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

**Our first Greenways Foundation Virtual Luncheon was held Thursday, September 24 and we are so proud of the event and positive responses.** Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb was the guest speaker, live online, as we hosted our annual fundraising event.

We awarded and celebrated our Indiana Greenways Awards recipients and will post details soon.

Trail of the Month

A downtown Indianapolis floodway stretch of White River and its tributary Fall Creek is the setting for the Urban Wilderness Trail, described as a “Collective Undevelopment Where the Rivers Join.” It began as a vision of cross-country coach Greg Harger for training purposes and has grown to be much more. A near west side neighborhood group provides cleanups, bank restoration projects, native plant and tree plantings, nature hikes, and an occasional musical event. Wildlife from butterflies to beavers to winged predators are common, as are art projects celebrating the natural setting.

Urban Wilderness Trail Facebook page

Certified Sustainable Trail, Indiana Wildlife Federation

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

Getting around

Our friends at the Cardinal Greenway are getting some well-earned national attention for its new Kitselman Trailhead, soon to be formally dedicated. In related blueway trail news, Muncie removed two of its five lowhead dams on White River, making paddling safer and more inviting.

Connectivity! Friends of Monroe County Greenways reports the Monroe County Council has approved funding for a connector trail from the Karst Farm Greenway to the in-city Bloomington trail system.

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.

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