2009 Annual Report

carolinathreadtrail.org

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VISION The Carolina Thread Trail, a network of greenways and conserved lands that links 15 counties and the Carolinas, is a collaborative project of unprecedented scale. It weaves together more than two million people and creates a permanent legacy of conservation for our region’s most significant natural areas. The vision of the Carolina Thread Trail, unveiled in November of 2007, has evolved as communities have come together to self-determine how The Thread is woven throughout their neighborhoods and across the region.

COMMUNITY PLANNING Community planning efforts have been outstanding! Master plans are adopted in seven counties: Cabarrus, Chester, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg and York. Stanly, Catawba and Iredell are currently in the planning process, with outreach activities underway in the remaining counties.

PRIORITY CORRIDORS The county master plans identify priority corridors that are the focal points for getting trail miles on the ground in the near-term. Fueled by local leadership and, in some cases, Carolina Thread Trail grants, progress is being made to identify the parcel alignment, secure land access with willing land owners, and construct trail. These advances are made possible through partnerships with our region’s local land trusts, local governments, and energetic volunteer leaders.

MILES OF TRAIL In 2009, approximately twenty miles of trail in eleven communities were marked with Carolina Thread Trail signage. Thanks to the enthusiasm and efforts of corridor teams in several communities, new trails will be added in 2010, as momentum for The Thread increases. Go to carolinathreadtrail.org to find out where you can get on The Thread.

CONNECTION

Connecting to statewide trail systems, The Thread fills a critical gap among other large scale trail projects in the Carolinas. It will provide connectivity to North Carolina’s Mountains to Sea Trail, South Carolina’s Palmetto Trail and the historic Over Mountain Victory Trail.

Over Mountain Victory Trail

Mountains to Sea Trail

Palmetto Trail

Carolina Thread Trail

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2009 NOTABLE MILESTONES

2010 THE TRAIL FORWARD

Our focus this year is to build trails in those counties with adopted plans, raise additional capital, and continue to support community trail planning efforts. Project goals include:

Build ten miles of new trail Complete master plans in five additional counties Award 2nd round of implementation grants Attract $1 MM in cash and land donations; cultivate prospective donors Expand our leadership groups Assist with attracting $5 MM in public funding Invest $1.5 MM of North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund

capital to acquire riparian corridor land Support communities through outreach, education and technical services

There are 644 miles of Carolina Thread Trail identified in the adopted master plans in seven counties. 140 miles of priority corridors are focus areas for near-term development.

The Thread awarded over $824,000 in catalytic funding to support communities as they develop trails; $471,219 in planning grants and $352,000 in implementation grants.

48.4 miles of The Thread are open and being enjoyed throughout North and South Carolina. Visit carolinathreadtrail.org for location information and trail descriptions.

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CORRIDOR SPOTLIGHTS

As a result of communities’ planning efforts, twelve corridors have emerged as “hot spots” with high potential for significant near-term progress. Here are two examples: SOUTH FORK CORRIDOR Because of the generosity of conservation-minded landowners and the enthusiasm of four towns and Gaston County, a significant portion of this 9.5 mile corridor will open for enjoyment in 2010.

LOWER CATAWBA CORRIDOR A 23 mile corridor in eastern York County, much of it along a beautiful, free-flowing stretch of the Catawba River, is primed for significant trail advancement. Project partners are providing access for The Thread and helping to create segments, several of which will open in the next two years.

Gaston’s Poston Park – existing trails and

amenities

R. Y. McAden Blueway - canoe/kayak launch

opened in 2009

New 3.5 mile trail to open

Fall 2010

Goat Island – recreation area

2010 expected opening

Nation Ford Greenway - existing and planned trails

Baxter Village - trails and sidewalks

Future museum site with one

mile of riverfront trail

RiverWalk - 2.5 miles of trail

opening Spring 2010

Rock Hill’s River Park - 3 miles of

existing trails Catawba Nation - existing

riverfront trails

Community Partners

Connect Gaston, Inc. Town of Cramerton

Gaston County Gaston Together

City of Lowell Town of McAdenville

Pharr Yarns Piedmont Area Singletrack Alliance

Catawba Lands Conservancy

Community Partners

Anne Springs Close Greenway Assured Group of Companies

Baxter Village Catawba Nation

Duke Energy Town of Fort Mill

Nation Ford Land Trust Newland Communities

City of Rock Hill Rock Hill/York County Convention & Visitors Bureau

York County York County Cultural & Heritage Museums

Anne Springs Close Greenway – existing Blue Star Trail along

with other pedestrian & equestrian trails

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Advisory Council

Jennifer Baptiste, Anson Susan Britt, York Julie Clark, Mecklenburg Lindsey Dunevant, Stanly David Fogarty, Gaston Mary George, Catawba Erma Deen Hoyle, Lincoln Austin Jenkins, Chester-Lancaster Mark Kincaid, Cabarrus Jack Kiser, Gaston Bill McCarter, Cleveland Jeff Michael, Regional Dan Mikkelson, Rowan Al Sharp, Regional Harold Shapiro, Regional Ron Smith, Iredell Jeff Updike, York

Leadership Council Smokey Bissell Frank Bragg Anne Springs Close Jerry Cochrane Michael Coltrane Harry Dalton Alan Dickson Harvey Gantt William Grigg Duke Kimbrell Todd Mansfield Jim Martin Jerry McGee Martha Brownie Plaster Bill Stanback Michael Tarwater Jim Woodward

Governing Board

Dr. Ruth G. Shaw, Chair Bernard N. Ackerman Philip Blumenthal Crandall C. Bowles Amy Brinkley Robert Brinkley Bill Carstarphen Carol Carstarphen Roger L. Dick Anne Doss Michael Mabry Anna Spangler Nelson Thomas C. Nelson Sally Ormand Alex Rankin, III Stoney Sellars Carl Spangler H. Thomas Webb James G. Whitton

LEADERSHIP

The Thread is being woven under the guidance of many visionary local leaders who serve on county steering committees and corridor teams, and by our partners in the land trust community.

GRATITUDE Our generous donors: $1 million – $4.5 million The Bank of America Foundation C.D. Spangler Foundation Duke Energy Duke Energy Foundation Foundation For The Carolinas John S. & James L. Knight Foundation Turner Family Foundation Wachovia-Wells Fargo Foundation $100,000 - $500,000 Amy and Philip Blumenthal Blumenthal Foundation The Dickson Foundation Lowe’s Foundation Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation Ruth G. and Colin S. Shaw $50,000 - $100,000 Advantage Carolina Foundation Bill and Sharon Allen Foundation Harry Dalton William Stanback Southwood Corporation Mr. & Mrs. James G. Whitton

$10,000 - $50,000 Bernard N. Ackerman Akers Foundation Crandall C. Bowles Peggy and Bob Culbertson Lynne and John Ford Julie and Howard Levine Michael Mabry Parkdale Mills Ben Rudisill Stoney Sellars Women’s Impact Fund Up to $10,000 John Benbow Jill Blumenthal Geoff Brown Community Foundation of Gaston County Elizabeth Cook Rufus M. Dalton Bruce and Debbie Darden Rob Bierregaard and Cathy Dolan Michelle and Kelly Frenzel Dale F. Halton and Fred Wagner Stacy Leff

Little Diversified Architectural & Consulting Sallie and Fred Lowrance Robert Manross Kathy McAllister Phillip McMillan Sally P. and Dr. T. Lane Ormand Piedmont Patriots Chapter NSDAR Sharon and Alex Rankin Michael and Heidi Rotberg Marcia Simon South Carolina Horseman’s Council Kim and Dale Stewart William Stokes Jerry Taylor Joye Thomas Town of Earl

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Catalytic Grants

Funding

Operating Expenses

Land

$0

$5,000,000

$10,000,000

$15,000,000

$20,000,000

$25,000,000

$30,000,000

$35,000,000

$40,000,000

Private Cash & Land Donations

Cash

Goal

$2,108,000

$7,198,000

$3,275,000

$0

$5,000,000

$10,000,000

$15,000,000

$20,000,000

$25,000,000

$30,000,000

$35,000,000

$40,000,000

Local State Federal

Committed Public Capital Funding*

Goal Goal

Goal

*Total public funding for CTT corridors, independent of whether CTT advocated for or received funds.

$0

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

$500,000

$600,000

$700,000

$800,000

J F M A M J J A S O N D

2008 Actual 2009 Budget 2009 Actual

Annual Cumulative Program Expenses

YTD 2009:Actual: $619,038 (86% of budget)Budget: $721,644

Operating Expenses Actual Budget2009 2010

Program Expenses (CLC) $619,038 $732,035

Total - Contracted Services $66,061 $50,000

Capital Campaign $18,456 $5,000

Total Operations $703,555 $787,035

Fund Balance

12/31/2009

Cash $3,655,150

Outstanding Pledges $6,935,901

Total Cash & Pledges $10,591,051

Endowment Fund $1,891,376

$12,482,427

Planning, $471,523

Corridor Design, $90,000

Construction, $262,684

Grants by CategoryTotal: $824,207Planning Grants Awards Project Costs CTT %

Cabarrus $60,000 $66,000 91%

Catawba $60,000 $66,000 91%

Chester $55,000 $60,000 92%

Cleveland $56,000 $62,000 90%

Gaston $54,219 $60,000 90%

Lincoln $60,000 $66,000 91%Mecklenburg $14,304 $16,000 89%

Stanly $60,000 $66,000 91%

York $52,000 $58,000 90%

$471,523 $520,000 91%Implementation Grants Awards Project Costs CTT%

Gaston $263,484 $1,408,479 19%

York $89,200 $102,700 87%

$352,684 $1,511,179 23%

Totals $824,207 $2,031,179 41%

Carolina Thread Trail - Community Grants

2009 Financials

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THE CAROLINA THREAD TRAIL is a network of greenways and conserved lands and corridors that links 15 counties in North and South Carolina and is a collaborative project of unprecedented scale. The Thread connects our region and places of interest, and will conserve our most significant natural areas. BACKGROUND In 2005, Foundation For The Carolinas and more than 40 community and business leaders participated in a discovery process to identify our region’s most pressing environmental need. The process produced the vision of the Carolina Thread Trail, along with a set of guiding principles for the project. The Thread was launched in November 2007, with a kick-off event attended by more than 650 supporters from the region. PROJECT PARTNERS Catawba Lands Conservancy serves as the lead agency. Foundation For The Carolinas is The Thread’s philanthropic partner. The Trust for Public Land is a project consultant. Other key partners include Duke Energy, the region’s land trusts, and many local governments, agencies and community groups. QUICK FACTS $824,000 in grant awards Seven counties with adopted

master plans identifying The Thread route

Twelve active corridors under development

Eleven communities with marked trail on the ground (see carolinathreadtrail.org)

Capital Campaign $ 16 million in cash donations $ 0.77 million in land

donations $12.6 million in public funding

committed.

A project led by Catawba Lands Conservancy

GUIDING PRINCIPLES The following core principles guide The Thread as it advances throughout our region: Invitation to communities to participate Community self-determination of trail locations and character Connectivity through collaboration Bias toward action Respect for land; respect for the land owner

FUNDING MODEL The Carolina Thread Trail is funded through a private capital campaign that will then be leveraged with local, state and federal funds. The total estimated goal for the Carolina Thread Trail is about $150,000,000, including $40,000,000 (land and cash) in private donations and $110,000,000 in state, federal and local public funds. CAROLINA THREAD TRAIL ROLE The Thread organization plays three roles to support its community partners:

1. Community Support: The Thread provides a vision for the system of connected trails and conservation corridors throughout the region and facilitates community collaboration to develop county wide master plans. The Thread team actively partners with communities on priority corridors to develop trail miles.

2. Funding: The Thread provides funding by raising private capital that is then granted to communities for planning, design, land acquisition and construction of trail segments. It also provides assistance in attracting state and federal funding to the project.

3. Technical Expertise: The Thread builds implementation capacity by providing educational and technical resources, including mapping, to support communities as they build their trails.

BENEFITS No other project in our region offers so much benefit to so many people, including: Alternative transportation Economic development Recreation Connectivity Health and wellness Water quality & quantity Conservation corridors Public access Wildlife habitat

FACT SHEET

JOIN US IN WEAVING THE THREAD

105 W. Morehead Street Charlotte, NC 28202 704.376.2556 carolinathreadtrail.org

The Thread is a project led by:

catawbalands.org