Grow Wabash County awarded $225,000 grant to launch manufacturing coalition initiative

The Grow Wabash County Foundation has been awarded a $225,000 grant through the Don Wood Foundation’s Empowering Manufacturing Grant Program to support the development of the Wabash County Manufacturing Coalition, a new industry-led initiative focused on strengthening manufacturing workforce development, collaboration and long-term competitiveness in Wabash County.

The grant will fund two key components of the initiative. The first is a dedicated manufacturing coalition coordinator and workforce navigator position. The second is a comprehensive Manufacturing Coalition Feasibility Study designed to establish a sustainable road map for the coalition’s future.

"The Wabash County Manufacturing Coalition is a powerful example of what Empowering Manufacturing was designed to achieve," said Laura Macknick, president & CEO, Don Wood Foundation. "As one of the first grants awarded through this new initiative, it demonstrates how manufacturers can come together to lead solutions that strengthen workforce development, accelerate innovation, and enhance regional competitiveness. We are proud to support a collaborative effort that will help Wabash County manufacturers, workers, and communities thrive for generations."

Local employers have consistently identified workforce development, leadership training, advanced technical skills, and technology adoption as critical priorities for future growth. Manufacturing remains a cornerstone of Wabash County’s economy. The Wabash County Manufacturing Coalition will bring manufacturers, education providers, workforce organizations and community partners together to address these priorities through coordinated solutions to common challenges.

“This investment provides an opportunity to create a stronger, more connected manufacturing ecosystem in Wabash County,” said Tenille Zartman, president and CEO of Grow Wabash County. “By bringing manufacturers together around common priorities, we can better align workforce development efforts, identify opportunities for innovation and ensure local manufacturers have the talent and resources needed to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

As part of the initiative, Grow Wabash County will hire a manufacturing coalition coordinator and workforce navigator in partnership with the Learn More Center. The position will lead coalition activities, coordinate stakeholder engagement, support implementation efforts and strengthen connections among employers, training providers and workforce partners. The coordinator will also play a critical role in translating the feasibility study’s recommendations into action.

Local partners are also investing in the coalition’s long-term success alongside the Don Wood Foundation grant. The Learn More Center will provide shared leadership, workforce expertise and operational support, including partnership in the manufacturing coalition coordinator and workforce navigator position. To expand access to training for residents, the Community Foundation of Wabash County has committed funding for manufacturing and workforce training opportunities. It will continue to help sustain workforce development efforts throughout the county.

“The support from the Don Wood Foundation, combined with local investment from the Community Foundation of Wabash County and the Learn More Center, demonstrates a shared commitment to building a stronger manufacturing workforce pipeline for Wabash County,” Zartman said.

The Manufacturing Coalition Feasibility Study will engage manufacturers and stakeholders across the county to evaluate workforce priorities and future collaboration opportunities. The study will assess industry demand for leadership development, advanced technical training, workforce initiatives and technology adoption, while identifying service gaps, emerging opportunities, and recommendations for future programming.

The coalition is envisioned as a long-term platform for manufacturer collaboration and may ultimately support initiatives such as leadership development programming, shared workforce training, talent attraction and retention efforts, technology adoption support, industry benchmarking, workforce advocacy and best-practice sharing among employers.

“The goal is not simply to create another program, but to build an enduring framework that helps manufacturers work together to solve challenges and seize opportunities,” Zartman  said. “This initiative will help us determine what services are needed, how they can be delivered most effectively and how we can create a coalition that delivers lasting value to manufacturers and the broader community.”

The Manufacturing Coalition initiative will build on existing partnerships among local manufacturers, education providers and workforce organizations, including the Learn More Center, Heartland Career Center and other regional partners. Grow Wabash County expects planning activities to begin in the coming months, with opportunities for manufacturers and stakeholders to participate throughout the feasibility study process.

Manufacturers and other stakeholders interested in participating in the coalition or feasibility study can contact Grow Wabash County at 260-563-5258 to learn more.