Partners for Active Living

What Partners for Active Living does

Partners for Active Living (PAL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 54-2111221) founded in 2003 and headquartered at 226 S. Spring St., Spartanburg, SC. It operates a unified active-living and healthy-eating portfolio across Spartanburg County spanning trail infrastructure (the 55-mile-planned Daniel Morgan Trail System / "The Dan," of which 24 miles are connected across 18 segments), parks (Subaru Bike Park, Duncan Park, Rail Yard Community Park), food access programs (PAL Food Hub online marketplace and the Hub City Farmers Market), and signature community events (Turkey Day 8K, Jump Jam, Spartanburg Criterium, PAL Party). The organization employs approximately 15 staff plus independent contractors, and has expanded its program surface through multiple integrations: Spartanburg Food System Coalition (2019), Trees Coalition (2023), and Hub City Farmers Market (2025).

PAL's technology footprint is minimal: it operates the Food Hub as a hosted marketplace on a third-party localfoodmarketplace.com platform, a standard CMS website (palspartanburg.org), and active social channels. There are no proprietary technology systems, AI/ML capabilities, or app products disclosed. The competitive core is physical and social infrastructure: land leases, joint use agreements with five Spartanburg County schools, a Duke Energy land lease for Rail Yard Community Park, and a multi-stakeholder partnership network spanning municipal government, county parks, corporate sponsors (Subaru of Spartanburg, United Community Bank, Duke Energy), and foundations (Duke Endowment, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, SC Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts).

The business model is diversified across five revenue streams: tiered individual giving societies (Trailblazer $5,000+ down to Energizer $250-$499), event registration and corporate sponsorship revenue, Food Hub marketplace transactions, corporate giving including naming rights (Vic Bailey Subaru Bike Park raised $372,491), and grant funding (including a $23.8M RAISE Transportation Grant for trails and a six-year Duke Endowment coalition-building grant). Approximately $48 million has been secured for trail development. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Phil Humphrey, led by Executive Director Laura Ringo, and has no parent company, institutional investors, or private equity backing. Customers/beneficiaries include Spartanburg County residents, 36+ local farmers, schools, restaurants/wholesale buyers, SNAP recipients (via Double SNAP Program that channeled $51,118 to farmers in 2025), cyclists, and runners.

Name

Partners for Active Living

Legal name

Partners for Active Living

Website

https://palspartanburg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Partners for Active Living (PAL) is a Spartanburg County, SC 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops trails, parks, food access programs, and community events to promote active living and healthy eating among county residents, local farmers, schools, and visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Spartanburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual giving program with multiple giving societies (Trailblazer $5,000+, Advocate $2,500-$4,999, Pathfinder $1,000-$2,499, Wellness Warrior $500-$999, Energizer $250-$499) and online donation platform.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue from event registrations and sponsorships including Turkey Day 8K ($20 registration), Jump Jam ($15 entry), corporate sponsorships at Criterium.
3. Food Hub Sales: PAL Food Hub operates as an online marketplace connecting local farmers with consumers and wholesale buyers. Revenue from produce and local food product sales with delivery fees waived for orders over $25 within 5 miles.
4. Corporate Giving: Corporate partnerships and sponsorships for events, trails, and parks including naming rights for bike park and trail segments.
5. Grant Funding: Foundation grants including Duke Endowment for coalition building, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grants for obesity prevention, federal transportation grants for trails.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Partners for Active Living (PAL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds and operates community wellness programs centered on active living and healthy eating in Spartanburg County, SC. Its core offerings include the Daniel Morgan Trail System (a 55-mile planned trail network), parks (Subaru Bike Park, Duncan Park, Rail Yard Community Park), the PAL Food Hub online marketplace connecting 36+ local farmers with consumers and wholesale buyers, the Hub City Farmers Market, and signature community events (Turkey Day 8K, Jump Jam, Spartanburg Criterium, PAL Party). The organization runs the Double SNAP Program, run clubs, volunteer trail stewardship, and the Pick Spartanburg Eat Local campaign.

Product overview

PAL (Partners for Active Living) operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered around active living and healthy eating in Spartanburg County. The core offering includes the Daniel Morgan Trail System (The Dan), a 55-mile and growing trail network, complemented by specific trail segments like the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail and Saluda Grade Trail. PAL also manages parks including Duncan Park and the Subaru Bike Park. Food programming includes the PAL Food Hub (an online marketplace for local farm products with delivery) and the Hub City Farmers Market. The organization runs signature events including the Turkey Day 8K, Jump Jam bike competition, and PAL Party. Community programs include run clubs, volunteer trail stewardship, and the Art on the Trail public art initiative. PAL acts as both a direct service provider and community convener, integrating physical infrastructure, food access programs, and community events into a unified wellness ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PAL Food Hub: An online marketplace connecting local farmers with consumers for fresh produce delivery
• Hub City Farmers Market

Products and services

• Daniel Morgan Trail System (The Dan) A 55-mile (and growing) planned trail network linking Spartanburg County residents to jobs, education, transit, and recreation, with 24 miles currently connected across 18 trail segments. PAL's flagship infrastructure project connecting trails, parks, and community destinations.
• Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail A 1.9-mile rail-to-trail conversion from a former Norfolk Southern railroad corridor serving as a showpiece of the Daniel Morgan Trail System and a connection point with the Palmetto Trail, recording 200,000 annual uses.
• PAL Food Hub An online marketplace connecting buyers with local farmers within a 75-mile radius of Spartanburg County, offering online ordering with home delivery (free over $25 within 5 miles) or Thursday pickup at multiple locations. Provides fresh produce, meat, dairy, eggs, and grocery staples to consumers, restaurants, schools, institutions, and retail grocers.
• Hub City Farmers Market A Saturday morning farmers market at Northside Harvest Park (April through November) and Sunday markets on Morgan Square (Second Sunday monthly, May-October), featuring over 30 vendors including farmers, bakers, specialty food makers, and artisan crafters. Hosts the Double SNAP Program and Youth Entrepreneur/POP Club activities.
• Subaru Bike Park (Vic Bailey Subaru Bike Park) A first-of-its-kind bike park in the Upstate featuring wood and dirt flow trails, pump tracks, jump lines, and progressive features for all skill levels, located off the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail.
• Duncan Park A 102-acre city-owned park featuring a 14-acre lake, wooded trails, playground, amphitheater, youth baseball fields, and kayak rentals ($14.99/hour to $39.99/day). Currently undergoing revitalization including perimeter trail development.
• Rail Yard Community Park

Quantifiable outcome

• 772,974 trail uses recorded in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of SpartanburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner for trail development, park maintenance, and community programming. Holds lease for Rail Yard Community Park land from Duke Energy. Joint development of Duncan Park, Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail, and trail segments throughout the city.
• Spartanburg CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of $23.8 million RAISE Transportation Grant for trails with Spartanburg County. Joint trail development including Wadsworth Trail and Three Creeks Trail owned by county parks.
• Spartanburg County ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 55-mile Daniel Morgan Trail System connecting residents across community to jobs, education, transit, and recreation.
• Live Healthy SpartanburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing the Spartanburg Food System Coalition with mission to strengthen all aspects of the local food system and increase access to healthy food.
• Spartanburg Area Conservancy (SPACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Edwin M. Griffin Nature Preserve trail development. Cottonwood Trail and Glendale Shoals Preserve owned by SPACE. Co-hosting National Trails Day events.
• Spartanburg Art MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Public Art on the Trail initiative bringing community-centered artwork to the River Birch Trail through artistic expertise and creative leadership.
• Wofford CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Art on the Trail initiative engaging students and faculty in creative process and fostering academic connections to public art.
• Spartanburg WaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides canvas for trail artwork (sewer line poles) and critical funding support for Public Art on the Trail initiative.
• Coalition for Active YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for development and opening of Vic Bailey Subaru Bike Park in 2020.
• Blue Moon BodegaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPickup location partner for PAL Food Hub orders, open Thursdays 12:30-7:30pm.
• Hub City RunnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPickup location partner for PAL Food Hub orders, open Thursdays 1-6pm.
• First Presbyterian ChurchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPickup location partner for PAL Food Hub orders, open Thursdays 11am-12pm.
• City of SpartanburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of Rail Tail Dog Park with PAL. First dog park in Spartanburg with small and large dog areas.
• R.L. Jordan Oil Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in development of Hot Spot Skate Park with street-style features, flow course, and vertical ramp.
• Conserving CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner along with Upstate Forever in 2023 agreement with Norfolk Southern to purchase Saluda Grade Rail Line for trail conversion.
• Upstate ForevercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner along with Conserving Carolina in 2023 agreement with Norfolk Southern to purchase Saluda Grade Rail Line for trail conversion.
• SeamonWhitesidecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering partner for Saluda Grade Trail project moving into design phase. Will engineer and design more than 15 miles of trail.
• Spartanburg County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint use agreements allowing public access to school playgrounds and walking paths during non-school hours at Pine Street Elementary, Drayton Mills Elementary, Dawkins Middle, Woodland Heights Elementary, and Oakland Elementary.
• Pacolet MillikenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner of Upper and Lower Drayton Mills Trails maintained by Spartanburg County Parks.
• Hub City Animal ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Spartanburg's Rainbow Pet Bridge at Wildflower Way providing memorial space for honoring pets.
• Flock ShopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRestaurant partner at 970 S. Pine St. backing up to Subaru Bike Park. Provides bike repair/cleaning station for riders and serves as reference location for park.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wholesome Wave: National nonprofit doubling SNAP benefits at farmers markets and supporting food access programs. Directly comparable to PAL's Double SNAP Program at Hub City Farmers Market.
• Conserving Carolina: Regional land conservancy that partners with PAL on the Saluda Grade Rail Line acquisition from Norfolk Southern. Direct comparable in trail conversion and land conservation work.
• GrowNYC / Greenmarket: Nonprofit operating a network of farmers markets plus food access and education programs in NYC. Directly comparable to PAL's combined Hub City Farmers Market + Food Hub + Double SNAP Program structure.
• Appalachian Mountain Club: Member-supported nonprofit that builds and maintains trails, hosts outdoor events, and advocates for active living across the Northeast. Directly comparable in combining active-living infrastructure with recreation programming and donor society model.
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: National nonprofit dedicated to converting rail corridors into multi-use trails, with deep public and private funder networks. Directly comparable to PAL's Daniel Morgan Trail System, Saluda Grade rail line conversion, and trail-building model.
• Local Food Hub (Charlottesville, VA): Nonprofit regional food hub aggregating produce from local farms for distribution to consumers, schools, and wholesale buyers. Closest direct comparable to PAL Food Hub's operating model and farmer-buyer aggregation approach.
• Spartanburg Area Conservancy (SPACE): Direct local conservation partner that co-owns Cottonwood Trail and Glendale Shoals Preserve and co-hosted National Trails Day events. Closest geographic peer and direct collaborator with PAL on trail infrastructure.
• Live Healthy Spartanburg: Local coalition housed within PAL focused on community-wide health initiatives. Directly comparable in coalition-building, chronic disease prevention, and active living/healthy eating focus.

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: Larger national nonprofit that creates and conserves parks and trails, often partnering with municipalities on land acquisition. Comparable in trail/park development and government partnership model, but operates at much greater scale.
• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit focused on land and water conservation, including rail-line and trail conversion projects. Comparable to PAL's involvement in the Saluda Grade Rail Line acquisition with Norfolk Southern.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PALSpartanburg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAG9bhvMbAOXUsmYn1M-4og
• Facebookfacebook.com/palspartanburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/palspartanburg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Partners for Active Living