As the 2023/24 riding season comes to a close, we want to share how the last year went, what VMBA was able to accomplish, and where we are heading for the 2024/25 season ahead!
By any measure, 2023 was a challenging year – not just for VMBA, but for all of Vermont. The historic storms and flooding this past summer left our Chapters struggling to protect and repair the systems they steward for much of the year as many of us turned to our communities to help them rebuild. VMBA was able to scale up our existing Major Storm Recovery Fund, raising over $20,000 to help our Chapters restore beleaguered trail systems and awarding much of those funds before the summer was out and bring trails back online for fall riding season.
In addition to weathering literal storms this past summer, 2023 saw a continued search for a new post-pandemic normal. Much of the outdoor industry, in particular, continues to struggle financially, leading to a significant shortfall in our expected sponsorship revenue. And while our membership continued to grow, the relatively modest increase was below expectations and further contributed to a net operating loss for VMBA on the year, the first in recent memory.
Despite these challenges, we did have plenty to celebrate in 2023. We released our first-ever 5-Year Strategic Plan, added over 40 miles of new trail, and dispersed more than $82,000 in funding through our Trail, Naming, and Adaptive Upgrade Grant Programs. We grew to over 9,600 members and now steward over 922 miles of singletrack, 90% of all public-access, MTB-optimized trails in Vermont.
And in addition to developing new riding opportunities, our Chapters mobilized over 25,000 volunteer hours to help repair and significantly upgrade over 170 miles of existing trail, underscoring our stewardship role. We also launched the VMBA app, the first of its kind for a trail stewardship and advocacy organization, which will serve as the foundation for providing Members better information and access to a growing suite of Member Benefits.
All-in-all, we are stoked at all we were able to accomplish last season and grateful for our Chapters, Members, and partners – we wouldn’t be here without you!
Want to learn more about what we’re up to? Check out the full report and join us for our Annual Membership Meeting, March 28th from 6-8 PM EST.