Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker today announced that 21 local non-profit programs will receive funding from the City of Fort Wayne’s federal Community Development Block Grant and Emergency Solutions Grant dollars.
City of Fort Wayne Indiana news release:
Mayor Tucker announces grants to 21 non-profit programs
Federal dollars will support housing, basic needs, employment and youth servicesFort Wayne, Indiana (July 9, 2026) – Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker today announced that 21 local non-profit programs will receive funding from the City of Fort Wayne’s federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) dollars.
Approximately $360,000 will help low- and moderate-income residents with shelter, basic needs, employment skills and youth development.
Today’s announcement was made at the Jim Kelley Career Pathway Center, which is part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne, 2439 Fairfield Ave. The training center, located just north of the Fairfield Club, is comprised of five learning labs focusing on automotive, manufacturing, construction trades, health sciences and IT/Robotics/CAD. CDBG funding will support training students to operate forklifts, a skill in demand by many local employers.
“Every person who calls Fort Wayne home should have an opportunity to grow and succeed,” said Mayor Tucker. “Through proactive partnerships and vital programs, we’re making a positive difference. We know that more work needs to be done but we’re on the right path to help individuals and families have a brighter future.”
This year, the following non-profits will receive grants:
- A Mother’s Hope – Housing Counseling Support
Provides housing, employment and supportive services for expectant mothers experiencing homelessness.- Blessings in a Backpack – Student Supplemental Feeding Program
Supports a weekend feeding program for food-insecure children, expanding access to healthy food and engaging the community through weekly volunteer food-packing efforts.- Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Indiana – Lift Up Program
Provides forklift certification and workforce readiness training to youth ages 16-24, helping them overcome employment barriers and connect to in-demand jobs.- Brightpoint – Rapid Re-Housing
Helps individuals experiencing homelessness obtain and maintain stable housing through rental and utility financial assistance.- Brightpoint – Covering Kids & Families
Helps families enroll in public health insurance like Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplace.- Catholic Charities – Support for Housing Transition Specialists
Provides individualized housing transition services to support people as they move from emergency shelter toward long-term housing stability.- Center for Nonviolence – Project SAFE
Provides low- to moderate-income survivors of domestic violence with education resources and support.- Forgotten Stones – Workforce Development for the Homeless
Creates a workforce development pathway for individuals experiencing homelessness by providing on-site job training and employment opportunities.- Fort Wayne Urban League – Youth Empowerment Services
Offers students a safe and welcoming space, one-on-one tutoring and peer support.- Josephine’s Place – Life Skills Coach
Helps residents build practical life skills needed to move toward independent living.- Josephine’s Place – Shelter Operations
Supports the only local emergency shelter that specifically serves unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness.- Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana – 3DE
Enhances career readiness for local students while strengthening the local workforce pipeline.- Just Neighbors – Shelter Operations
Supports essential services at Just Neighbors Shelter, the only local emergency shelter that serves families experiencing homelessness.- Little Thinkers School of Early Learning – Little Thinkers Farm to Table Learning Lab
Provides access to high-quality nutrition and literacy focused early learning for low-income children.- TeenWorks – Employment Training
Provides paid internships, life skills training, and career/college exploration to under-served teens.- The League – Benefit Enrollment Center
Assists people with disabilities in applying for benefits such as SNAP (food stamps).- The Lutheran Foundation for Hope and Recovery Team (HART) – Handing Out Hope
Supports HART’s street outreach efforts to engage with unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness.- Vincent Village – Support Services that Remove Barriers to Self-Sufficiency
Provides trauma-informed supportive services, including parenting education and therapeutic activities for families experiencing homelessness.- Wellspring – Youth Programming
Supports the free after-school program and summer day camp for low-income youth.- YWCA Northeast Indiana – Emergency Financial Assistance
Assists individuals and families living in the shelter by providing payments to third-party vendors to cover short-term, emergency expenses such as rent and utilities.- YWCA Northeast Indiana – Shelter Operations
Funding to support the domestic violence and addiction recovery shelters.The City receives CDBG and ESG dollars annually from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Many cities have stopped funding non-profit services because of federal cuts to CDBG allocations over the past decade. Mayor Tucker, however, continues to commit to these services.
The City’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services uses a competitive application process to award the grants. A volunteer committee helps score the applications and makes recommendations on funding. Criteria are based on goals for the use of federal funds that are developed in part with input from residents.
The City of Fort Wayne’s Community Development Division works to establish Fort Wayne as the Community of Choice for residents, visitors and businesses by growing the economy, strengthening neighborhoods and supporting housing options. Visit CityofFortWayne.in.gov/CD for more information.
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