By Mark Young IPA Vice President for Fund Development

The Indiana Parks Alliance is honored to award 2026 Tom Hohman Small Project Grant to nine Indiana State Parks friends groups this year. These projects support natural resources conservation, interpretive programming, and the visitor experience. Additionally, IPA awarded two grants from the Trails for Tomorrow Fund to friends groups to support trail improvement projects.

Friends groups provide support for projects that might not otherwise be funded at our state parks and nature preserves. Support for these projects totaled almost $20,000 this year. Since IPA’s inception, nearly $200,000 in grants have been provided to state parks, nature preserves, and friends groups for a wide range of projects and activities. Your memberships and gifts provide the funds that allow IPA to offer this funding – thank you!

This year’s projects included:

  • Brown County SP – Purchase bench for the fire tower restoration project.
  • Clifty Falls SP – Install a water bottle fill station for the nature center.
  • Falls of the Ohio SP (Foundation) – Replace carpet for the wildlife viewing room.
  • Harmonie SP – Assist with improvements to a trail around the campground fishing pond.
  • Mississinewa Lake – Replace trees after flooding in campground and rec areas.
  • Mounds SP – Install native plantings for the Great Mound.
  • Shakamak SP – install a sign marking the place where three counties come together inside the park and an accessible boardwalk to reach the site.
  • Turkey Run SP – Complete wildlife viewing room improvements.
  • Versailles SP – Plant native plants and install signage for pollinator garden.

Trails for Tomorrow Grants:

  • Charlestown SP – Purchase Carsonite signage for directional guidance along remote trails.
  • McCormick’s Creek SP – Purchase materials to improve Trail 3 from the Canyon Inn to McCormick’s Creek Falls.

Friends groups provide support for projects that might not otherwise be funded in our state parks and nature preserves, and IPA is glad to assist them with your support!