Indianapolis Cultural Trail

On behalf of the nonprofit operator, Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc., JLP+D led a comprehensive governance, funding, and operations and maintenance strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of the 8-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail. Following extensive stakeholder engagement, the team established core goals that outlined the evolving vision of the trail, including expansion plans, programming, capital investments, and operational standards.

JLP+D’s critical investigations into potential governance models were grounded in integrating policy analysis, organizational priorities, economic value, financial viability, and legal compliance. The recommended governance structure will concurrently implement the long-term vision, address current challenges, and advance public-private collaboration.

To support a long-term optimal operational strategy that ensures critical monetary and staffing allocations, the team conducted a funding audit, looking at the trail’s revenue sources, including public funding, private donations and grants, and developed recommendations to enhance revenue streams. JLP+D also leveraged an economic benefits study to inform the viability of value capture mechanisms to generate sustainable funding tied to the trail’s contributions to property values,
development, and business activity.

Following a capacity audit, benchmarking analysis, O&M budgeting and staffing analysis, and GIS-based asset management plan, the team developed a multi-year action plan to support the nonprofit’s evolution. This plan will guide the organization’s growth through clearly defined actions, roles, and responsibilities, alongside a tracking and evaluation framework to assess ongoing progress.