A Trailhead Host commits one gift and gathers nine companions. We hand you the kit, the language, and a private dashboard to watch your circle close in real time. You don't have to know how to fundraise. You just have to be willing to invite.
No fundraising experience required. No spreadsheets. No awkward asks. Just a willingness to invite people you already know to something that matters.
Choose $100/mo or a one-time gift of $500+. Your gift is the first seat in your circle. It takes about 5 minutes.
Use the templates and graphics we send you, or write your own. Most hosts fill their circle in 2–3 weeks. We'll help fill open seats from the waiting list if you need it.
Once a year, in person or online, we close one year of trail and open the next. You're named, recognized, and surrounded by your circle.
Most circles fill from a list of 50 contacts. Here's the typical conversion pattern.
Building the list is a separate task from inviting. Name 50 contacts before sending the first message: family, friends, colleagues, alumni, community.
~70% of "no replies" become "yeses" when you follow up the right way. People are busy, not opposed.
Every "not right now" is a person who knows about James Trail. They tell people. They come back next year. Track them.
The hosts who close their circle have one thing in common: they don't stop after the first message. Here's the rhythm that works.
Send to 10-15 of your warmest contacts first. Personal — not blast. One paragraph, your voice, why this matters to you. Include the one-page invite as an attachment or link.
Send to the next 25-30 people. Same message structure, slightly less personalized. This is the "I'm doing something — want to join me?" cohort.
Instagram or Facebook story. Share the work, not the ask. "Why I'm hosting a Circle of 100 for James Trail" — your why, with a link.
Follow up with anyone who hasn't replied to your Day 0 note. Critical step. "Hey — wanted to make sure my last note didn't get buried. No pressure, just wanted to share this thing I care about." This is where most circles fill.
Post or message: "We're at 6 of 10 — three seats open." Social proof. Urgency. People who hesitated now see momentum.
Tell us. We add seats from the James Trail companion waiting list — people who've raised their hand for a circle but don't want to host one. Most circles close within 30 days. None stay open more than 60.
The moment you commit, we email you a kit with templates, graphics, and access to your private circle dashboard. Pick what you need, ignore what you don't.
Customizable PDF with your circle name and your photo. Print it, text it, email it. The story is already written.
What to say at dinner. What to text. How to answer "why now" and "what does my money do?" Honest scripts, never salesy.
Pre-written invitations for every audience: close friends, colleagues, family, your alumni network. Just paste and personalize.
Instagram, LinkedIn, and Stories sets — pre-branded, with your circle name. Drop in, post, done.
A private link where you watch your circle close in real time. Who's joined. Who's pending. What to do next.
Stuck? Need a story idea? Want a co-host call? Email or text Meredith directly — hosts always get a real reply.
The moment a friend joins, your dashboard updates. No checking spreadsheets. No nagging Meredith. Just a quiet, live view of your trail filling in.
Five circles are open. Five are forming. Be one of the ten Trailhead Hosts who carry this year of JT Med across Cuba, Kenya, India, and Mexico.
Five minutes. We'll send your kit and the link to share with your nine companions. A note from Meredith follows within the week.
Most hosts say yes before they feel ready. The kit, the dashboard, and the team are waiting. Your circle is, too.