What Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative does

Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative (HWPI) is a 501(c)(3) public charity (ID 82-1605735) founded in 2016 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The organization's primary mission is to facilitate the development and community use of the Border to Border Trail (B2B Trail), a planned 55-mile non-motorized recreational pathway connecting communities across Washtenaw County from the Wayne to the Livingston county borders. The B2B Trail is a segment of the Michigan Iron Belle Trail, a 791-mile statewide bicycle route linking Belle Isle in Detroit to Ironwood in the Upper Peninsula. HWPI operates as the exclusive nonprofit fundraising partner to the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission (WCPARC) under a 2017 memorandum of understanding, with WCPARC handling public funding and construction while HWPI raises private capital.

HWPI's revenue model is donation- and grant-driven across five streams: individual donations (over 2,600 individual donors with gifts ranging from a few dollars to $1 million), foundation grants (anchored by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation's $5M+ cumulative support), state and federal government funding (Michigan State Budget appropriations of $3M in FY2025 and $1M in FY2026), event-based fundraising (Trail Raiser annual fundraiser, Maps and Taps spring kickoff, TimberTown Trail Fest 5K), and merchandise sales through the B2B Trail Store. Monthly recurring giving (Pathway Partner), peer-to-peer campaigns (Bridge the B2B), and corporate sponsorships supplement these streams. The organization employs a 5-person staff led by Executive Director Kiff Hamp and Chief of Staff Mackenzie Wisniewski, with a 15-member Board of Directors chaired by Christine Stead.

Since founding, HWPI has raised more than $14 million and accelerated trail construction from approximately 1 mile per year pre-partnership to 13.7 miles of new trail built in 4 years, with fewer than 7 miles remaining to complete the 55-mile route. The organization is actively pursuing completion-phase projects including the Barton-Bandemer Pedestrian Tunnel in partnership with the City of Ann Arbor and the final 0.8-mile segment into downtown Dexter via the historic Bell Road Bridge.

Name

Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative

Legal name

Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative

Website

https://huron-waterloo-pathways.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and facilitates development of the Border to Border Trail, a 55-mile non-motorized recreational pathway across Washtenaw County, Michigan, through a public-private partnership with the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to HWPI through online donations, mail-in checks, monthly giving programs, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, and stock transfers. The organization has received donations from over 2,600 individual donors with gifts ranging from a few dollars to $1 million.
2. Foundation Grants: Major foundation support includes the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation ($5 million+ total), along with support from community foundations, family foundations, and health-focused foundations like 5 Healthy Towns Foundation and Michigan Fitness Foundation.
3. Government Funding: HWPI secures state and federal grants including Michigan State Budget appropriations ($3M in FY2025, $1M in FY2026) and collaborates with WCPARC for parks millage funding.
4. Trail Store Merchandise: Online merchandise store selling B2B Trail branded items including hats, hoodies, beanies, and kids gear. A portion of each purchase goes directly to trail construction and maintenance.
5. Event Fundraising: Annual events including the Trail Raiser fundraiser (Barn Raiser), Maps and Taps spring kickoff, and TimberTown Trail Fest 5K. Events feature sponsorships, ticket sales, silent auctions, and wine pulls.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative (HWPI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that facilitates the development, funding, and community use of regional non-motorized recreational trails, primarily the 55-mile Border to Border (B2B) Trail across Washtenaw County, Michigan. HWPI raises private funds through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate contributions, and merchandise sales, and partners with Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission (WCPARC) on trail construction and programming.

Product overview

Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative operates as a nonprofit organization facilitating the development of the Border to Border Trail (B2B Trail), a planned 55-mile non-motorized recreational pathway across Washtenaw County, Michigan. The organization's portfolio centers on the B2B Trail as its core product, supplemented by fundraising merchandise through the B2B Trail Store, signature events including the annual Trail Raiser fundraiser, Maps and Taps spring kickoff, and TimberTown Trail Fest 5K. Additional programs include community fundraising campaigns like Bridge the B2B, a volunteer engagement program, monthly Pathway Partner giving, and the B2B Trail Race Team charity partnership with the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run. HWPI functions as a public-private partnership with Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, raising funds for trail construction, programming, and maintenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Border to Border Trail (B2B Trail) A 55-mile planned non-motorized recreational pathway connecting people, communities, and nature across Washtenaw County, linking to larger trail networks in neighboring counties and part of the Michigan Iron Belle Trail. Free for public use; 37.75 miles built as of latest reporting.
• B2B Trail Store Online merchandise store offering hats, shirts, hoodies, beanies, and kids' gear featuring the B2B Trail logo. Proceeds support trail construction, maintenance, and capital improvements.
• Trail Raiser (Annual Fundraiser) Annual fundraising event featuring local food, open bar, lawn games, wine pull, silent auction, and live music to support B2B Trail development. Tickets priced at $75 per person (kids free).
• Maps and Taps Spring trail kick-off event featuring local craft beer, community connections, and B2B Trail updates with first look at construction plans and renderings.
• TimberTown Trail Fest 5K & Kids Dash Annual running event in Chelsea, MI featuring a 5K run and kids' 1-mile dash to celebrate trails and raise funds for B2B Trail completion.
• Pathway Partner (Monthly Giving Program) Monthly giving program offering donor recognition in the B2B Trail Newsletter, year-end gifts, and discounted/free admission to trail events.
• B2B Trail Race Team Charity partner program for the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run, recruiting runners and walkers to support trail completion while participating in the historic road race.

Quantifiable outcome

• 13.7 miles of new trail built in 4 years (compared to 1 mile/year average before HWPI)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• City of Ann ArborcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025City partner contributing to Barton-Bandemer Pedestrian Tunnel project alongside WCPARC. HWPI contributing one-third of total project costs with funding from Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and private donors.
• Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission (WCPARC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017HWPI's primary public partner for B2B Trail development. WCPARC handles public funding and trail construction while HWPI raises private funds. Formalized through a 2017 memorandum of understanding. Together they have built 13.7 miles of new trail in 4 years compared to 1 mile/year before the partnership.
• Michigan Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner supporting trail connectivity and part of the Iron Belle Trail statewide network connecting Detroit to the Upper Peninsula.
• Huron Clinton Metropark Authority (HCMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal agency partner collaborating on trail development and connectivity between metroparks in Washtenaw County.
• Michigan Iron Belle TrailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide trail network initiative. B2B Trail is part of the Iron Belle Trail connecting Belle Isle in Detroit to Ironwood in the Upper Peninsula via 791-mile paved bicycle route.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Trust for Public Land: National conservation nonprofit that acquires land for parks, trails, and natural areas. Overlaps with HWPI in mission (public access to nature) and tools (donor fundraising, public-private partnerships), but operates at much larger scale with broader conservation portfolio beyond trails.
• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit that works with public agencies and donors to conserve land for parks, trails, and working forests. Shares HWPI's public-private partnership model and donor-funded approach to conservation infrastructure, but at much larger scale with broader geographic footprint.
• Land Trust Alliance: National umbrella organization for land trusts. Overlaps with HWPI's nonprofit infrastructure role (donor-funded conservation, partnership with public agencies) but operates as an industry association rather than direct trail developer.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global environmental nonprofit with land conservation mission overlapping HWPI's environmental goals (carbon reduction, connecting people to nature). Operates at vastly larger scale and broader portfolio; comparable only in nonprofit structure and donor-funded environmental mission.

Direct peers

• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: National nonprofit that converts abandoned rail corridors into multi-use trails and advocates for trail funding at the federal level. Closest analog to HWPI at national scale — same nonprofit model (donor-funded trail development), same focus on non-motorized connectivity, and similar stakeholder mix of public agencies, foundations, and individual donors.
• National Park Trust: National nonprofit focused on completing park and trail systems through land acquisition and capital fundraising. Directly comparable operating model: donor-funded, project-driven, partnership-based, and oriented toward expanding public access to outdoor recreation infrastructure.
• Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy: Trail-focused nonprofit supporting a 150-mile rail-trail connecting Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD. Comparable in mission (long-distance non-motorized trail stewardship), fundraising mix (foundations + individuals + events), and partnership model with public agencies for trail operations.
• Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance: Statewide Michigan nonprofit advocating for trails and greenways. Shares HWPI's geographic footprint and mission of expanding non-motorized trail networks; comparable in fundraising approach (foundation grants, individual donors) and policy engagement with state agencies.

Regional players

• Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor: Heritage corridor organization supporting trail and canal-side recreation along the Erie Canal in New York. Comparable in combining public-private funding, donor engagement, and multi-jurisdictional coordination for a long-distance non-motorized corridor, but serves a different geographic region.
• Top of Michigan Trails Council: Regional nonprofit in northern Michigan building and maintaining non-motorized trails. Shares the same state geography, donor-funded nonprofit model, and focus on trail construction and community access as HWPI, but operates in a different region of Michigan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/HuronWaterlooPathwaysInitiative
• Facebookfacebook.com/hwpathways
• Instagraminstagram.com/hwpathways
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/huron-waterloo-pathways-initiative

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative