Trailhead International

What Trailhead International does

Trailhead International is a Christian 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 and headquartered in Waukee, Iowa, that funds and coordinates the construction of churches, youth sports centers (Avance Sports), and community facilities in underserved regions across 50+ countries. Its stated mission is to build "a church within reach of every person on earth," targeting the gap that over 3 billion people globally lack access to a local church or gospel presence. The organization reports 400+ projects completed or in progress, 120,000 people served, and routes execution through a 40+ global partner network including AIM, BBFI, Familia Avance, Youth With A Mission, Gospel in Action, Harvest Network, EFCA, India Baptist Ministries, the Russian Baptist Association, and direct Trailhead-led operations in Pakistan and Cambodia.

Trailhead offers three interconnected programs plus an experiential fundraising channel. The Church Building Program is the core — donor funds are deployed to construct permanent, safe church facilities in underserved locations, with grassroots partner vetting of local leadership and ongoing project reporting to supporters. Avance Sports is a second programmatic pillar consisting of youth sports centers that engage at-risk young people and connect them to local churches; this program currently operates 54 facilities across Central America, the Caribbean, West Africa, and beyond and is targeted to grow to 300+ by 2035. The Trailblazer Program recruits missionaries and individual "trailblazers" who personally advance the mission through project sponsorship and field involvement. Ride Extreme Events (Trans America Trail, Baja of Mexico, Ozarks 2027) are off-road motorcycle adventures that function as a bottom-of-funnel fundraising and awareness channel. There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization explicitly identifies itself as not a technology company and runs on standard nonprofit infrastructure (Qgiv donation processing, WordPress web, SSL-secured transactions).

The revenue model is exclusively charitable: donations from individual donors, churches, and corporate partners, with all contributions fully tax-deductible under 501(c)(3) status. Trailhead reports that 85% of donations flow directly to people and projects, with 15% supporting administration, staff, and fundraising. Distribution runs through a Church Partnership Program, a Corporate Partnership Program, an Individual Donation Portal, and the Trailblazer community. Governance is exercised by a board composed predominantly of married couples serving jointly, with executive leadership split between President/Director Brian Weed and Founder/Executive Director Mark Carter. The organization holds a 2025 Candid Platinum Transparency Seal and uses an outside accounting firm (OnPointe Accounting) for financial oversight. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the operational footprint is small at the U.S. HQ (1–10 employees) but materially larger in aggregate when partner-executed projects and regional directors are counted. The publicly stated 2035 vision is 1,500+ new churches, 300+ Avance Sports centers, 80+ countries, and 2,000,000 people served.

Name

Trailhead International

Legal name

Trailhead International

Website

https://trailheadinternational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Trailhead International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds construction of churches and Avance Sports youth centers across 50+ countries through donations from individuals, churches, and corporate partners, executed via a 40+ global partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Church construction
• Youth sports centers
• Global missions
• Faith-based nonprofit
• Church planting

Headquarters

HQ city

Waukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Trailhead International generates revenue exclusively through donations from individuals, churches, and corporate partners. Contributions fund the construction of church facilities and community centers in underserved locations globally. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, making all contributions fully tax-deductible.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Trailhead International is a gospel-centered 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that raises donations to construct safe, permanent church facilities in underserved communities across 50+ countries. The organization also develops Avance Sports youth sports centers to engage at-risk young people and connect them to local churches, and runs the Trailblazer missionary program alongside adventure-based Ride Extreme fundraising events.

Product overview

Trailhead International is a gospel-centered 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity operating a network focused on building churches within reach of every person on earth. The organization operates as a unified charitable portfolio offering three interconnected programs: the Church Building Program (raising funds to construct permanent church facilities in underserved global locations), Avance Sports (youth sports centers connecting at-risk youth to churches), and the Trailblazer Program (recruiting missionaries for gospel outreach). Ride Extreme Events serves as a fundraising mechanism combining adventure tourism with mission support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Church Building Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of donations go directly to serving people and projects
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Acts 318 Sierra LeonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partner for church planting initiatives in Sierra Leone, led by Jim and Joy Nobilini. Works with Trailhead to establish local church presence in underserved communities.
• AIM MadagascarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission agency partner operating in Madagascar, represented by Fernando Basso. Collaborates on church planting projects in the region.
• AIM MozambiquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission agency partner in Mozambique under AIM, led by Maura Manoel. Partners with Trailhead for gospel outreach through church construction.
• AIM KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIM Kenya partner represented by Edilson and Solange Silva. Joint efforts in church planting across Kenya.
• BBFI ArgentinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBFI (Baptist Fellowship) partner in Argentina, led by Ben Metzger. Collaborates on church construction projects.
• BBFI KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBFI Kenya partner represented by Shaun Vance. Works on establishing new church facilities in Kenya.
• BBFI MexicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBFI Mexico partner led by Ed Hoagland. Implements church planting projects across Mexico.
• BBFI PerucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBFI Peru represented by David Liles. Church planting initiatives in Peru.
• BBFI ZambiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBFI Zambia partner led by Dan Bowles. Implements church construction in Zambia.
• BBFI TanzaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBFI Tanzania represented by Vernon Smith. Church planting partner in Tanzania.
• BBFI Cote d'IvoirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBFI partner in Cote d'Ivoire represented by Tim Downs. Gospel outreach through church construction.
• Familia Avance BelizecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamilia Avance Belize led by Denis Fuentes. Implements both church planting and Avance Sports youth centers in Belize.
• Familia Avance Costa RicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamilia Avance Costa Rica represented by John Barnes. Joint ministry including youth sports outreach.
• Familia Avance CubacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamilia Avance Cuba led by Brian Weed. Church planting in Cuba.
• Familia Avance NicaraguacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamilia Avance Nicaragua represented by Wade Cooperrider. Church construction projects in Nicaragua.
• Gospel in Action MalawicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGospel in Action Malawi led by Charlie and Tracy Hale. Major church planting partner in Malawi.
• Youth With A Mission ZambiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWAM Zambia represented by Vincent Luwizhi. Global mission organization partner for Zambia operations.
• Harvest Network of NepalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarvest Network of Nepal led by Sameul Dahal. Church planting network partner in Nepal.
• Beyond Relief Puerto RicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeyond Relief Puerto Rico represented by Bob Wallingford. Relief and church planting in Puerto Rico.
• EFCA BrazilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFCA Brazil represented by Steve Spellman. Evangelical fellowship church planting in Brazil.
• 10/40 Project W AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner10/40 Project West Africa represented by Mike and Christy Napper. Focused on unreached people groups in the 10/40 window.
• Trailhead PakistancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrailhead Pakistan led by Mutshael Saleem. Direct Trailhead operations in Pakistan.
• Trailhead CambodiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrailhead Cambodia represented by Pilot Nhap. Direct operations in Cambodia.
• India Baptist MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndia Baptist Ministries led by Sam Thomas. Baptist church planting across India.
• Russian Baptist AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRussian Baptist Association represented by Vladimir Lukyanov. Gospel work in Russia.
• Global Surge PhilippinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Surge Philippines led by Marc Buxton. Church planting efforts in the Philippines.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ChildFund International: ChildFund is an established international child-focused nonprofit operating in many of the same developing regions as Trailhead (Africa, Asia, Latin America) and shares the model of pairing individual sponsorship with community facility investment. It is comparable on global footprint and donor mechanics, though focused on child welfare rather than church planting.
• World Vision: World Vision is one of the largest Christian humanitarian organizations, operating in roughly 100 countries with community development, child sponsorship, and infrastructure programs. It is comparable to Trailhead on global nonprofit scale, donor mechanics, and community facility construction in underserved regions.
• Compassion International: Compassion International is a large faith-based child sponsorship and community development organization operating in dozens of developing countries. It is comparable to Trailhead on geographic reach (40+ countries), sponsor/donor mechanics, and the construction of community facilities serving at-risk youth.
• Convoy of Hope: Convoy of Hope is a faith-based humanitarian organization running community outreach, youth programs, and disaster relief globally. It is comparable to Trailhead on faith-driven community impact, donor-supported operations, and youth engagement programming.
• Samaritan's Purse: Samaritan's Purse is a large evangelical nonprofit providing disaster relief, medical care, and church construction internationally. It overlaps with Trailhead on the church-construction and global evangelical donor base, but operates at materially larger scale and with a broader humanitarian portfolio.

Direct peers

• International Mission Board: The IMB is the Southern Baptist Convention's global mission agency and is one of the largest church-planting and missions organizations in the world. Like Trailhead, it funds and supports the construction of churches and ministry facilities in underserved regions globally through partnerships with field missionaries.
• Pioneers: Pioneers is a church-planting mission agency that mobilizes teams to start churches among unreached people groups. It shares Trailhead's gospel-centered mission and partner-mediated operating model with a focus on building local church presence in restricted and underserved regions.
• GFA World (Gospel for Asia): GFA World is a faith-based nonprofit that builds churches, supports missionaries, and funds community development across South Asia and beyond. It is a closely comparable peer because of its similar church-construction funding model, missionary network, and donor-supported global footprint.
• Youth for Christ: Youth for Christ is a global, evangelical youth-focused ministry that operates youth centers and outreach programs, including sports-based programs, in over 100 countries. It directly parallels Trailhead's Avance Sports youth sports center model and shares the faith-based, youth-at-risk focus.

Emerging players

• Cadence International: Cadence International is a faith-based nonprofit serving military communities globally, with a smaller and more specialized footprint. It is only a partial peer to Trailhead; the connection is faith-based global ministry operations rather than church construction or youth sports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TrailheadInt
• Facebookfacebook.com/trailheadinternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trailhead-international

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Trailhead International