Indianapolis was built on a legacy of visionary planning. From the original Mile Square plan on which the city was founded, to the Parks and Boulevards system plan of George Kessler, to the Amateur Sports Capital of the World strategy that culminated in Indianapolis hosting the 2012 Super Bowl. Indy has always been crafted by intent. Plan 2020 is the next chapter in this story.
Our approach is ambitious and unique.
Plan 2020, a partnership led by the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee and the City of Indianapolis, established a framework for an unprecedented degree of coordination and collaboration between public, private and philanthropic organizations in order to realize the community’s collective vision for the future. An underlying purpose of Plan 2020 was and is to stitch as many existing plans, ideas and initiatives together into a broader, cohesive storyline.
Many voices. One vision.
Plan 2020 acknowledges city government as a critical player in shaping the future of Marion County, but it further acknowledges that Marion County’s full planning capacity reaches well beyond city government. Plan 2020 aims to leverage the full capacity of Marion County’s diverse array of residents, leaders, institutions, organizations, enterprises and movements by placing the stable, long-term values-driven vision outside of city government and allowing the vision to inspire updates to the city’s technical guidance documents.
Plan 2020 defines a new approach to planning in Indianapolis, meshing community vision, values, and strategy with an unprecedented, coordinated update to core city government plans. The vision, values and strategy components of the process comprise Plan 2020’s Bicentennial Plan for Indianapolis.
Plan 2020’s work is divide into three important areas.
Part One
Setting the Collective Vision
The Bicentennial Agenda describes the community’s collective vision. It focuses on the Indianapolis community’s collective ability to make life better for residents and business owners today and in the near future. It describes what Indianapolis-Marion County can become. This Agenda educates anyone that is interested in Indianapolis becoming a better place about why cities, like Indianapolis, work the way they do. It serves as the foundation upon which both the GIPC Bicentennial Plan and the technical city plans are built.
Part Two
Creation and oversight of the
Bicentennial Plan
The Bicentennial Plan is the set of actions, built around shared strategies, that more than three dozen implementing partners have committed to implement by the time Indy celebrates its Bicentennial. Derived from the work of the Plan 2020 Bicentennial Plan Committees, additional partners are also included whose work, known as affiliate projects, are inspired by or strategically align with the Bicentennial Plan strategies.
Part Three
Refinement of
Technical City Plans
These plans define how the City of Indianapolis and Marion County can ensure success. They are much more strategic than typical planning initiatives and are honest and transparent about what city government can accomplish.
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan
Learn more about Plan 2020.
The Process
Our planning process began in 2013. We’ve done a lot of important work to get here.
The Advisory Board
We have an outstanding group of people who continue to advise Plan 2020.
CityCorps
Plan 2020’s young professional engagement program.
Learn about CityCorps. 
IndyVitals
An online tool that measures the impact of Plan 2020 and its partners at a neighborhood level.
Monitor our impact.