Our Mission

Crooked Trails works to ensure that travel is a positive force in the world. We support global community based development projects in partnership with communities, tour operator partners and travelers

How We Do It

1

Partner with tour operators and other travel industry members to support their communities and projects:

  • Provide a fiscal sponsorship platform to raise and distribute funds for projects around the globe.

  • Provide project management services to vet and monitor and report on funded projects for transparency, progress towards their goals, and long-term success.

2

Raise money through grants, donations, fiscal sponsorships, and sustaining memberships and distribute the funds to projects.

3

Sponsor our own projects after a thorough vetting process.

4

Evaluate projects for funding that are brought to us from community representatives, NGOs, local governments, special interest groups, and travel companies.

5

Monitor and report on funded projects for transparency, progress towards their goals, and long-term success.

6

Refer travelers to vetted responsible travel companies that are using our fiscal sponsorship platform.

Our Vision

A world in which local communities have a sustainable share in the economic success of the travel industry.

Our Beliefs

We see travel as positive for travelers, communities and the world. When done right, travel brings disparate people together to create understanding and appreciation between cultures, individuals, communities, and nations. But we understand that we must work against the negative consequences travel can have on local communities and the environment.

There is a complex history in many countries of colonialism that impacts power dynamics and systems. That history raises questions about who benefits from travel, which we must examine and proactively manage. We must work to ensure that the economic successes of the travel industry are shared with local communities who are most impacted by over-development, environmental degradation, and strains on local resources.

Therefore, in our mission to support tourism-focused community development we focus on the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social.