Akron, OH; El Paso, TX; Fort Wayne, IN: Kent, WA; Las Vegas, NV; and Lincoln, NE Awarded Grants from the United States Conference of Mayors’ DollarWise Campaign
Washington, D.C.— The United States Conference of Mayors’ (USCM) DollarWise Economic Mobility Campaign awarded its 2026 DollarWise Innovation Grants during USCM’s 94th Winter Meeting to mayors representing six cities: Akron (OH) Mayor Shammas Malik; El Paso (TX) Mayor Renard Johnson; Fort Wayne (IN) Mayor Sharon Tucker; Kent (WA) Mayor Dana Ralph; Las Vegas (NV) Mayor Shelley Berkley; and Lincoln (NE) Mayor Leirion Gaylor-Baird.
Each city was awarded a $10,000 grant to launch or expand economic mobility efforts in their communities.
Over the last 22 years, DollarWise has awarded grants to more than 100 cities nationwide to help communities improve their economic health and success. The DollarWise Innovation Grant Program identifies and supports substantive and impactful economic mobility initiatives that can be scaled and implemented in additional cities nationwide.
“Economic mobility is about creating pathways for people to build stable, secure futures. For more than two decades, DollarWise has helped mayors turn innovative ideas into real, measurable progress for families and workers in their cities,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “This year’s Innovation Grant recipients reflect the creativity, leadership and dedication mayors bring to expanding economic opportunity in communities across the country.”
The DollarWise Innovation Grants are made possible through the generous support of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, DollarWise’s founding sponsor.
The following descriptions highlight each program and how the DollarWise grants will be used:
2026 Innovation Grant Award Recipients
- Akron, OH Mayor Shammas Malik will use the DollarWise Innovation Grant to support the City’s Child Care Business Accelerator, a pilot program that strengthens home-based and small center-based child care providers. The accelerator provides cohort-based training, one-on-one coaching, and practical business tools focused on budgeting, cash-flow management, marketing, enrollment strategies, and access to capital. Grant funds will support planning and early launch of the accelerator, including provider stipends, business development workshops, curriculum and tool development, and an evaluation framework. By stabilizing child care businesses, Akron is expanding access to reliable child care, supporting workforce participation, and advancing long-term economic mobility for families across the city.
- El Paso, TX Mayor Renard Johnson will use the DollarWise Innovation Grant to support the Veterans in Business Accelerator, a pilot program helping local veterans start and grow small businesses. The four-week accelerator provides structured training in business planning, financing, marketing, and operations, along with one-on-one guidance and a $500 microgrant for each participant. Grant funds will support program design, operations, outreach, microgrants, and evaluation. By strengthening veteran entrepreneurship and connecting participants to ongoing business resources, El Paso is advancing long-term economic mobility and strengthening its local small-business ecosystem.
- Fort Wayne, IN Mayor Sharon Tucker will use the DollarWise Innovation Grant to support the Fort Wayne Community Schools Career Academy. Grant funds will support the Academy’s Regional SkillsUSA Construction Competition and related student advancement opportunities, including fundraising and travel assistance for a student advancing to the global SkillsUSA competition in 2026. By expanding hands-on learning, industry credentials, and real-world competition, Fort Wayne is strengthening pathways into skilled trades careers while supporting the region’s construction workforce.
- Kent, WA Mayor Dana Ralph will use the DollarWise Innovation Grant to support the Kent Valley Air & Space Manufacturing Roundtable, an employer-led initiative strengthening small and mid-sized manufacturing businesses within the region’s aerospace and advanced manufacturing economy. Grant funds will support facilitation, employer-driven working groups, and convenings that connect small manufacturers with workforce pipelines, educators, and supply chain opportunities. By treating small business growth as a shared systems challenge, Kent is strengthening supply chains, improving workforce alignment, and expanding access to high-quality manufacturing careers.
- Las Vegas, NV Mayor Shelley Berkley will use the DollarWise Innovation Grant to support a research and community engagement initiative informing the future expansion of the City’s early childhood education infrastructure. Grant funds will support community listening sessions, surveys, GIS mapping, and partnership with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to better understand barriers to enrollment and family decision-making. By grounding expansion efforts in community input and data, Las Vegas is strengthening early learning infrastructure, improving school readiness, and supporting long-term economic mobility for families across the city.
- Lincoln, NE Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird will use the DollarWise Innovation Grant to support a Financial Empowerment and Savings Initiative embedded within the City’s Commercial Driver’s License Workforce Program. Grant-supported activities include financial wellness education, incentives tied to account opening and savings behavior, and early employment retention support. By integrating workforce training with financial education, Lincoln is improving financial stability and supporting long-term economic mobility for residents across the city.
DollarWise is the official economic mobility campaign of the United States Conference of Mayors and its Council on Metro Economies and the New American City. DollarWise is dedicated to helping residents, particularly those in underserved communities, thrive economically. The program fosters and supports innovative citywide efforts to remove barriers to economic mobility, create opportunity through education and skills development, and build intergenerational wealth. Since 2004, hundreds of cities have participated in DollarWise Campaign initiatives and programs. For more information on the DollarWise Campaign, visit www.usmayors.org/dollarwise.