(BOULDER, Colo., June 29, 2026) – The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) announces winners of its ninth annual Trail Accelerator Grants (TAG) to help communities across the United States create better trails for residents and visitors to enjoy, and assist advocacy organizations to continue making a lasting, positive impact on their local and regional trail communities.

Trail organizations applied with their best ideas for trail planning & design projects or training for their organization leaders & members. The grantees selected in this year’s grant are based in California, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Texas.

The IMBA Trail Accelerator Grant is a competitive opportunity for communities aiming to create or enhance model trail systems and related advocacy capabilities. Professional planning & design consultations are available to support new or existing trail systems; while Trail Care Workshops, funding/capital campaign education, and in-person, facilitated strategic planning for mountain bike/trail organizations help increase effectiveness and accelerate progress. To be selected, projects must show strong partnership between local leaders, government agencies, land managers, community partners, and mountain bike or trail associations like IMBA Local organizations.

“Since the TAG program’s inception in 2018, IMBA has awarded 56 planning & design grants and 20 education grants,” said David Wiens, IMBA Executive Director. “A mix of rural, suburban, and urban communities have leveraged the deliverables and training to attract support and funding for their projects totaling more than $13M. At least 18 TAG projects have supported youth cycling and NICA venues.”

The projects selected in this TAG round will bring better trails close to home for each of their communities. The objectives are varied – health and wellness benefits, better outdoor recreation opportunities for families and youth, and destination trails to bolster regional visitation and support of the outdoor recreation economy.

Communities such as Williamstown, MA; Sioux Falls, SD; and many others have utilized IMBA program support including TAG, IMBA Trail Solutions partnerships, IMBA Designations, and dedicated IMBA Local Organizations to carry out their respective trail visions and achieve trail goals.

2026 IMBA Trail Accelerator Grantees for Education: Trail Care Workshops

Johnson City, TN – SORBA Tri-Cities will use their awarded Trail Care Workshop to further educate a key group of 20 trail stewards representing 18 regional trail systems. This effort will help establish a shared standard of trail care across the area and build the foundation for a future Regional Trail Corps, strengthening partnerships with municipal land managers and the U.S. Forest Service, while supporting a broad vision of resilient, world-class trail experiences that benefit local communities, outdoor recreation, and regional economic recovery.

San Diego, CA – Through their Trail Care Workshop, the San Diego Mountain Bike Association plans to scale their existing efforts to pair motivated volunteer leaders directly with land managers, expanding their ability to support these entities in reducing maintenance backlogs and combating erosion. The training will ensure consistent technical knowledge across the teams while strengthening trust and partnerships with land manager staff. Most importantly, this process will champion the addition of new legal trails and protect existing networks to improve trail access throughout San Diego County.

2026 IMBA Trail Accelerator Grantees for Education: Funding Services

Leadville, CO – Leadville’s popular “Back Nine” trail system needs a re-build. The IMBA team will help Cloud City Wheelers strengthen its long-term fundraising capacity, diversify revenue streams, and ensure sustainable support for its trail systems and community programs.

Sugar Hill, GA – The City of Sugar Hill is fundraising for a 160 acre outdoor recreation park that will include more than 4 miles of multi-use trails in an ideal location to bring mountain biking to a densely populated area in metro Atlanta. The TAG will provide training and strategies for fundraising for mountain biking trail construction and upkeep.

Monterey, CA – Monterey Off Road Cycling Association (MORCA) is championing the development of a bike park at the Laguna Seca Recreational Area in Monterey County, CA. The IMBA team will assist with MORCA’s major donor campaign.

Niles, MI – The YMCA in Niles is seeing growing demand for mountain bike programming, equipment, trails, and maintenance at Camp Eberhart–a 200 acre property welcoming campers for over 100 years. IMBA will work with the YMCA to strengthen their approach to outdoor recreation and trail stewardship funding in order to expand opportunities for mountain biking at Camp Eberhart.

Lakeway, TX – The Lake Travis Trails Coalition is building a 5-acre neighborhood skills park and seeks assistance from the IMBA team to create an effective, sustainable fundraising program that will help the organization scale beyond the current project.  

Stowe, VT – IMBA’s Funding Services Trail Accelerator Grant will help Stowe Trails Partnership with their major donor campaign for a new 10-15 mile trail network.

2026 IMBA Trail Accelerator Grantees for Education: Strategic Planning for Trail Organizations

Colorado Springs, CO – Through their strategic planning award, the Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates want to build off their long history serving their community by creating a coordinated strategy for their next few years of work. This approach will guide how they embrace new opportunities while navigating changes in land manager and funding relationships, all while improving their succession plan to make the most of their substantial institutional knowledge and skill development.

Cary, NC –  As the Triangle Off-Road Cyclists (TORC) enter a new chapter with the hiring of their first Executive Director after more than 20 years of volunteer-led leadership, this strategic planning grant comes at a pivotal moment for the organization. Through the process, TORC will develop a roadmap to strengthen organizational capacity, improve data collection and volunteer management systems, guide future trail advocacy and stewardship efforts, and build stronger partnerships with landowners and public agencies across North Carolina’s Triangle region.

Communities and organizations that would like to plan ahead for the 2027 Trail Accelerator Grant may access the Applicant Toolkit, FAQ, and other materials to begin their preparation for the next application period.

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