INDIANAPOLIS – The 16 Tech Community Corporation has awarded $300,000 in grants to seven projects that directly benefit nearby neighborhoods.
The 16 Tech Community Investment Fund was launched in 2019 and ensures the growth of 16 Tech Innovation. The district creates opportunity for on the West and Northwest side of town. They contribute $0.20 per square foot of every lease in the 50-acre innovation district to neighborhood-based projects.
The 16 Tech Community Investment Fund is guided by an advisory committee, consisting of 16 Tech neighbors and neighborhood organizations, that ensure the fund, and its grants, align with priorities identified by residents in the Near West, Near Northwest, Historic Flanner House Homes and Ransom Place neighborhoods with a focus on workforce training, business support, education, neighborhood capacity building and infrastructure and beautification.
WRTV spoke with two of the organizations receiving grant money.
Per ScholasIndianapolis will be receiving $25,000. The organization provides IT training at no cost to adult learners and helps match them with companies in the Circle City. The money will help them integrate a new zero-percent loan program, offering all 75 in-person and remote IT Support enrollees access to a $3,000 interest-free loan to support living expenses during training. We expect 20 participants to enroll.
It will also help with their Career Accelerator, which is designed to provide graduates with pathways that support the diversification of the tech industry at all levels by providing continued technical upskilling and professional development to enable them to progress into leadership roles.
“16 Tech has been a huge asset, beacon of hope for the westside community. When we’re thinking about space where individuals can grow and flourish in their own right, we feel like everyone should have equitable access to education and resources and rightfully so. 16 Tech Innovation District is an example of how they’re breaking down barriers and building and bridging those connections from the actual individuals in the community to resources and opportunities,” said Theron Wilson, the managing director for Per Scholas Indianapolis.
Just Community Inc. will use $100,000 for its doula certification program. The nonprofit supports holistic health and wellness opportunities.
Nicole Carey, the executive director, says there is an incredible needs for doulas in the community. Carey says part of the mission is to decrease the number of infant and maternal mortality rates in the Hoosier state. Doula’s help decrease cesarean rates and increase positive outcomes in the birth experience.
“I grew up on this side of town, this is the area where I live, and I’m really appreciative of all the support 16 Tech has provided in this ecosystem. I think sometimes we in Indianapolis are leery of folks coming and trying something new but this district has been really helpful for me in particular to be able to meet like-minded folks and be able to invest in the community here around us. One of the stipulations of the grant, the folks that were helping and are able to participate are coming from this same neighborhood,” said Carey.
Since its inception, the fund has awarded $2.1 million in grants to 65 diverse projects that address community needs, promote equitable opportunities and enhance the quality of life for the District’s closest neighbors.
The slate of 16 Tech Community Investment Fund grantees includes:
A+ Childcare and Learning Center, Inc ($25,000)
A+ Childcare and Learning Center, Inc. operates across five locations, serving 151 youth. The "Pathway to Success" project addresses the academic achievement gap for African American students in the 46202 ZIP code, where Math and Literacy proficiency is low. Partnering with Blessed Mind Tutoring, it provides targeted tutoring for 50-75 students, digital literacy training, and STEM tools. This program improves academic outcomes, confidence, and 21st-century skills, promoting educational equity.
Aspire House Indy / Aspire Higher Foundation ($25,000)
At Aspire Higher Foundation (AHF), we transform valueless spaces into assets that enrich communities, focusing on youth. BlaTinas Empowered is a STEAM program creating pathways to careers in construction and carpentry for Black and Latina females, high school age and older. Through training at a neighborhood job site and 16 Tech’s Machyne Makerspace, BIPOC tradespeople teach trim carpentry and design, empowering participants to build the communities they envision.
Groundwork Indy ($50,000)
Groundwork Indy is a social and environmental justice organization empowering youth with education and job training for green-collar careers. Our current project focuses on safely remediating brownfield sites in the Near Northwest (NNW) neighborhood, led by local program participants. At our HQ, a former brownfield, we plan to extend a nature trail, expand food production, remove invasive plants, and increase the tree canopy, fostering environmental restoration and community impact.
Just Community Inc ($100,000)
JUST Community fosters culturally responsive solutions that lead to sustainable community-driven change. Our project addresses the critical need for culturally responsive maternal health services, providing advanced training for local doulas in key areas such as lactation support, mental health, substance use disorder, and peer recovery coaching.
Marian University's Saint Joseph's College ($50,000)
Marian University's Saint Joseph's College (MUSJC) empowers underserved communities through accessible education and workforce development. The Earn and Learn program provides affordable education paired with job training and hands-on experience. This project allows us to offer comprehensive support services, which will remove barriers to success. This holistic approach equips students in our community for careers, strengthens community ties, and fosters lasting personal and professional growth.
Mother Loves Garden Inc ($25,000)
We are an urban educational garden with a focus on teaching youth how to grow produce organically and the importance of good nutrition. We run a summer camp for youth and provide organic produce to our community. An effort to continue to scale up our operation, along with others, grows in the community. We were in need of a place to aggregate produce. We will be renovating a garage for this purpose.
Per Scholas Indianapolis ($25,000)
In 2025, we will integrate a new zero-percent loan program, offering all 75 in-person and remote IT Support enrollees access to a $3,000 interest-free loan to support living expenses during training. We expect 20 participants to enroll.
The Career Accelerator is designed to provide graduates with pathways that support the diversification of the tech industry at all levels by providing continued technical upskilling and professional development to enable them to progress into leadership roles.
