FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — Fort Wayne residents can now register for the city’s free fall series of Neighborhood Power Lab Workshops, a program designed to help neighborhood leaders and residents strengthen their communities through hands-on learning and practical resources.

The workshops are presented by the City of Fort Wayne’s Community Development Department of Neighborhoods and offer interactive sessions focused on leadership, neighborhood engagement and community improvement.

All workshops will be held at the Allen County Public Library’s Main Branch on select Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided by series sponsor WesBanco.

The fall series begins Aug. 19 with “Making Headlines – A Citizen’s Guide to Local Media,” featuring Kara Hackett of The Local. Registration for that session is now open.

On Oct. 22, the series will feature “The Working Genius Tool – Building Healthier Neighborhood Association Teams,” led by Whitney Bandemer of WB Consulting. City officials said the workshop is a special session available only to neighborhood groups. Registration for that event will open during the Inspire Conference on Sept. 11.

Another workshop is scheduled for Oct. 29, when attorney Tom Niezer of Barrett McNaghy will present “Building Better Neighborhoods – Bylaw Best Practices.” Registration for that session is currently open.

The final workshop of the fall series will be held Nov. 19. Neighborhood Grant Coordinator Holly Muñoz will lead “Behind the Scenes: Crafting Winning Grant Applications,” offering guidance on preparing competitive grant proposals. Registration is also open for that session.

City officials say the Neighborhood Power Lab is intended to give residents the knowledge, skills and tools needed to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods while strengthening neighborhood organizations across Fort Wayne.

Residents can register for available workshops and suggest topics for future sessions through the city’s Engage Fort Wayne website.