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

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).

Due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, our Annual Luncheon scheduled for April 16 has been postponed. We are working with Governor Holcomb’s staff to set up a new date later this year. In the meantime, we are keeping the registration and sponsorship links up, and are still accepting nominations for our Indiana Greenways Awards which we will present at the rescheduled Luncheon. Thank you!

Sponsorship opportunities are available as well as individual tickets.

We also will give our annual Indiana Greenways Foundation Awards. Read the criteria for the awards and nominate your choices!

The Greenways Foundation has served the State of Indiana for more than a decade as a non-profit organization promoting trails — advocating, creating, developing and maintaining recreational and transportation trails across Indiana. The Foundation offers technical assistance, fund development, support, enhancement and operation of Indiana’s greenways, trails and connections. In addition, the Foundation has successfully partnered with the private sector to achieve our mission.

The Foundation’s successes during the last year have been numerous:

Organized and hosted six Trail Town workshops across Indiana to promote ways to entice people off the trail to spend money and stimulate the local economies;
Create and communicate our 2019 Legislative Platform, which now is available on the Foundation’s web site;
Awarded $26,000 in grants to trails organizations for projects ranging from bridges to horse trails to an organization just getting its not-for-profit status. Since the grants program began, the Foundation has given over $100,000 to 32 greenways and blueways groups;
Partnered with the Eppley Institute at Indiana University on a statewide trails survey which provides much needed information about the impact and importance of trails in Indiana.

We look forward to seeing you!

Trail of the Month

For a delightful path off the beaten path, try the Birdseye Trail, an 11.6-mile multiple use trail which allows for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. It winds through shady hardwood forests, covering a variety of terrain on a mix of single-track trails and fire roads. Along the way, trail users pass a lake, creeks, a variety of forest types, old homesteads, and a cemetery.

Birdseye Trail, U.S. Forest Service

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

Getting around

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.

Greenways Foundation Annual Report

You may download our 2018 Annual Report (PDF, 721 KB) or read the synopsis below.

The Greenways Foundation presented our 2019 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!

We proudly sponsored the 2018 Greenways+Blueways Map in Northwest Indiana. We have served as a sponsor for this excellent resource since the first map was published in 2008. We understand the importance of marketing, and can help you with getting the word out about your trail, too!

Our state license plate accounts for our main source of revenue. At the end of 2018, there were 1,446 plates sold for a total income of $36,150. Those who buy plates become new members of the Foundation. Thanks to our state plates, we were able to award $21,000 in grants to five trail projects in 2018! These include:

$5,000 to Noble Trails to aid with the extension of the Fishing Line Trail between Rome City and Kendallville.
$1,000 to the Friends of the Quaker Trace Trail for start-up costs to secure federal non-profit status.
$5,000 to aid the Indianapolis Parks Foundation in repairing a bridge on the Pogues Run Trail.
$5,000 to Prairie Trails Club to aid with the expansion of the Erie Trail.
$5,000 to South Adams Trails to aid with the installation of two historic bridges for trail use between Berne and Geneva.

Financial Report 2018

Inflow $54,000
License plates 67%
Annual luncheon 27%
Donations 6%

Outflow $42,500
Grants program 44%
Business expenses 36%
— Community engagement, accounting services, board insurance, reimbursements
Fundraising 20%
— Luncheon venue, printing, marketing, conferences