JPMorgan Chase partners with Fort Wayne on Summit City Match

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Inside Indiana Business) — In an effort to encourage the launch of more small businesses and to lease empty retail and commercial space, the city of Fort Wayne’s Community Development Division and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (Nasdaq: JPM) are partnering to continue the Summit City Match program. The program aims to cultivate entrepreneurship and help revitalize Fort Wayne’s commercial areas.

JPMorgan Chase has awarded $250,000 over the next two years to support the initiative, which will receive matching funds from the division. Outreach to recruit women and people of color to participate in the program will be a focus, according to officials. 

The additional funding, the city says, will support a continued focus on southeast Fort Wayne in partnership with current plans to revise the city’s Southeast Strategy, which aims to support economic development, housing, quality of life and infrastructure needs in southeast Fort Wayne.

“Small business growth is critical to creating economic opportunity for more people in Fort Wayne,” said Jim Cook, JPMorgan Chase Market Executive for Fort Wayne.  “Summit City Match helps address two obstacles that entrepreneurs typically face – finding the right space and bridging financial gaps. This program’s goal is to help start new, permanent businesses in Fort Wayne’s commercial corridors, and we are pleased to support this effort.”