PTC Framework Alignment
Gold Standards: Champion the Community, Act Fairly Across Channels, Support Education & Access, Strengthen Local Relationships
Ecosystem Outcomes: Increase Participation & Retention, Enhance Profitability & Sustainability, Strengthen the Paddlesports Ecosystem
Introduction
Across the country, paddlesports participation is rising, but participation alone doesn’t grow a sustainable paddlesports industry. The real shift happens when a first-timer turns into a curious, committed paddler who buys gear, seeks instruction, and wants to share their experiences with others. Retailers, brands, and reps all want this conversion, but few have the bandwidth to build the kind of year-round engagement with entry level paddlers that makes it happen.
That’s where community organizations come in. Paddling clubs, RiverKeepers, conservation nonprofits, and volunteer-driven groups reach more beginners, more consistently, than almost any other stakeholder in the ecosystem. When outdoor businesses partner with these groups, they gain access to a ready-made network of emerging paddlesports leaders and engaged beginner paddlers already primed for the next step in their journey. Supporting community-based training isn’t charity; it’s one of the most efficient, scalable ways to grow the customer base and strengthen the whole paddlesports ecosystem.
And while donating a piece of gear to an auction or sponsoring a local non-profit event are great ways to support these organizations, the real growth in the paddlesports ecosystem happens when we come together to invest in making these first time experiences (which are the gateway to curiosity about paddlesports) a high quality experience with a nugget of skills and knowledge and an a-ha moment the newcomer wants to share with a friend!
Most beginners don’t start their paddling journey in a retail store or at a branded event. They start at a lake, a state park, a city program, or a cleanup day run by local nonprofits. These organizations are the grassroots entry point for thousands of first-time paddlers every year, and these organizations spend the most time helping beginners build confidence, skills, and safety awareness.
When community organizations thrive, the entire industry benefits. Trained paddlers buy better gear, upgrade more often, take classes, join clubs, and stay in the sport longer. They become loyal customers who trust the recommendations of local instructors and trip leaders. Investing in community-based education creates a steady flow of informed paddlers who enter the market ready for higher-quality gear and long-term participation. In short: community organizations are where retention begins.
Best Practices & Action Steps
1) Partner with the organizations closest to your community
Clubs, nonprofits, and RiverKeepers already have deep local relationships. They host events, maintain access points, teach beginners, and serve underrepresented groups. By partnering with them rather than building everything from scratch, brands and retailers get immediate access to engaged paddlers with very little day-to-day lift.
2) Invest in community-based trainers and educators
The most influential voices in paddlesports are not ad campaigns; they are instructors, trip leaders, and club organizers. When you help local leaders get nationally certified, pursue continuing education, or expand their program capacity, you amplify your reach far beyond your own staff.
3) Offer staff training through community experts
Your retail associates and brand reps become stronger advisors when they understand boat fit, safety basics, local water conditions, and beginner needs. Community educators can quickly upskill your team at a fraction of the cost of in-house training. And your staff becomes an integral part of the local network of paddlesports leaders who are working to help the community offer high quality paddling experiences, support local waterways, and promote safety norms.
4) Support scholarships for skills coaching and instructor certification
Scholarships help diversify the instructor pipeline and reduce cost barriers for the people doing the heaviest community lifting. When you help someone become an ACA instructor, a trip leader, or a certified kayak fishing guide, you earn long-term loyalty and community visibility.
5) Build long-term relationships that integrate your business into grants and programs
Nonprofits often apply for grants that require equipment, training, or community outreach. When you build strong relationships, they naturally include your shop or brand in those proposals.
6) Anchor yourself in National Safe Boating Week training events
Supporting a statewide or regional Kayaking 101 / Safe Boating Week event. These events offer a low effort way to connect your business directly with the paddlesports leaders who run community programming all year long.
Real-World Example
In Georgia, a network of clubs, nonprofits, parks and recreation officials, and ACA paddling instructors has transformed beginner engagement by working together across organizations. Through a multi-year effort, community groups trained more than 50 new nationally certified instructors, many from underrepresented backgrounds. This has enhanced both the number and quality of the existing nonprofit paddling trips designed for beginners.
Retailers who partnered early saw immediate benefits. Instead of trying to run their own intro classes, they sponsored scholarships for instructor certification and provided demo gear for community events. In return, instructors regularly sent students to those retailers for boat outfitting, safety gear, and upgrades as their skills improved. When nonprofits applied for grants, they listed those retailers as official partners, which generated steady equipment orders and brand visibility.
What began as a community-driven safety initiative turned into a regional ecosystem where nonprofits, retailers, and industry partners all reinforced one another, increasing participation, strengthening safety culture, and driving sustainable growth.
Key Takeaways
Community organizations are the engine of paddlesports participation and retention that feed the pipeline at the entry level. When brands, retailers, and reps invest in local educators, partner on community-based training, and support shared events, they help turn casual paddlers into lifelong customers. These partnerships take far less effort than running programs alone and produce far stronger results. The future of paddlesports growth lies in strengthening the grassroots network that brings new paddlers into the sport every day.
Written by:
Andrea White – Founder, Cross Currents Leadership
Andrea White is an ACA instructor and paddlesports safety advocate, a leader on the ACA Regional Activity Council, and a community program leader in paddlesports who builds successful, scalable training initiatives by creating partnerships across nonprofits, government and the private sector. She supports organizations working to build strong regional paddlesports safety norms and simultaneously building an inclusive, safe, and sustainable paddlesports ecosystem.
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Photo credit: Mike Henry
Nonprofit paddlesports leaders in Atlanta, GA received scholarships from Georgia Power to earn ACA Instructor Certification and level up the entry level paddling experiences across Georgia. Leaders pictured include Level 1-3 ACA instructors working with Scouting America, Chattahoochee Nature Center, South River Watershed Alliance, Georgia Blind Kayaking, Georgia Rivers, Forsyth County Parks and Recreation, University of North Georgia, Black Women Who, Catalyst Sports and Miller Trips and Training.