Funding Area: Poverty Alleviation
John Boner Neighborhood Centers (JBNC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to serve the residents of the Near Eastside neighborhood in Indianapolis. JBNC’s mission is to inspire neighbors and partners to improve the quality of life on the Near Eastside by providing tools for change and growth. To this end, JBNC offers programming that spans from school-aged children to older adults. The purpose of this programming is to connect neighbors to community resources and equip them with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to reach self-sufficiency and an improved quality of life. JBNC programs include children and youth services, a full-service fitness and learning center, a Center for Working Families site, senior services, and housing services for low-income individuals and families. In addition to its direct service work, JBNC works alongside neighbors to develop area-wide strategies for revitalization that help improve the quality of life at a neighborhood scale.
Our involvement: The Marty Tomberg Charitable Fund has financially supported this organization.
Projects We Support
Eastside Economic Recovery and Mobility District: Universal Basic Income Pilot
For the past decade, Indianapolis’ Eastside community has worked to become a place of opportunity after years of disinvestment. With an array of initiatives, John Boner Neighborhood Centers (JBNC) and its partners have been able to organize residents and partners, as well as leverage public, private and philanthropic investments. The Eastside Economic Recovery and Mobility District (EERMD) builds on this work and will serve Eastside residents living in three Indianapolis neighborhoods: Martindale-Brightwood, the Near Eastside, and the Southeast side.
As an innovative approach to asset building, the EERMD will pilot Indianapolis’ first Universal Basic Income (UBI) program. The pilot provides an opportunity to explore and address the public policy impacts and potential best practices and see if UBI impacts the pace at which residents achieve self-sufficiency and their financial goals. In its review of research documentation for UBI projects, JBNC and a Consortium of 18 EERMD cross-sector organizations and residents have determined that a UBI of $500/month would provide the optimal conditions for families seeking economic mobility. Of the three neighborhood centers represented in the Consortium, JBNC, Edna Martin Christian Center (EMCC), and Southeast Community Services (SECS), each will distribute funds to five families (15 families overall) for 12 months, totaling $90,000.
2023 – 2024 Grant Cycle
With additional funding from The Tomberg Family Philanthropies, JBNC and partners will extend the UBI pilot by six months, allowing the organization more time to gather additional data about the feasibility and impact of the program.
Support Dates: March, 2022 – – March, 2024
