What Clean Trails does

Clean Trails is an international 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Denver, Colorado, founded by serial entrepreneurs Steve Jewett and Bill Willoughby to mobilize volunteers in removing litter from trails, beaches, and wild spaces. Its core product is a community-based social marketing model that leverages peer-group norms to drive self-sustaining trail stewardship, operationalized through the annual National CleanUp Day event held on the third Saturday of September, the Cleanup Ambassador Program, and the Adopt One Place initiative. The organization also develops physical trail-side tools including the Trail Box Project (phased rollout from 200 to 10,000 units) and Litter Getters, and operates sub-brands such as CleanUp News (a media platform) and Environmental Alliance (a 2024 spin-off aimed at unifying the global environmental movement).

The business model is donation-based, with revenue sourced from tax-deductible individual contributions processed via ActBlue, PayPal, or check, supplemented by corporate sponsorships solicited directly through the co-founder. Clean Trails functions as an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff, coordinating a network of state/local coordinators, ambassadors, and chapter groups (e.g., We Clean Trails San Diego). Distribution is primarily digital — online registration through nationalcleanupday.org, the Rubbish mobile app (iOS and Google Play), and social media channels — supplemented by direct volunteer coordination for corporate and group events. The organization holds trademarks including National CleanUp Day©, trashtag©, and Plogging©, and operates partnerships with Earth Day, World CleanUp Day (190+ countries), Keep America Beautiful, One Percent for the Planet, and numerous outdoor brands including Fjallraven, Vibram, Converse, and Zeal Optics.

Name

Clean Trails

Legal name

Clean Trails, Inc.

Website

https://cleantrails.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Clean Trails is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes volunteers across all 50 US states and internationally to remove litter from trails and wild areas through its annual National CleanUp Day, ambassador programs, and trail-side tool deployments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tax-Deductible Donations: Clean Trails is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made via ActBlue (credit card), PayPal, or by mailing a check to the Denver office.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners and sponsors can contact the Co-Founder directly for sponsorship opportunities. Sponsors support the organization financially in exchange for brand association with the clean outdoors mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Clean Trails is an international 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that mobilizes volunteers to keep trails, parks, beaches, and wild areas free of litter through community cleanup events, educational programs promoting Leave No Trace principles, and trail-side tools. The organization runs National CleanUp Day annually and coordinates Cleanup Ambassador, Adopt One Place, and Trail Box Project programs to create self-sustaining trail stewardship across all 50 US states and internationally.

Product overview

Clean Trails is an international 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs and products to eliminate litter from trails and wild places. The core offerings include the Trail Box Project (outdoor collection boxes installed at trails), National CleanUp Day (annual cleanup event), Cleanup Ambassador Program (volunteer coordination), and Adopt One Place (community cleanup commitment). Supporting sub-brands include CleanUp News (media/news platform) and Environmental Alliance (2024 initiative for global environmental connection). Physical products include Litter Getters tools and Clean Trails Starter Kits. The organization functions as an all-volunteer nonprofit rather than a technology company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trail Box Project: A trail cleanup tool designed to promote personal responsibility and assist individuals and groups in maintaining clean trails. Boxes encourage casual participation in removal of litter from the outdoors.
• We Clean Trails

Products and services

• Trail Box Project Trail boxes designed to promote personal responsibility and assist individuals and groups in maintaining clean trails. The boxes encourage casual participation in removal of litter from the outdoors, with field-tested pre-production prototypes.
• National CleanUp Day Annual nationwide cleanup event held on the third Saturday in September, mobilizing volunteers across the country to clean trails, beaches, and outdoor spaces. Participants register cleanups and report results via the nationalcleanupday.org platform.
• Cleanup Ambassador Program Volunteer program where individuals pledge to perform monthly cleanups, post on social media, communicate with the cleanup community, and invite others to participate as Clean Trails Ambassadors.
• Adopt One Place Program where individuals pick a location, perform weekly cleanups for about two months, and document their activities to inspire behavioral change in their community.
• CleanUp News A project of Clean Trails dedicated to bringing together individuals and organizations that encourage a clean outdoors through news, the science behind cleanups, and ideas for a better outdoors.
• Environmental Alliance A new organization created in 2024 to help unify and connect the environmental movement globally, while keeping close to Clean Trails roots.
• Litter Getters Specialized tools for picking up litter from trails, distributed to volunteers during cleanup events.
• Clean Trails Starter Kit Kit containing supplies for starting trail cleanup activities, available for purchase.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,500,000+ volunteers collected more than 14 million pounds of trash in 2018
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Earth Day / The Great Global CleanUpflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarth Day is the Presenting Partner for National CleanUp Day and World CleanUp Day. They have more than one billion volunteers taking action in the environment. The partnership coordinates the Great Global CleanUp campaign.
• World CleanUp DayflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean Trails is the US lead organization for World CleanUp Day, a United Nations awareness day. The partnership includes more than 190 countries. National CleanUp Day is an initial partner for World CleanUp Day.
• Keep America BeautifulcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKeep America Beautiful has almost 700 local and community affiliates. Most locations participate on National CleanUp Day. Substantial contributor to cleanup events with 14 million pounds collected in 2018.
• RubbishcoreTechnology or IntegrationRubbish uses technology to understand litter trends. The iOS app maps litter and evaluates each block's footprint to identify better solutions for cleaner communities. Recommended for National CleanUp Day participants.
• Extreme TerrainminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFounded by Andrew and Steve Voudouris, Extreme Terrain provides Jeep parts and accessories. Partnered for the Clean Trail Initiative Program to support trail cleanup efforts.
• Zeal OpticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor eyewear company guided by 'Use Less, Give Back, Explore More.' Passionate about giving back to the places they love to explore. Supports clean outdoors initiatives.
• One Percent for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental Partner member. Clean Trails receives support through this environmental giving network.
• National Parks Conservation AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner contributing to cleanup efforts and awareness campaigns.
• Waterkeeper AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner contributing to cleanup efforts with substantial contributions to 2018 event collecting 14 million pounds.
• American Hiking SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor recreation advocacy organization supporting trail stewardship efforts.
• American RiversminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRiver conservation organization partnering on cleanup initiatives.
• Ocean ConservancyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOcean protection organization involved in cleanup partnerships.
• Student Conservation AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYouth conservation organization supporting volunteer trail maintenance and cleanup efforts.
• 5 GyresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlastic pollution research and advocacy organization.
• Big Blue Ocean CleanupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOcean cleanup organization partnering on cleanup initiatives.
• United By BlueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor apparel company that removes trash from oceans for every product sold.
• FjallravenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor apparel and gear company supporting environmental initiatives.
• VibramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPerformance footwear and soles company supporting outdoor cleanup efforts.
• ConverseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFootwear brand supporting environmental initiatives.
• Environmental AllianceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated in 2024 by Clean Trails team to help unify and connect the environmental movement globally. New organization keeping close to Clean Trails roots. Learn more at EnvironmentalAlliance.org.
• We Clean Trails San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chapter started by Marisa Butler (Miss Earth USA 2021, Miss Earth Air 2022) in 2020. Has removed over 23,000 pounds of trash. Affiliated program under Clean Trails umbrella.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Hiking Society: National nonprofit organizing trail stewardship via member volunteer projects and corporate partnerships (similar to Adopt-A-Trail). Comparable because it also drives volunteer trail maintenance and partners with outdoor industry brands, addressing overlapping beneficiary segments with Clean Trails.
• Student Conservation Association: 501(c)(3) running paid and volunteer conservation service programs on public lands, including trail work. Comparable because it is one of Clean Trails' listed partners, and shares the youth-and-volunteer workforce model for trail and park stewardship.
• Ocean Conservancy: Hosts the International Coastal Cleanup, the largest single-day volunteer cleanup event globally. Comparable because it is a 501(c)(3) that organizes mass-volunteer cleanups with corporate sponsorship and produces measurable poundage statistics, paralleling Clean Trails' National CleanUp Day model.
• Keep America Beautiful: National nonprofit operating the largest US volunteer cleanup infrastructure through ~700 affiliates. Directly comparable because both organizations mobilize large-scale volunteer cleanup events across the US with corporate sponsors, and Keep America Beautiful is a substantial contributor to Clean Trails' own 2018 event outcomes.
• National Parks Conservation Association: Independent nonprofit advocacy organization focused on protecting national parks. Comparable as an existing strategic partner of Clean Trails, running member-led volunteer programs on public lands, and mobilizing constituent action for outdoor stewardship — mission and delivery model overlap significantly.
• Surfrider Foundation: Volunteer-driven nonprofit running Beach Cleanup Programs across the US, similar grassroots chapter network. Comparable because it organizes recurring member-led outdoor cleanup events, distributes cleanup tools, and channels corporate partners — operating model is structurally aligned to Clean Trails' trail-focused approach.
• Waterkeeper Alliance: Grassroots nonprofit network of locally-focused waterway cleanup organizations, already a listed Clean Trails partner. Comparable member-supported model that mobilizes volunteer cleanups with chapter-based coverage and corporate partnerships.
• Leave No Trace: Nonprofit that builds public-facing education programs around outdoor ethics and 'Leave No Trace' principles. Comparable because Clean Trails explicitly adopts and promotes Leave No Trace–aligned responsible recreation messaging and operates overlapping constituency (hikers, climbers, bikers).

Emerging players

• Earthday.org: Flagship Earth Day organizing body and presenting partner for National CleanUp Day and World CleanUp Day. Comparable as a large-scale environmental nonprofit running single-day mass-participation events (Earth Day, Great Global CleanUp) with billion-volunteer reach, far larger scale than Clean Trails.
• Let's Do It Foundation / World Cleanup Day: Global originator of World Cleanup Day spanning more than 190 countries. Comparable as Clean Trails' flagship upstream partner in coordinating the US leg of the international cleanup event, sharing the same volunteer-event DNA at international scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CleanTrails
• Facebookfacebook.com/CleanTrails
• Instagraminstagram.com/cleantrails
• Pinterestpinterest.com/cleantrails
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cleantrails

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Clean Trails