The Greenways Foundation promotes greenways, blueways and multi-use trails in Indiana.

**Please save the date for our first Virtual Luncheon on Thursday, September 24 from noon to 1 p.m. EST.** We ask you to join us as we host our annual fundraising event live online. Details to follow shortly on registration and sponsorship.

During this online event, we will be celebrating the Indiana Greenways Awards recipients as well. We have extended the nomination deadline to August 1, 2020. Read the criteria for the awards and nominate your choices!

We look forward to having you join us!

Trail of the Month

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail was a massive vision: An eight-mile-long rectangle of bike/ped path surrounding downtown Indy and connecting five of its designated Cultural Districts with a spur leading to a popular trail reaching north to the city's sixth district. Dotted with public art installations and garden swales, it was a $63 million project that has reaped a billion dollars in increased value for downtown properties and serves thousands of residents and visitors every year.

Historic White River State Park and its waterfront views anchor the southwest corner and the northwest reach connects to the Downtown Canal Walk and the African-American heritage of Indiana Avenue. To the south and southeast, the Wholesale District and Fountain Square are eclectic neighborhoods bustling with social life while the vibrant northeast Mass Ave Corridor offers music and restaurants, plus a connection to the Monon Trail and funky Broad Ripple Village. The Cultural Trail creates a unique experience for an American city, wrapping its history, heritage and culture into an interconnected loop.

Indianapolis Cultural Trail

Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Facebook

Our Trail of the Month feature is sponsored by Citizens Energy Group.

Getting around

The Hoosier Mountain Bike Association is planning to hold its annual Big Woods Brown County Epic Ride at Brown County State Park this October 10, but in a scaled-back version. Slated for one day rather than three, the event mostly will focus on riding events without the usual socializing.

Pogue’s Run Trail is getting revitalized, thanks to a neighborhood initiative called Pathways Over Pogue’s that is raising money to repair the historic 1903 Nowland Avenue Bridge, a classic example of the Luten Arch.

The Greenways Foundation awarded a grant to POP to help pay for the design phase of the project.

Fort Wayne Trails has lined up a busy season of events, including Trek the Trails, Birdwatching on Our Urban Rivers, and the Trailblazers Hiking Program. Learn more on the Fort Wayne Trails Events page.

The Greenways Foundation regrets that the next two rounds of the Next Level Trails program have been placed on indefinite hold. Hoosiers across the state are visiting our trails in record numbers during the COVID pandemic, taking advantage of the outdoors to improve both their physical and mental health.

Although we certainly respect the state’s fiscal situation, in light of the critical benefits trails provide, and especially magnified during this crisis, we hope Governor Holcomb will reverse course on his decision and award round two funding immediately and keep in place the summer solicitation plans for round three. We intend to contact the Governor and his staff about our request.

We encourage you and your organizations to also contact Governor Holcomb’s office to let him know how valuable this funding is to the quality of life for all Hoosiers.

Thank you for your support & Happy Trails,
President Mitch Barloga and the entire Greenways Foundation

Trail safety infographics

Download and use these infographics to educate local trail users in this age of Covid-19.

From the National Recreation & Park Association and the Rails to Trails Conservancy (PDF, 2.8 MB).

From the Greenways Foundation of Indiana (PDF, 342 KB).

Greenways Foundation Annual Report

You may download our 2019 Annual Report (PDF, 664 KB) or read the synopsis below.

The Greenways Foundation presented our 2020 Legislative Platform with the help of Indiana trail stakeholders. We continue to work with state legislators on funding the existing Trails Maintenance Fund, and sustainable funding for new trails when the Next Level Trails program is complete. The demand for trails in Indiana is strong!

In October and November, the Foundation partnered with the Indiana Parks & Recreation Assocation (IPRA) to conduct six Trail Town Workshops throughout the state. In all, more than 200 participants in Carmel, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Portage, South Bend and Terre Haute learned about this emerging national program, and strategies to promote trails in their communities. The Greenways Foundation plans to work with the IPRA and other agencies to promote Trail Towns as a designated program in Indiana during 2020.

Our state license plate accounts for our main source of revenue. At the end of 2019, there were 1,620 plates sold for a total income of $40,500. Those who buy plates become new members of the Foundation. Thanks to our state plates, we were able to award $30,477 in grants to four organizations in 2019! These include:

$5,000 to Syracuse-Wawasee Trails to aid with the construction of the Conklin Bay Boardwalk & Trail;
$11,613 for two grants to the Midwest Equine Trail Foundation for equipment purchases;
$10,000 to Fort Wayne Trails to aid with the construction of the Golden Spike Trail;
$3,865 to the Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail to aid with the purchasing of trail counters.

Financial Report 2019

Inflow $67,200
License plates 60%
Annual luncheon 33%
Donations 7%

Outflow $52,900
Grants program 77%
Fundraising 14%
— Luncheon venue, printing, marketing, conferences
Business expenses 9%
— Community engagement, accounting services, board insurance, reimbursements