The City of Fort Wayne today announced it has received four grants totaling $54,109 from Norfolk Southern.
City of Fort Wayne Indiana news release:
Norfolk Southern grants $54,109 to the City of Fort Wayne to support four community safety and resilience initiatives
Fort Wayne, Indiana (September 24, 2026) – The City of Fort Wayne today announced it has received four grants totaling $54,109 from Norfolk Southern. One through the Thriving Communities Grant Program and three through the Safety First Grant Program.
The funding will support four initiatives: neighborhood safety lighting, upgraded fire training, expanded police intelligence-sharing infrastructure, and a corridor trades and beautification project, helping to strengthen safety, resilience, and vibrancy citywide.
Launched in 2023, Norfolk Southern’s open-application grant programs are designed to support organizations working to further the areas of safety, sustainability, workforce development, and community resilience across its 22-state network. The Safety First Grant Program funds first responders and organizations working to prepare for and prevent emergencies, with awards of up to $15,000. The Thriving Communities Grant Program supports organizations building long-term economic opportunity and resilience, with awards up to $50,000.
“A high trust partnership like the one we have with Norfolk Southern demonstrates the value of working together to enhance a community,” said Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker. “We’re looking forward to implementing programs that will impact the public in a positive manner.”
The four funded initiatives:
Thriving Communities Grant — $10,000 The Fort Wayne Urban Enterprise Association’s (FWUEA) District Corridor Trades & Beautification Initiative will improve older, historically significant commercial corridors in Fort Wayne while creating work-based learning opportunities for trades participants in the Small-Scale Developer Program. The FWUEA will partner with small businesses, neighborhood groups, and corridor stakeholders to identify and complete visible improvements such as planters, benches, window activation, signage, small-scale public art, cleanup support, and other public-facing enhancements.
Safety First Grant — $15,000 The Safe Neighborhoods Initiative through the City of Fort Wayne’s Department of Neighborhoods expands Fort Wayne’s award-winning Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) initiative that reduced overall crime along High Street by 40%. The Norfolk Southern Safety First Grant will fund approximately 60 solar-powered motion-sensor lights and 30 strategically placed street trees within the Oxford neighborhood.
Safety First Grant — $14,109 The Fort Wayne Fire Department will be expanding its free fire extinguisher training program for the community and local businesses. The department currently uses an older training system that allows participants to practice extinguishing techniques on a light screen, but it does not replicate real-world fire conditions. With the funding, the department will purchase an Intelligent Training System that creates realistic fire scenarios and provides a more immersive learning experience.
Safety First Grant — $15,000 The Fort Wayne Police Department will expand its Investigative Operations Center (IOC), which will enhance and strengthen intelligence sharing and collaboration with federal, state, local, and Norfolk Southern Railway Police partners. The funding will allow new audiovisual equipment, server rack, computers, and monitors to be purchased and integrated into the existing system. These improvements will expand situational awareness, emergency planning, and operational coordination in the IOC.
“Norfolk Southern’s Thriving Communities and Safety First grant programs support initiatives that strengthen local economies, enhance public safety and promote long-term resilience,” said Kristin Wong, Director of the Norfolk Southern Foundation & Community Impact. “From sustainability efforts and job training to community-building programs and emergency preparedness initiatives, the grants empower nonprofit and community organizations working to create lasting impact.”
About Norfolk Southern
Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a 22-state freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver approximately 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S. It serves a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as major ports across the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com.
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