Connected Neighborhoods is an initiative started by Mayor Sharon Tucker to bring communities together. It encourages residents to get involved and develop creative ideas to bring valuable resources to their neighborhoods, making life better for everyone.

The Connected Neighborhoods Initiative aims to strengthen bonds within neighborhoods by bringing residents together and helping them design and launch a project that improves the quality of life and serves as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization.

The Connected Neighborhoods Initiative will award $1 million in implementation to two neighborhood groups each cycle (2025 and 2027). Proceeds from the sale of land to Google primarily support this program.

Important Note: Only active, registered, and recognized neighborhoods by the City of Fort Wayne are eligible. Neighborhoods can see if their registration is active by visiting the Fort Wayne Neighborhoods page.

A Connected Neighborhood Group (CNG) is a group of active, registered, and recognized participating neighborhoods (PN) by the City of Fort Wayne that will work together in a shared geographic region of the city.

A Connected Neighborhood Group must include a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of twenty (20) participating neighborhoods. Each participating neighborhood must be tangentially connected to the other participating neighborhood in the Connected Neighborhood Group.

A Connected Neighborhood Group must include a minimum of three (3) external partners located within or in the immediate vicinity of the Connected Neighborhood Group which will actively engage in and support the planning and implementation of the Connected Neighborhood Group Project.

The Letter of Intent (LOI) must satisfy each of the following requirements in order to be eligible for consideration in the Connected Neighborhoods Program. An incomplete LOI will not be considered.

You will submit your LOI in the FORM BELOW. This is the only location where you can submit a completed LOI.

The Letter of Intent shall include a maximum one (1) page letter from the Connected Neighborhoods Group which identifies:

• each participating neighborhood in the Connected Neighborhood Group,
• the geographic boundaries of each participating neighborhood within the Connected Neighborhood Group,
• and the contact person and contact information for each participating neighborhood.

Each Connected Neighborhood Group, which is accepted into the Connected Neighborhoods Initiative, will be tasked with designing, planning, and implementing a formative and innovative project which will have a long-term impact for the Connected Neighborhood Group and the residents of the participating neighborhoods.

The Letter of Intent must be signed by the duly elected, currently serving Presidents of each neighborhood association, which represents a corresponding participating neighborhood in the Connected Neighborhoods Group.

Selected neighborhood groups will be awarded based on the following criteria:

• Community Impact: Neighborhood groups must clearly articulate their strategies for positively impacting the City. This involves how they will identify community needs and create sustainable benefits for residents.
• Economic and Social Impact: The letter of intent should outline collaborative efforts to promote social capital, reduce economic disparities, and support underserved populations through the Connected Neighborhoods initiative.
  
• Collaboration: The neighborhood group should demonstrate a robust partnership, both internally within the neighborhood and externally, by identifying key stakeholders, businesses, organizations, and collaborative efforts.
  
• Plan Alignment: The Connected Neighborhoods initiative is open city-wide. However, preference will be granted to neighborhood groups who have recently completed a neighborhood plan, a quick action plan, a neighborhood status assessment, or a subarea plan with Community Development.