Empowering Manufacturing Grant Program is sponsored by Don Wood Foundation. Supports nonprofit-led initiatives that engage manufacturers to strengthen northeast Indiana’s manufacturing ecosystem through innovation and workforce development.

Developing Next-Gen Manufacturing | Don Wood Foundation When every student in northeast Indiana has access to hands-on STEAM experiences and can connect learning to real careers in their communities, they develop the leadership skills and entrepreneurial mindset needed to power the next generation of manufacturing—today and tomorrow.

Together, we can build stronger, more responsive talent systems—empowering learners to gain industry-relevant skills by doing while earning credentials and degrees that open doors to Next-Gen Manufacturing Talent.

When industry leaders and experienced workers continue to gain experience with advanced technologies, leadership skills, and entrepreneurial mindsets, they expand the limits of what they can achieve individually and collectively throughout their careers and strengthen northeast Indiana's reputation as a global leader in innovation and production.

We’re invested in 12 counties across northeast Indiana—Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley—where manufacturing talent and opportunity are being built every day. We invest in youth by funding hands-on STEAM experiences - such as camps, robotics clubs, and classroom programs-and by strengthening the mentors and educators who bring learning to life.

These investments help students build confidence through real-world learning, teamwork, and problem-solving. The result? Experiences that spark curiosity and open real pathways to the careers of tomorrow in northeast Indiana.

We invest in innovative, student-centered partnerships that bridge education and workforce readiness—so more students graduate with the skills, credentials, and confidence employers value. Through programs like the CTE Career Ready Grant, we help educators and industry partners collaborate on scalable solutions that strengthen a future-ready manufacturing pipeline across northeast Indiana.

We strengthen the manufacturing ecosystem by supporting community collaborations that broaden opportunity for innovation and shared learning, helping manufacturers shape what's next.

Manufacturing as technology industry: Need for new, more skills going forward Are we asking the right questions with a Next-Gen Attitude: The opportunity ahead for NE Indiana manufacturing Camps, Clubs, & Competitions Don Wood Foundation is honored to have received a Silver Level designation from the Women's Fund of Greater Fort Wayne's Compass Survey, a recognition that reflects our commitment to supporting women in the workplace through leadership, compensation, benefits and policies, and recruitment and retention.

We are deeply grateful to be counted among the organizations across the region that are advancing gender equity in meaningful ways. The Foundation was proud to celebrate this achievement alongside other honorees at the Women's Fund Women in the Workplace Luncheon in March 2026.

Established in 2018 by Don Wood, founder of 80/20, Inc., the Don Wood Foundation invests in the people and partnerships that help advanced manufacturing thrive across northeast Indiana. We support innovators, leaders, collaborators, and skilled workers who are creating new opportunities for the region’s future. Our mission is to radically lead the development and growth of the Next-Gen Manufacturing Workforce in Northeast Indiana.