FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker announced Wednesday that more than $77,000 in microgrants has been awarded to local organizations working to prevent youth violence as part of her administration’s Youth Violence Prevention Program.

The announcement comes after the City Council approved $125,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) interest funds in August, following Tucker’s proposal of a three-tiered strategy to reduce violence among local youth. The plan includes community microgrants, hiring a community liaison, and launching direct conversations with area youth.

Ten community-based groups were selected to receive a total of $77,355, with individual grant amounts capped at $10,000. The grants are intended to support a range of initiatives from mentoring programs and youth leadership development to late-night recreational activities.

Grant recipients include:

• FortLAN: A Chapter of LANFest – FortLAN Youth Initiative

• Hooley Family Farms, LLC – Hooley Horse Youth Initiative

• REZZ LIFE – Youth Violence Program

• Fort Wayne UNITED – Late-Night Basketball

• Building Queens Mentoring INC. – Building Queens

• CREW Life Inc – Violence Prevention Program

• Building Kings Mentoring Group Inc. – Crown Up

• A Norman Perspective LLC – Flash Talks

• Pilgrim’s Progress Community Development Corporation – Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE Fort Wayne)

• The Bloom Project – Project King Fort Wayne

Applications were reviewed by the mayor’s Young Adult Council, which helped recommend finalists for funding. The mayor’s office emphasized that each program must meet specific goals and accountability benchmarks before receiving full payment.

Mayor Tucker’s youth violence initiative was developed in response to rising concerns over violent incidents involving local teens. The selected programs aim to address root causes through mentorship, community engagement, education, and safe alternatives for at-risk youth.

Further rounds of funding may be possible depending on the success of the initial projects and availability of resources, the mayor’s office noted.