Feet First

What Feet First does

Feet First is a private nonprofit pedestrian advocacy organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It operates as the only statewide pedestrian advocacy organization in Washington State, with a stated mission to promote safe, healthy, and equitable public spaces for people walking and rolling. The organization delivers community programming through walking events, educational resources, and policy advocacy rather than technology products or commercial services.

The organization's portfolio includes walking tools and events (Walk Explorer, Neighborhoods on Foot Maps, Group Walks, Walk with Ease, Jane's Walk Festival), advocacy campaigns (Sound Access for All, Safe Routes to School, Statewide Advocacy Network), and a volunteer program (Neighborhood Walking Ambassadors). Walk Explorer and the curated neighborhood maps represent its primary digital resources; no proprietary AI, machine learning, or platform technology is described. Partnerships span transit, transportation, health, and outdoor recreation organizations, including Sound Transit, the Seattle Department of Transportation, Cascade Bicycle Club, Transportation Choices Coalition, America Walks, The Regence Foundation, the Washington Department of Health, and The Mountaineers.

Feet First transitioned to an all-volunteer operating model in 2017 and currently operates with a 1-10 headcount comprising a small staff, board, and volunteer base. The organization generates no revenue from product or service sales; funding comes exclusively from individual donations processed through NetworkForGood.com and episodic foundation grants. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on walking events, volunteer ambassadors, coalition partnerships, and content marketing via blog, newsletter, and social channels to drive advocacy outcomes rather than paid customer acquisition.

Name

Feet First

Legal name

Feet First

Website

https://feetfirst.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Feet First is a Seattle-based, volunteer-run nonprofit founded in 2001 that advocates for walkable communities throughout Washington State through walking events, educational resources, and policy campaigns targeting pedestrian safety and infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pedestrian Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Pedestrian Safety Infrastructure (Crosswalks, Refuge Islands, Ped Signals, Sidewalk Safety Treatments) (TLAJAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

On-Foot Escort & Safe Walk Services (Home/School/Neighborhood) (HSAAAKAC)

Keywords

• Pedestrian advocacy
• Walkable communities
• Safe routes to school
• Community walking events
• Active transportation

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations from supporters to fund advocacy, events, and programs. Processed through NetworkForGood.com platform.
2. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations like The Regence Foundation ($20,000 awarded for walking programs in southeast Seattle) to fund specific programs and initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Feet First is Washington State's only statewide pedestrian advocacy organization, empowering communities to create safe, healthy, and equitable public spaces for people walking and rolling. The organization delivers community walking events (Group Walks, Jane's Walk Festival, Walk with Ease), publishes walking resources (Walk Explorer, Neighborhoods on Foot Maps), and runs advocacy programs (Sound Access for All, Safe Routes to School, Statewide Advocacy Network) that promote walkability through policy advocacy, coalition building, and volunteer engagement.

Product overview

Feet First is a nonprofit pedestrian advocacy organization offering community walking programs and resources rather than a traditional software product. Its core offerings include walking tools (Walk Explorer, Neighborhood on Foot Maps), group walking events (Group Walks, Jane's Walk Festival, Walk with Ease), and advocacy programs (Sound Access for All, Safe Routes to School, Statewide Advocacy Network). The organization functions as a service provider focused on promoting walkable communities in Washington State through organized walks, educational resources, and policy advocacy rather than a technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Group Walks
• Walk Explorer
• Neighborhoods on Foot Maps
• Walk with Ease Community-based walking program developed in partnership with the Washington Department of Health and the Arthritis Foundation, designed to encourage regular walking among participants.
• Jane's Walk Festival
• Sound Access for All Campaign
• Safe Routes to School Statewide effort supporting policies and programs that make it safer for children to walk and bike to school.
• Statewide Advocacy Network
• Neighborhood Walking Ambassador Program Training program for volunteers to lead walks in their communities and promote walking as a healthy transportation mode.

Quantifiable outcome

• Feet First supported the Sound Access for All campaign advocating for walkable access to light rail stations across the Puget Sound region.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cascade Bicycle ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCascade Bicycle Club partners with Feet First on Safe Routes to Schools programs, walking events, and community advocacy for active transportation.
• Sound TransitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeet First advocates for walking access to Sound Transit light rail stations through the Sound Access for All (SAFA) campaign, working with the agency on station area planning.
• Transportation for AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeet First participates as a coalition partner in Transportation for Washington's campaign to advance pedestrian advocacy at the state level.
• Transportation Choices CoalitioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFeet First partners with the Transportation Choices Coalition for candidate forums and joint advocacy on transportation policy issues affecting walking and transit.
• The MountaineersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mountaineers partner with Feet First on walking events like the Seattle Olmsted walk celebrating the Olmsted brothers' park designs.
• Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeet First works with SDOT on pedestrian infrastructure projects, trail connector developments, and policy advocacy for walkable streets.
• America WalkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeet First is a member of America Walks national coalition of local walking advocacy groups. Their Statewide Advocacy Network Lead Mike McGinn was hired as Executive Director of America Walks.
• Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDOT partners with Feet First on Safe Routes to School grants and community events like Family BBQ and Bike Rodeo at schools.
• Washington Department of HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeet First partners with Washington Dept. of Health to promote and expand Walk with Ease, a community-based walking program developed by the Arthritis Foundation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• America Walks: National coalition of local walking advocacy organizations of which Feet First is a member; directly comparable as a pedestrian advocacy nonprofit with policy and community engagement focus, and even shares former Feet First leadership.
• Cascade Bicycle Club: Seattle-based active transportation nonprofit that co-runs Safe Routes to School and walking events with Feet First; comparable advocacy and community organizing model focused on pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
• Active Transportation Alliance: Chicago-based advocacy nonprofit working on walking, biking, and transit policy — a comparable urban pedestrian advocacy model to Feet First but operating in a different metro.
• Safe Routes to School National Partnership: National advocacy organization promoting Safe Routes to School programs, a core Feet First program area; comparable advocacy and policy focus on enabling children to walk and bike to school safely.
• Transportation Choices Coalition: Washington State-based active transportation advocacy nonprofit that partners with Feet First on candidate forums and policy work; comparable mission around walking, transit, and community advocacy in the same state.

Regional players

• WalkDenver: Denver-based pedestrian advocacy organization comparable to Feet First in size and model — community organizing, policy advocacy, and walking events — but serving a different metro.
• Los Angeles Walks: Los Angeles-based pedestrian advocacy nonprofit with similar walking-focused mission, comparable programs (walking audits, community walks, policy advocacy), but operating exclusively in a different metro region.
• BikeWalkKC: Kansas City-based active transportation nonprofit comparable to Feet First in mission and advocacy focus on walkable, bikeable communities, but serving a different region.
• Walk Bike Nashville: Nashville-based active transportation advocacy nonprofit with comparable pedestrian and bicycle safety advocacy programs to Feet First, but operating in Tennessee rather than Washington.

Broad incumbents

• Rails to Trails Conservancy: Large national nonprofit focused on converting rail trails into walking and biking infrastructure; comparable in mission (walkable, active transportation communities) but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/feetfirst_wa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FeetFirstWA
• Facebookfacebook.com/FeetFirstWA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/feet-first
• Instagraminstagram.com/feetfirst_wa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Feet First