Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust

What Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust does

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It serves as the lead stewardship body for the federally designated Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area, a 1.5-million-acre corridor stretching 100 miles along Interstate-90 from Seattle to Ellensburg. The organization builds and maintains recreational trails, restores wildlife habitat (including salmon-bearing streams), runs environmental education programs connecting youth to the outdoors, and coordinates a volunteer base exceeding 15,000 individuals. It operates a digital platform comprising an interactive map, curated itineraries, regional guides, and a content hub that collectively serve as the primary public gateway for exploring the corridor.

The Trust's core "products" are programmatic and place-based rather than technological. Programmatic offerings include the Volunteer Program, Trailhead Ambassador Program, Environmental Education Program, Land Conservation Projects, Regional Trails Projects (Snoqualmie Valley Trail, Eastrail, Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, Coal Mines Trail), Upper Yakima Basin Projects, and Habitat Restoration Services. Underlying technology is limited to a public-facing website with an interactive mapping tool and standard content management; no proprietary technology platform, AI/ML systems, or software products are indicated in the source data. A $10 million self-sustaining Stewardship Fund campaign is currently underway for long-term care of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley.

The Trust's business model is that of a mature nonprofit: revenue derives from individual donations (including a multi-year capital campaign), corporate sponsorships, signature fundraising events (Annual Celebration and Spring Fundraising Breakfast), and merchandise sales through the Greenway Gear shop. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on grassroots engagement, volunteer mobilization, and partnerships with federal (US Forest Service, BLM, USFWS), state (Washington State Parks, Recreation and Conservation Office), county (King County Parks), tribal (Snoqualmie Tribe, Yakama Nation), and nonprofit collaborators. Customer segments are the general public, volunteers, corporate partners, and partner agencies — there is no traditional paying enterprise customer base.

Name

Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust

Legal name

Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust

Website

https://mtsgreenway.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that leads conservation, trail development, habitat restoration, and environmental education across the 1.5-million-acre Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area spanning Seattle to Ellensburg, Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Historical Sites (71212)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Scenic Lookouts & Natural Landmarks (Waterfalls, Canyons, Rock Formations) (THAJACAD)

Keywords

• Conservation nonprofit services
• Habitat restoration services
• Trail development programs
• Environmental education programs
• Land conservation management

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Individual Giving: Individual donations through the organization's website and direct mail campaigns. The organization operates a donation portal and promotes various giving campaigns including the Middle Fork Campaign for a $10 million Stewardship Fund.
2. Corporate Support and Sponsorships: Corporate partnerships and sponsorships for events, programs, and initiatives. The organization maintains a dedicated corporate support page on its website.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual Celebration event and Spring Fundraising Breakfast generate revenue through ticket sales and sponsorships.
4. Merchandise Sales: Greenway Gear shop sells merchandise to supporters and visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization that builds and maintains public trails, restores wildlife habitat (including salmon habitat), delivers youth environmental education, coordinates volunteer stewardship, and advocates for public lands across the 1.5-million-acre Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area spanning I-90 from Seattle to Ellensburg, Washington. Its core offerings are funded primarily through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust operates as a conservation nonprofit offering a suite of interconnected programs and digital resources focused on environmental protection, outdoor recreation, and community engagement across the 1.5-million-acre Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area in Washington State. The organization's offerings include digital tools (Interactive Map, Itineraries, Stories), volunteer-based stewardship programs (Volunteer Program, Trailhead Ambassador Program, Environmental Education Program), and land management initiatives (Land Conservation Projects, Regional Trails Projects, Upper Yakima Basin Projects, Habitat Restoration Services, Stewardship Fund). The digital products work together to help visitors explore the Greenway NHA while the programmatic offerings enable hands-on conservation work and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Program Hands-on environmental stewardship opportunities including habitat restoration, trail building and maintenance, and ecological monitoring offered to individuals who participate in restoration work across the Greenway NHA.
• Trailhead Ambassador Program Volunteer-led visitor education and recreation information services at trailheads to promote safe and responsible outdoor recreation across the Greenway NHA.
• Environmental Education Program Youth-focused outdoor education initiatives connecting young people to nature through structured environmental learning experiences along the Greenway NHA.
• Regional Trails Projects Trail development and maintenance across the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail, Snoqualmie Valley Trail, Eastrail, Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, and Coal Mines Trail.
• Land Conservation Projects Land acquisition and conservation efforts returning historic railroad land grants to public ownership across the Greenway NHA, including the Checkerboard Partnership work in Kittitas County.
• Upper Yakima Basin Projects Recreational access improvements, habitat restoration, and community engagement in the eastern portion of the Greenway NHA, including the Teanaway Community Forest where 18 miles of new trails opened in the first phase.
• Habitat Restoration Services Long-term ecological restoration including invasive species removal, native tree planting (50,000+ trees and shrubs), riparian habitat restoration, and salmon habitat monitoring along Issaquah Creek since 2005 and across the Greenway NHA.
• Interactive Map Comprehensive digital mapping tool showing land conservation, land ownership, watersheds, and regional trails across the 1.5-million-acre Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area, made freely available to the public.
• Curated Itineraries Curated outdoor adventure guides and touring routes covering hiking, cycling, scenic drives, ADA-accessible recreation, wildlife viewing, and cultural heritage sites throughout the Greenway NHA.
• Conservation Advocacy Conservation advocacy efforts including public lands protection, federal funding support, and policy engagement for environmental stewardship across the Greenway NHA.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Washington Trails AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership promoting hiking opportunities in the Greenway NHA. WTA provides extensive hiking resources including an interactive hiking map, trip reports, and guides. The Greenway Trust references WTA resources on its outdoor activities pages.
• Washington State Parks and Recreation CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on trail improvements, campground and trailhead facilities, and interpretive displays for the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. State Parks manages significant public lands within the Greenway NHA.
• King County ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Snoqualmie Valley Trail development, King County Leafline Trails Network, and acquisition of rail corridors for trail conversion. King County Parks manages extensive trail infrastructure within the Greenway.
• US Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary public land manager in the Greenway NHA, managing nearly 40% of public lands. Collaborates on trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and recreation management. Trust coordinates staff to support USFS work.
• East Cascades Recreation PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreenway Trust facilitates the Land Managers' Consortium and Recreation Forum, coordinating recreation access opportunities and management across Kittitas County public lands.
• Checkerboard Partnership Planning CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-stakeholder committee working to protect 27,000 acres of Kittitas County forestlands and connect them to nearby communities. Trust leads outreach, community engagement, and legislative advocacy.
• Cascade Bicycle ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromotes cycling opportunities and events within the Greenway NHA. Referenced on the organization's cycling resources page.
• Evergreen Mountain Bike AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership promoting mountain biking in Washington, with resources referenced on the Greenway Trust's mountain biking pages.
• Central Washington OutdoorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Kittitas County Chamber organization providing outdoor recreation resources for the eastern portion of the Greenway NHA.
• Snoqualmie TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous nation whose ancestral lands include the Greenway NHA. The Snoqualmie Tribe's sacred site at Snoqualmie Falls is highlighted in educational materials and itineraries.
• Yakama NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous nation with century-long history in the Upper Yakima Basin. Yakama Nation has cultural connections to lands within the Greenway NHA near Ellensburg.
• City of IssaquahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Issaquah Creek restoration efforts since 2005. Collaborates on water quality improvements and salmon habitat restoration.
• Northwest Railway MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates historic railroad excursions between North Bend and Snoqualmie, preserving transportation heritage within the Greenway NHA.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Global environmental nonprofit working on land and water conservation, including active operations in Washington State. Highly comparable on habitat restoration, science-based conservation, and federal funding capture, though at vastly greater scale and with broader programmatic scope.
• The Trust for Public Land: National land conservation nonprofit that conserves land for public use, including projects in Washington State. Operates at broader geographic scale with overlapping capabilities in conservation finance, federal funding access, and land acquisition partnerships with public agencies.
• Conservation Fund: National nonprofit focused on conservation finance, land acquisition, and working forest preservation. Shares the Greenway Trust's model of partnering with public agencies (especially USFS) to acquire and steward ecologically significant landscapes, and competes for similar federal funding streams.

Direct peers

• Forterra: Pacific Northwest land conservation nonprofit focused on permanent land protection, conservation easements, and stewardship across Washington State. Directly comparable to the Greenway Trust's land acquisition, conservation financing, and stewardship work in the same regional footprint.
• Washington Trails Association: Washington-state trail advocacy and maintenance nonprofit that is an explicit strategic partner of the Greenway Trust. Both organizations mobilize volunteers for trail work along the I-90 corridor and share an overlapping donor base in the Pacific Northwest outdoor recreation community.

Peers

• Cascade Land Conservancy (now Forterra Cascade):

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mtsgreenway
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-mountains-to-sound-greenway-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/mountainstosoundgreenway

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust