Urban League of Northwest Indiana (NWI) has been serving Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties for over 80 years and continues to outstretch its resources to the community in the present. Through its extensive programs and scholarship efforts, the organization offers aid to its community in a multitude of avenues.
Urban League of NWI offers a variety of services to assist Region residents in need, but some of its most impactful facets lie in its programming.
There are three categories of programming available: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), education, and financial literacy. Each category is anchored to the needs of the community and focuses on providing usable information and skills at a fraction of the cost.
Education
Educational career and college programming is available for eligible students in grades eight through 12, and scholarship opportunities are provided from multiple sources to Region residents in need of assistance paying for college.
Last February, Urban League of NWI launched a free Entrepreneurship Program. This 12-week program teaches aspiring entrepreneurs about the ins-and-outs of running a small business. Adults and students participate in classroom sessions where they receive instruction on topics like managing their business's marketing and finances. The program also features discussion-based "lunch and learn" sessions that allow students to interact with professionals who hail from a wide array of fields. Urban League of NWI looks forward to offering the Entrepreneurship Program once again this year. You can find the flyer on the Urban League Website Homepage at www.ulofnwi.org.
Students in eighth through 12th grades can participate in an in-person or virtual college career and readiness program over the course of four to six weeks, which helps students prepare for their next steps after high school. Students in 11th grade and 12th grade who are interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) are eligible to participate in the NIPSCO Energy Ambassadors program, which traditionally offers a small stipend for participating. Registration is available now for students in Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties. Call the office at 219-887-9621 and ask for Deb Black.
In addition to these programs, Urban League offers over 30 scholarships from various community members and organizations for graduating seniors. Over $60,000 are awarded to students annually during a luncheon in May. This luncheon is sponsored by NIPSCO.
Students and parents of all grades are encouraged to attend the annual Scholarship Fair hosted by Urban League and in partnership with Infinite Scholars Program in order to meet with different college recruiters in one convenient location. While visiting one in-state college can cost parents at least a day of travel and tours, the fair gives students a chance to explore colleges and university's from across the country and beyond without leaving the Region. Over $11.7 Million was offered in scholarship awards to students. The Scholarship Fair will be held on Thursday, September 25, 2025 in Indiana University Northwest's Savannah Center from 9 a.m. - 12, located 3400 Broadway, Gary, IN 46409.
"The impact is immediate because we're giving students and their parents an opportunity to see about 60 colleges and universities in one setting and one day. If you had to take your child on a college visit to three or four colleges in the State of Indiana, the cost and time commitment can become overwhelming and very expensive with travel, food, and hotel expenses. When you come to our Scholarship fair, you could see five to seven colleges at one time not only in-state but also out-of-state in one setting, plus in many instances students are admitted on the spot." Urban League of NWI President and CEO Vanessa Allen-McCloud said.
For those students who meet the criteria, several colleges and universities will be offering partial and/or full scholarships.
For individuals between the ages of 21 and 40 looking for ways to stay involved with professional development in youth, Urban League Young Professionals/Influencers may be a fitting place to merge a love of education and growth with adulthood.
"They are an exciting group. We always need to mentor and be able to train and provide services to that age group and develop them into furthering their leadership opportunities," Allen-McCloud said.
Financial Literacy
Just as it believes education is one of the greatest tools to have, Urban League of NWI believes that financial literacy is an imperative skill as people navigate life outside of school. The organization proudly offers free income tax return preparation appointments for households earning $67,000 or less in collaboration with CoAction and the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA).
"If you go somewhere to get your taxes done, they're going to charge you about $200. When you come to our office, you're keeping all of your money because there's no charge," Allen-McCloud said.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Urban League of NWI also equips the community with tools to educate themselves and others on DEI practices, teaching companies and individuals ways to handle situations in the areas of racism, stereotypes, implicit bias, and harassment and as well as ways to encourage diversity in the workplace. With Urban League's assistance, local businesses and organizations previously received this professional development training through a scholarship that was funded by the $500 million Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) grant. The READI-2 grant supports several programs and projects that bolster Indiana's economic growth and talent retention.
On March 6, 2025, the Urban League of NWI will host its annual Diversity & Inclusion Symposium at Valparaiso University from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.. This event gives individuals like community leaders, business and corporate administrators, human resources personnel and high school students an opportunity to learn and discuss ways that they can promote diversity and inclusion in their day-to-day lives. The fee is waived for all high schoolers in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties.
Each year, Urban League of NWI hosts an annual Diversity & Inclusion Awards Luncheon that celebrates the individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond in their diversity and inclusion advocacy. The 13th installment of this event will be held on November 18, 2025 at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville.
In every facet of the organization, Urban League of NWI works to better the community and bring new life and knowledge to the Region. After recently partnering with a local agency, Urban League of NWI is now a designated intake organization that can support Region residents by serving as an intake for security deposits and first month's rent. In addition to educational and financial assistance, Urban League of NWI also provides grants for the community through the Federation of Block Clubs.
"A block club is simply where two or three people come together and determine or identify ways to improve their block through a clean up effort and to beautify it with some flowers' and other things along those lines," Allen-McCloud said.
The Federation of Block Clubs offers community members the opportunity to apply for a mini grant of up to $1,000 in the pursuit of beautifying or cleaning up their community. Once an application is approved, Alisa Spencer, from Urban League of NWI will meet with the community member at a local home improvement shop and guide them through necessary purchases with the approved stipend. The community members are then able to use the resources to make improvements to their block.
There's a program for everyone at Urban League of NWI, and the organization consistently works to provide more in-depth and effective programs for its community.
The Urban League of Northwest Indiana is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization and welcomes the support of the community through donations. Feel free to make donations via Zelle - info@ulofnwi.org Cash App $ULNWI, or by mailing a check to the Urban League at 3101 Broadway Gary, IN 46409.
To learn more about Urban League of Northwest Indiana's services and its upcoming events, visit urbanleagueofnwi.org.
