Community Value Assessment
for Outdoor Economies

Outdoor recreation visitors are coming. Is the value staying?

This free assessment helps communities look at the outdoor economy as a connected system: outdoor assets, trail-to-town connections, in-town infrastructure, economic drivers, and stewardship capacity.

It is designed to show where value is being created, where it may be leaking, and what may be worth focusing on first.

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This assessment is useful if your community is working on:

Trail-to-town connections, outdoor recreation corridors, byways, gateway communities, downtown connections, visitor information, wayfinding, local business benefit, accessibility, stewardship, or outdoor economy development.

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What you receive

After completing the assessment, TIS will review your responses and prepare a short findings summary based on the strongest signals in your assessment. You will also be invited to schedule a results call to discuss what the findings suggest and which next step may fit your community.

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Outdoor recreation visitors are coming. The question is whether that movement is creating lasting community value or simply passing through.

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This assessment helps your community look at the outdoor economy as a connected system: outdoor assets, trail-to-town connections, in-town infrastructure, economic drivers, and destination stewardship. That is where value is won, lost, or sustained over time.

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Is this for you? 

Who this is for

This assessment is designed for communities and partners working on:

• Trail-to-town connections

• Outdoor recreation corridors

• Byways and gateway communities

• Downtown connections and placemaking

• Visitor information and wayfinding

• Local business benefit

• Accessibility and inclusive outdoor experiences

• Stewardship and capacity to act

• Outdoor economy development

What it assesses

The assessment follows the outdoor economy ecosystem:

1. Outdoor assets
   The trails, waterways, byways, parks, public lands, and recreation places that shape community identity and attract use.

2. Trail-to-town connections
   How visitors discover, reach, navigate, and connect outdoor assets to the community.

3. In-town infrastructure
   How the town supports movement, comfort, accessibility, gathering, and local experience.

4. Economic drivers
   How outdoor interest becomes local spending, business activity, programming, and resident benefit.

5. Destination stewardship
   How partnerships, asset care, accessibility, and community systems help sustain value over time.

6. Community resilience
   The long-term outcome: stronger places, better systems, and more durable community value.

What you receive

After completing the assessment, you will receive:

• A short findings summary based on your responses

• A snapshot of where your community appears strongest

• Signals showing where value may be leaking or harder to sustain

• A starting point for discussion with TIS

• An invitation to schedule a results call

Want more detail? Learn how the self-assessment works.

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Avoid promising instant automated results unless that is actually built. Use “receive” or “your responses will be reviewed” if there is a human review step.

Before you begin

Estimated time: 10 to 15 minutes
Best completed by: DMO staff, local government staff, Main Street or economic development partners, outdoor recreation leaders, land managers, or a small cross-sector group
You will need: a community or destination in mind, up to three key outdoor assets, and a practical sense of current conditions

Note:
You do not need perfect data. This is a self-assessment, not an audit. Answer based on your best current understanding.

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Ready to begin?

Take the free assessment and start identifying where your outdoor economy is creating community value and where the system may need to strengthen.

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