About Greenway
Developing a cleaner, safer, more accessible river for all.
We are a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For over 50 years, we have been leading efforts to revitalize the South Platte River and its tributaries from a virtual cesspool to a place of environmental and recreational pride.
There is a lot to be proud of and we love working with our community to make big things happen.
Our Vision
Care for and enjoyment of all Denver waterways supported by a vibrant, inclusive, and informed community.
Our Mission
The Greenway Foundation’s mission is to enhance and protect Denver’s waterways through
equitable community engagement, education, and stewardship.
Our Values
We Love What We Do
- We live our passion for the river, nature, community, and education.
- We take pride in how much we care.
- Our joy is contagious.
We Build Connection
- We bring people and nature together.
- Collaboration is essential.
- We are stronger together.
We Are Committed
- We are dedicated to the river, the environment, and the community.
- We show up, figure things out, and follow through.
- You can count on us.
The River is for Everyone
At The Greenway Foundation, we believe in the importance of creating equal opportunities for everyone and are passionately committed to welcoming everyone into an inclusive environment. We are stronger stewards together, learning, caring, and protecting the river for all of us.
The Greenway Foundation has:
Provided recreational opportunities for people throughout the area
- Constructed more than 100 miles of hiking and biking trails
- Created 20+ parks and natural areas
- Designed and built numerous whitewater boat chutes
- Hosted hundreds of free events providing access to the river and creating opportunities for families to learn and enjoy the river together
Guided learning and leadership training for generations of youth
- Provided environmental education to more than 150,000 school children
- Employed more than 100 teenagers in youth employment programs
- Developed award-winning environmental education curriculum and programming for ECE through high school
Improved the health of the South Platte River watershed and its habitats
- Helped create over $500 million of green improvement to the South Platte River and its tributaries, facilitating over $15 billion in residential and commercial development throughout the Denver Metro area
- Hosted numerous community events and annual volunteer river clean up days
- Worked with key partners to create ambitious environmental and recreational projects including the recent $350 million of federal funding from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for our South Platte River watershed
- Protected neighborhoods and businesses along the South Platte River from flooding
- Restored ecosystems and natural habitat
Brought cost savings, revenue, and additional benefits to our metro area
- Created almost $14 billion in benefits from increased tourism, transportation, recreation, and health benefits
- Achieved cost savings from the ecosystem services provided by improved landscapes – natural storm water filtration, air, water, and heat pollutant capture
- Helped create additional public based revenue for the City and County of Denver ($65 million) and Denver Public Schools ($100 million) thanks to waterfront restoration and commercial development.
Land Acknowledgement
The Greenway Foundation respectfully acknowledges that Denver County and the waterways that flow through it are within the traditional territories and current home of the: Hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Lakota Nations), Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), along with 45 contemporary Tribal nations. These are the original stewards of the land on which Denver resides, who co-existed here for generations, and continue to do so today.
These Tribal nations were forcefully and intentionally displaced from their ancestral lands, and barriers to these cultural resources continue to exist. We are working to ensure the local community has access to Denver’s waterways (including the South Platte River, Cherry Creek, Bear Creek, Lakewood Gulch, Harvard Gulch, and Weir Gulch) and surrounding land, and feels safe and welcomed in these spaces. We commit to learning from and engaging with Native communities, working collaboratively, sharing what we learn, and amplifying diverse voices and perspectives.
In recognition of the injustices and histories of the land, we respect ancestral and contemporary Native communities, whom we honor as original caretakers of our waters and natural relatives. We commit to creating space and education in true enduring support of our Indigenous relations in these efforts along Denver’s Waterways.
If you have an interest in learning more about our programs and collaborations with the local Indigenous community, please reach out to our Executive Director, Ryan Aids, at ryan@greenwayfoundation.org.
This Acknowledgement is a living statement and was created in collaboration with Harvest of All First Nations. We deeply appreciate their partnership, engagement, perspective, and insights.
Harvest of All First Nations (HAFN) is focused on Indigenous-led Reparations, Rematriation, and Earth-based Decolonization for the benefit of BIPOC+ communities for cultural education and Health Equity. HAFN is a grassroots community-based organization guided by the council of leaders creating change in BIPOC+ and underserved communities in the Denver/Boulder Front Range, and beyond.
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