WHAT IS FORWARD WAYNE COUNTY?
Forward Wayne County is a backbone organization that serves as a catalyst for change in Wayne County, Indiana. We are also a community development arm of the Wayne County Foundation.
Our role as backbone support is a critical condition for collective impact. In fact, the lack of a strong backbone is the number one reason that collective impact initiatives fail.
Our goal is to support a county-wide collective effort to attract, develop, and retain a highly competitive workforce to meet the current and future needs of our area businesses and industries.
Wondering what Collective Impact is? Don’t worry, we wrote all about it in our article, Collective Impact for a Thriving Wayne County.
OUR IMPACT
Measuring what matters, this information helps decide priorities, shape and pursue effective policies, and seek external funding opportunities.
OUR PEOPLE
OUR COMMUNITY
Improving our environment, neighborhoods, and the quality of life for our Wayne County residents.
OUR RESOURCES
Access useful guides, tools, and resources for service providers, community organizations, and partners.
On the Blog
Reclaiming Revitalization in Wayne County
This isn’t just a revitalization story. It’s a reclamation. For too long, our narrative has focused on what we’ve lost: the factories that closed, the storefronts that emptied, downtowns in disarray, the neighborhoods that dimmed. Time has not served us well. Is this...
Preparing for Generational Impact: Forward Wayne County’s 2025 Year in Review
In 2025, Forward Wayne County focused on one central theme: preparing our communities, institutions, and partners for long-term success. It was a year defined not only by visible progress, but also by the foundational work required to ensure that progress is...
