What Legacy Parks Foundation does

Legacy Parks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. Its mission is to expand parks, create trails, and increase public access to rivers across East Tennessee. Since inception, the organization has raised over $28-32 million for parks and open space, added 800 acres of parkland, conserved 1,000 acres of forest and farmland, developed 65 miles of trails, created 7 public waterway access points, and delivered 19 new parks across Knox County.

The organization operates as a project developer and community convener rather than a technology business. Its core deliverables are physical infrastructure — parks, trails, waterway access points, adaptive recreation facilities (including the region's first adaptive kayak launch at Karns Landing) — alongside informational products such as the Outdoor Knoxville Guide (a digital directory of regional recreation) and the Urban Hikes guidebook (third edition published in 2025). Current projects include the SoKno Rail Trail and Art Walk, the Access for All adaptive recreation initiative, the Head of the Tennessee River Initiative, and the Beaver Creek Water Trail.

Legacy Parks funds its work through a mix of individual donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events (the annual Legacy Luncheon for the Parks drawing 1,000+ supporters), private foundation grants (REI Cooperative Action Fund, Siddiqi Foundation), state conservation grants (Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund), and donated land (e.g., 27 acres from DGA Residential). The organization partners with the City of Knoxville, Knox County, Knox County Health Department, TVA, and various nonprofits to execute and maintain projects. It operates with a lean team of approximately 6 employees under Executive Director Carol Evans, relying on a large partner and volunteer network for project delivery.

Name

Legacy Parks Foundation

Legal name

Legacy Parks Foundation

Website

https://legacyparks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Legacy Parks Foundation is a Knoxville, Tennessee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2005, that funds and develops parks, trails, and waterway access across East Tennessee, partnering with local government and private donors to expand outdoor recreation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Parks and Trail Development

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG)

Keywords

• Park development
• Trail development
• Land conservation
• Outdoor recreation access
• Waterway access projects

Headquarters

HQ city

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization raises funds through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events. The annual Legacy Luncheon for the Parks is a flagship fundraising event attracting over 1,000 supporters.
2. Grants: Legacy Parks Foundation receives grants from government conservation funds, private foundations (REI, Siddiqi Foundation), and corporate partners to fund specific projects.
3. Land Donations: Private landowners and developers donate land parcels to the foundation for conservation and public park development, such as the 27-acre donation from DGA Residential.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Legacy Parks Foundation expands parks, creates trails, and increases public access to rivers and other waterways in East Tennessee. It also conserves forest and farmland and develops inclusive outdoor recreation infrastructure, including adaptive docks and trails, through public and private partnerships.

Product overview

Legacy Parks Foundation operates as a nonprofit focused on parks and outdoor recreation rather than a technology product company. Their core offerings include the Outdoor Knoxville Guide (a comprehensive digital directory of regional parks, trails, and recreational activities), the Urban Hikes Guide (a published guidebook now in its third edition), and various park and trail development projects including the SoKno Rail Trail, adaptive access initiatives, and water trail developments. The organization does not maintain a unified software platform with modules but rather provides informational resources and manages physical infrastructure projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $28 million raised for parks and open space since 2005
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Blackhorse BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlackhorse Brewery's Summit Light Lager benefits Legacy Parks through a portion of proceeds. Blackhorse markets the partnership through their Beer Finder and product packaging.
• Knox CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnox County partners with Legacy Parks Foundation on various park and trail projects including Karns Landing adaptive kayak launch, International Day of Play celebration, and overall park development in the county.
• City of KnoxvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Knoxville partners with Legacy Parks Foundation on park projects and greenway developments, with the Parks and Recreation Department managing donated lands and trails.
• Knox County Health DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Whittle Springs Middle School pathway project to create safe walking routes for students.
• BikeWalk KnoxvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working on pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, collaborating on the Whittle Springs pathway project.
• Youth Leadership KnoxvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth leadership program that participates in volunteer workdays at Legacy Parks projects, such as work at Veterans Park.
• TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTVA collaborates on trails such as the Worthington Cemetery Trail located in Elza Gate Park, which is part of TVA's trails program.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Appalachian Trail Conservancy: Nonprofit managing and preserving the Appalachian Trail. Comparable in trail stewardship and East Tennessee geographic reach, but operates one major linear asset versus Legacy Parks' distributed park portfolio.
• National Parks Conservation Association: Independent nonprofit advocating for national parks and protected areas. Comparable in mission to Legacy Parks' conservation work but operates at federal/national park scale rather than community level.
• The Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that creates parks and protects land for public use. Highly comparable mission to Legacy Parks but operates nationally at much greater scale with professionalized land acquisition and conservation staff.
• The Nature Conservancy (Tennessee): Global conservation nonprofit with active Tennessee operations. Comparable in land conservation outcomes (Legacy Parks preserved 1,000 acres) but operates across science-driven, large-scale conservation rather than community park-building.

Regional players

• Greenways for Nashville: Tennessee-based nonprofit focused on creating greenways and connecting neighborhoods via trails. Directly comparable mission and regional nonprofit model to Legacy Parks, but operates in Nashville rather than Knoxville.
• Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging / GreenSpaces Chattanooga: Regional nonprofit building parks and greenways in Chattanooga. Highly comparable nonprofit park-development model to Legacy Parks, but serves a different Tennessee metro area.

Others

• REI Cooperative Action Fund: Philanthropic arm of REI that funds outdoor access and equity initiatives. Direct grant partner of Legacy Parks and a key funder in the adaptive recreation space, though not a park operator itself.
• Knox County Parks and Recreation: Public-sector operator of parks and recreation in Knox County. Not a direct peer but a critical operational partner that manages most Legacy Parks-created assets (Karns Landing, Urban Wilderness).

Direct peers

• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: National nonprofit that converts rail corridors into multi-use trails. Directly comparable to Legacy Parks' SoKno Rail Trail and Art Walk project and broader trail-building mission.

Emerging players

• Outdoor Alliance: Nonprofit coalition advocating for outdoor recreation access and policy. Comparable advocacy and public-land access mission, but operates as policy/advocacy body rather than direct park builder.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/legacyparks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwQBk_vQEd0SamPkyn-VyXA
• Facebookfacebook.com/legacyparks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/legacy-parks-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Legacy Parks Foundation