FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — Fort Wayne’s Planning & Policy Department has been selected to receive an $80,000 grant through the Knight Cities Challenge to help bring new life to downtown public spaces.

The Knight Foundation announced 29 grant recipients from more than 3,000 applicants. Fort Wayne’s award will fund the Public with Purpose initiative.

The project will complement development of a new 10-year plan for downtown Fort Wayne. It will test strategies to turn underused public spaces into active destinations that people can enjoy daily, rather than only during scheduled events.

Implementation is expected to begin in spring 2027 and will include on-site testing and evaluation.