Lincoln Financial Foundation has made a three-year commitment to fund major economic development initiatives in northeast Indiana. A $600,000 grant to the Northeast Indiana Foundation (NIF) is one of 12 workforce and economic development grants recently awarded by Lincoln Foundation.
The Lincoln Foundation grant to NIF will help implement key recommendations in six industry action plans for the region that are detailed in the 2007 strategic economic development blueprint Building a Twenty-First Century Economy in Northeast Indiana. This strategic plan, which also was supported by Lincoln Foundation, targeted development in advanced manufacturing, defense/aerospace, financial/insurance services, food processing, medical devices and transportation/logistics. The aim is to make each of the six industry clusters self-sustaining and positioned to lead ongoing implementation of its strategy.
Lincoln Foundation’s grant also will support the ongoing work of Vision 2020 implementation.
"NIF’s work to strengthen the capacity and economic competitiveness of northeast Indiana, through work such as Vision 2020, uniquely positions the organization as one body doing a great amount of work across all of Lincoln Foundation’s focus areas—arts, education, human services and workforce and economic development," said Sandi Kemmish, director of Lincoln Foundation. "We are pleased to support NIF as it makes northeast Indiana a better community."
Lincoln Foundation awarded a total of $905,000 in grants for workforce and economic development.
Other workforce and economic development grants awarded include:
- $49,000 to Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance to support a downtown business identification, development and management plan.
- $46,000 to Northeast Indiana Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship is a Career Option, a program targeting high school students that includes business development workshops, internships, mentoring and a business plan competition.
- $40,000 to Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce Foundation to support the Graduate Retention internship program.
- $35,000 to Fort Wayne Women’s Bureau to support the Women’s Enterprise Program, a business center dedicated to helping minority and economically disadvantaged women and men become successful entrepreneurs.
- $35,000 to The Literacy Alliance to fund the Family Literacy Program that improves the basic educational skills of participating parents, provides age-appropriate education for their children, and enables parents to function as teachers of their own children.
- $30,000 to Fort Wayne Urban League to fund employment and financial literacy education for central city young adults ages 16-24.
- $25,000 to East Wayne Street Center to support Project Solve, an adult basic education and GED preparation program.
- $20,000 to Carriage House to support its Transitional Employment Opportunities Program that includes pre-vocational skills training and on-the-job skills training for low-income adults disabled by mental illness.
- $10,000 to Consumer Credit Counseling Service to support a financial literacy program that helps individuals develop a balanced budget that reflects their values and addresses financial responsibility.
- $10,000 to Park Center to support developing an affirmative business that will provide job training and employment to individuals with mental illness.
- $5,000 to Blue Jacket to support job readiness training, job placement and pre- and post-placement services to ex-inmates returning to Fort Wayne through the Allen County Superior Court Reentry program.
About Lincoln Financial Group
The Lincoln Financial Foundation, established in 1962, is the charitable giving arm of Lincoln Financial Group. Under Lincoln Foundation guidelines, grants are made in the areas of arts/culture, education/workforce development, and human services. Lincoln Financial sets aside up to 2% of its pre-tax earnings for charitable causes that support philanthropic endeavors in the communities where its employees work. The Lincoln Foundation allocated almost $3 million to support nonprofits in the greater Fort Wayne area in 2008. Since 1962, the Lincoln Foundation has contributed nearly $82 million to Fort Wayne nonprofits.
About Lincoln Financial Foundation
Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC) and its affiliates. With headquarters in the Philadelphia region, the companies of Lincoln Financial Group had assets under management of $150 billion as of September 30, 2010. Through its affiliated companies, Lincoln Financial Group offers: annuities; life, group life and disability insurance; 401(k) and 403(b) plans; savings plans; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services. For more information, including a copy of our most recent SEC reports containing our balance sheets, please visit www.LincolnFinancial.com.
