NIFS History

NIFS History

The National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS) is a non-profit organization governed by a board of trustees. NIFS was established in 1985 by community leaders and opened its doors with the help of grants from Lilly Endowment, Inc.; the State of Indiana; and the City of Indianapolis. November 1, 1988, marked the dedication of the 117,000-square-foot Institute and the opening of the Fitness Center, which serves thousands of members.

We have been in the fitness business since 1988 under the same management and in the same location. We are an independent, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Indiana University owns our building, which we lease, and we are proud to be working partners with them. We are overseen by our own board of trustees.

NIFS has performed numerous research projects that have been published in national journals and other publications and has provided services to organizations around the country. In addition, NIFS has a Corporate Fitness Management Department that staffs 30 onsite fitness centers for corporations in eight states around the country, and our corporate outreach program provides e-based services for companies in 18 states. NIFS also conducts education and certification programs that draw in attendees from around the nation.