Moving Trails forward

stronger together

Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance and the Michigan Trails Fund (MTF) are uniting to create one stronger, more effective statewide organization dedicated to Michigan’s trails.

For years, MTGA has served as Michigan’s voice for trail users, and MTF has channeled visionary philanthropy into transformative trail investments. Now, we’re walking forward together, combining advocacy and fundraising into one dynamic team to better serve trail users, partners, and communities statewide.

Michigan’s trail system is vast, complex, and vital to our state’s future. To ensure it continues to grow and thrive, we need deeper coordination and smarter resource alignment. Through stakeholder interviews, summits, and years of partnership, a clear need emerged: Michigan’s trails deserve one unified organization advocating, funding, and planning for the long haul.

Our why & What’s next

MTGA will continue to lead as a statewide trail advocacy organization.

The mission of the Michigan Trails Fund will live on within MTGA as a fully integrated grantmaking arm.

All current MTF grant commitments will be honored. There will be no disruption in funding.

With Steve DeBrabander’s retirement, two MTF board members will join MTGA’s board.

The transition will be complete by Fall 2025.

One Organization. One Vision. One Trail Future.

This unification is more than administrative. It’s a commitment to a more connected, better-funded, and community-driven trail network across Michigan. Whether you’re a trail user, partner, donor, or advocate, we hope you’ll join us in this exciting new chapter.

For current grant recipients:
Thank you for reaching out about your grant. Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance is excited about the opportunity to collaborate with you in bringing these important projects to fruition. As we navigate this transition period, we’re happy to meet and discuss any questions you may have regarding the status of your grant, including reimbursements, reporting requirements, and more.

Grant office hours will begin the week of August 11. To schedule a meeting with our Grants Coordinator, Nicole Klepadlo, please use the MTGA Office Hours Scheduling Link. If you don’t see a time that works for you, contact Nicole directly to arrange a time that fits your schedule.

We are committed to ensuring there are no delays in funding distribution or disruptions to your project timeline.

Frequently asked questions

What do staff changes look like?

Andrea LaFontaine will continue as the Executive Director of MTGA. Andrea has led MTGA for the past 5 years, and before that was a senior policy advisor with the executive division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Iron Belle Trail project lead.

Steve DeBrabander will be retiring from his role at MTF, continuing environmental consulting and spending time with his grandkids. Steve has been a trails champion his entire career, and the main catalyst at MTF, helping the board make strategic investments in trails that now connect Muskegon to Saginaw and Belle Isle to Ironwood. He has set the best foundation possible for us to build on.

Two of MTF’s board members, Peaches McCahill and Craig Sharp, will join the MTGA board for a special 1 year term to help facilitate the transition.

Other board members continue to be engaged in the work and supporting trails in other roles. MTGA will recruit additional board members to serve its expanded mission post-merger.

Is this a response to concerns about funding cuts from the national and state governments?

We were thinking about strategic growth and looking ahead at precisely the right time, before funding cuts loomed. It is clearer than ever that this is the right time to move forward on our shared strategic vision and one unified organization. But this unification of our two organizations has been in the works for several years.

MTF and MTGA have different missions. Will MTF’s mission of fundraising and expanding trails be lost now?

To explore this partnership, we conducted a feasibility study that included months of research, data collection, and interviews with over 50 stakeholders. What we learned was that trails advocates wanted better coordination amongst trails initiatives and more coordinated technical assistance. As we know, trails require both public and private support, but the coordination between those resources was lacking. This is a unification of both missions with shared goals.

Is this in response to a funding crisis?

Both organizations are financially healthy. Our organizations have always collaborated over the years. We have the foundation of support from funders and consultants to help us make sure this is the best decision for our grantees and the people of Michigan.

Is this a wind-down of the Michigan Trails Fund?

The MI Trails Fund is simply moving to a new home. MTGA will continue to steward the fund, resourcing trail projects across the state. For the sake of administrative simplicity, the MTF will be dissolved as an independent 501c3. MTF’s mission will live on as a fully integrated and important component of MTGA’s expanded mission.

What’s the timing on all of this?

We are in transition now, and expect the unification to be complete by the end of September.

How can I be helpful during the transition?

We will be sharing public materials moving forward, such as the press release, e-newsletter, and suggested social media posts. Anything you’d like to share with your network, who may be interested in helping uplift and celebrate the news of our expansion, would be greatly appreciated.
Until the public announcement takes place, please treat this information as confidential.