Florida Paddling Trails Association

What Florida Paddling Trails Association does

Florida Paddling Trails Association (FPTA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in December 2007 and headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, with primary mailing operations in Clermont, Florida. The organization serves as the designated non-profit steward of Florida's paddling trails under Title XVIII, Chapter 260 Florida Statutes, including the 1,515-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail (CT), the longest paddling trail in the continental United States. FPTA's mission is to support, improve, and maintain water trails; promote environmental protection along the trails; serve as a resource and advocate for paddlers; and promote paddling safety and education. It operates on an all-volunteer basis with no paid staff, governing 15 regions and 32 segments statewide through a network of regional directors, Trail Keepers, and a Trail Angel support network.

FPTA's core product is a volunteer-verified paddling trail information platform that includes 1,100+ mapped trails spanning 11,000+ miles of waterways. The platform is built on a website with interactive launch site maps, downloadable KMZ navigation files compatible with Gaia GPS, Google Earth, and Garmin GPS devices, printable 8.5x11 trail maps, and info sheets for each segment. Supplementary products include the printed Ninth Edition CT Trail Guide (2024), a classifieds marketplace for used paddlecraft, branded merchandise, and the annual PaddleFest and CT Reunion event. The Taylor Howard Youth Paddling Fund has sent over 400 youth to paddling camps since 2016, funded by 20% of membership dues and 40% of merchandise sales.

FPTA's revenue model is a hybrid of membership dues, donations, merchandise sales, classified ad fees, and event proceeds, typical of a small membership non-profit. Membership tiers include individual, family, paddle club, business, and agency members, with business members receiving directory listing and email marketing access to 2,700+ paddlers. The organization has no parent company, no institutional investors, and no venture funding; it is independently governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Distribution channels are direct-to-consumer via the FPTA website and social media (Facebook 20,000+ followers, newsletters 2,500+ subscribers), with strategic partnerships with Florida DEP Office of Greenways and Trails, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, South Florida Water Management District, American Canoe Association, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Name

Florida Paddling Trails Association

Legal name

Florida Paddling Trails Association

Website

https://floridapaddlingtrails.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Florida Paddling Trails Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and the statutory steward of Florida's paddling trails, including the 1,515-mile Circumnavigational Trail. It serves recreational paddlers, paddle clubs, paddlesports businesses, and state agencies through volunteer-verified trail maps, KMZ navigation files, and membership programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Coastal Tours (THAAAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF)

Keywords

• Paddling trail mapping
• Outdoor recreation nonprofit
• Water trail stewardship
• Paddling safety education
• Paddlesports navigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual, family, paddle club, business, and agency members. Dues support organizational operations and youth paddling programs (20% of dues earmarked for Taylor Howard Youth Paddling Fund).
2. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling branded merchandise including performance shirts, decals, stickers, and guidebooks. 40% of store sales are earmarked for the Taylor Howard Youth Paddling Fund.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations to General Fund, CT Fund (for Florida Circumnavigational Trail maintenance), or Taylor Howard Youth Paddling Fund. Organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
4. Classified Ads: Free posting for members, $5 per posting for non-members. Listings for used kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards. Postings valid for 30 days.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FPTA is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit that maps, documents, and stewards paddling trails across Florida, providing 11,000+ miles of mapped waterways and 1,100+ trails with downloadable KMZ navigation files, interactive maps, and printed trail guides. The organization sells annual memberships, branded merchandise, trail guidebooks, and operates a classifieds marketplace for used paddlecraft, all in service of its stewardship mission for the 1,515-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail and statewide water trails.

Product overview

FPTA offers a portfolio of paddling trail information products and membership services organized around Florida's waterways. The core products are trail guide publications (the printed Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail Guide) and free digital navigation resources (interactive maps, KMZ track files, printable info sheets) for paddling trails across all 15 regions and 32 segments statewide. The platform is supplemented by the FPTA Store (branded merchandise), a classifieds marketplace for used paddlecraft, a membership program with Trail Angel network access, and the Taylor Howard Youth Paddling Fund youth scholarship program. The annual PaddleFest event serves as a community and educational hub. In total, FPTA has mapped over 1,100 paddling trails and 11,000 miles of waterways across Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail Guide (Ninth Edition, 2024) A 355-page printed trail guidebook for the 1,515-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail covering coastal launches, campsites, campgrounds, motels, points of interest, public lands, a trail data book, equipment list, and trip planning instructions. Sold to recreational paddlers planning long-distance coastal trips; complementary color maps are available as free digital downloads.
• FPTA Membership Program Annual membership providing access to the CT Trail Angel Network, region directors for paddling advice, members-only event discounts (including PaddleFest and CT Reunion), business partner discounts, free classified ad posting, and downloadable membership cards. 20% of membership dues support the Taylor Howard Youth Paddling Fund. Offered in individual, family, paddle club, business, and agency tiers.
• FPTA Store / Merchandise Online store selling branded paddling merchandise including performance shirts (Kissimmee River, Florida Keys, Apalachicola River, St. Johns River, Big Bend, Sandy CT, Florida Waterways, Uniting Paddlers, Mariner's Compass), identification decals, stickers, and the CT Guide Book. Pricing ranges from $1.50 for stickers to $35 for performance shirts. 40% of store sales fund the Taylor Howard Youth Paddling Fund.
• FPTA Classifieds Online classified ad marketplace for used kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs). Free for FPTA members; $5 per posting for non-members. Postings are valid for 30 days and reviewed by an administrator before going live.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Florida Department of Environmental Protection - Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner for Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail stewardship. OGT liaison serves on FPTA Board of Directors and Executive Committee as non-voting member. FPTA operates as independent partner (not official Friends group) per bylaws choice made in 2007. OGT provides trail designation authority under Title XVIII, Chapter 260 Florida Statutes.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-manages public use of Kissimmee River with South Florida Water Management District. Cooperatively manages paddling access and conservation efforts statewide. Partner in developing and maintaining water trails.
• South Florida Water Management DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-manages Kissimmee River paddling trail with FWC. Issues Special Use Licenses for river campsites. Partner in Kissimmee River Restoration Project completed July 2021, restoring 40+ square miles of floodplain ecosystem.
• American Canoe Association (ACA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partner providing paddler safety education and skills training. FPTA directs members to ACA-certified instructors for on-water classes. ACA provides instructional videos and course resources.
• Florida State ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partner for paddling trail access through state park system. CT Reunion events hosted at state parks including Silver Springs State Park and Big Lagoon State Park.
• U.S. Army Corps of EngineersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner50-50 partner with South Florida Water Management District on Kissimmee River Restoration Project. Completed construction in July 2021 backfilling 22 miles of C-38 canal and restoring 44 miles of historic river channel.
• Friends of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife RefugeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit agency partner focused on conservation and stewardship of Florida waters and wildlife refuges along paddling trails.
• Florida Springs InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partner focused on Florida springs conservation, education, and stewardship. Aligns with FPTA's environmental protection mission.
• National Safe Boating CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partner promoting paddling safety education and safe boating practices across Florida waterways.
• Live WildlyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partner supporting Florida outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship messaging, including coverage of restored Kissimmee River.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• AllTrails: Commercial trail-navigation platform with crowd-sourced maps and reviews. Overlaps with FPTA's interactive trail mapping and KMZ navigation features; commercial competitor to FPTA's digital content layer.

Broad incumbents

• The Mountaineers: Pacific Northwest outdoor recreation club offering courses, trips, and conservation advocacy. Comparable membership-based outdoor recreation and education model, though more activity-diverse.
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: Large national non-profit focused on rail-trail conversion and trail policy advocacy. Operates at much larger scale; relevant comparable for trail-stewardship non-profit operating model and advocacy approach.
• Leave No Trace: National non-profit promoting outdoor ethics and minimum-impact recreation. Overlapping mission around trail stewardship education, though organized around behavior rather than route mapping.

Direct peers

• American Canoe Association: National paddlesports non-profit providing safety education, instructor certification, and advocacy. FPTA already partners with ACA; comparable in mission scope (paddler advocacy and education) though broader in geography.
• Paddle Florida: Florida-based paddling organization that hosts statewide paddling events (e.g., Race to the Sun, Hundred). Closest direct peer in Florida paddling event programming and member activation.
• Florida Trail Association: Florida-based 501(c)(3) that maps, stewards, and advocates for the statewide hiking trail network. Closest analog to FPTA's water-trail stewardship model and community/membership structure.
• Pacific Crest Trail Association: Non-profit steward of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. Same long-distance trail stewardship and volunteer-driven model as FPTA, though oriented to hiking rather than paddling.
• American Whitewater: National non-profit focused on whitewater river stewardship, conservation, and safety advocacy. Comparable membership-driven, advocacy-and-trail-stewardship model oriented to paddlers.
• Appalachian Trail Conservancy: Non-profit steward of the 2,194-mile Appalachian Trail, responsible for trail maintenance, mapping, and volunteer coordination. Comparable long-distance trail stewardship model at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/floridapaddlingtrails
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/florida-paddling-trails-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Florida Paddling Trails Association