOORS AND LEARN THE PRINCIPLES OF LEAVE NO TRACE.
Read it as they filed it
YOUTH PROGRAMS: CONDUCTS OVERNIGHT YOUTH BACKPACKING TRIPS SO THE PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPERIENCE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF TIME SPENT OUTDOORS AND LEARN THE PRINCIPLES OF LEAVE NO TRACE. IN 2024, THERE WERE 12 TRIPS SERVING A TOTAL OF 115 YOUTH OF WHICH 60% WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AT NO COST.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Keeping wilderness wild
$174KPROMOTES ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, INSPIRES A LOVE FOR THE LAKE TAHOE REGION, AND ENCOURAGES HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING.
Read it as they filed it
TRAIL USE PROGRAMS: PROMOTES ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, INSPIRES A LOVE FOR THE LAKE TAHOE REGION, AND ENCOURAGES HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING. TRAIL USE PROGRAMS COORDINATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO EXPERIENCE THE TRAIL IN MANY WAYS INCLUDING HIKES, SNOWSHOE TREKS, YOUTH PROGRAMS, SEVERAL BACKCOUNTRY SKILLS COURSES SUCH AS SNOW CAMPING 101 AND BACKPACKING 101, WILDERNESS MEDICAL COURSES, AND OTHER TRAININGS.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
85 cents of every dollar goes to the work
That ratio is a good sign, not a scorecard. Plenty of great groups run leaner and lumpier. What matters is the extremes, and Tahoe Rim Trail Association is nowhere near one.
Backed on the record by Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, latest filing FY23.
$1,098,801 programs, $135,657 management, $59,859 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The people
Who does the work
Succeeds Justin Knowles 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 Justin Knowles, the return itself is signed by Lindsey Schultz. Orgs that claim their page can update it same-day. Work at TRTA? Claim this page.
Those 287 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If TRTA is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Make it 288The 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 | $614,335 |
| 2012 | $510,711 |
| 2013 | $558,254 |
| 2014 | $656,320 |
| 2015 | $1,315,842 |
| 2016 | $1,146,740 |
| 2017 | $1,080,844 |
| 2018 | $105,573 |
| 2019 | $779,807 |
| 2020 | $495,751 |
| 2021 | $1,787,899 |
| 2022 | $3,314,264 |
| 2023 | $963,878 |
| 2025 | $1,787,193 |
From $614K in 2011 to $1.8M in FY25, across 14 public filings. The 2022 peak of $3.3M reads like one-time gifts, so trust the line, not the peak.
The California congressional delegation averages 81 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
The Nevada congressional delegation averages 75 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Ways in
How to help
85 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.
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45 years on the ground, 287 volunteers, 85 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.