Nextech is proud to announce a grant award from Indiana University Health for $365,417 over three years to expand Catapult to Muncie. This expansion, in partnership with TeenWorks (https://teenworks.org/), will enable Nextech to bring their highly successful tech internship program to underserved teens in the Muncie area.

The Catapult program (https://nextech.org/students/catapult/) is a paid internship that provides industry-relevant curriculum, work-based learning, career readiness opportunities and community service to teens with an interest in tech. Students develop technical and workplace skills, authentic peer relationships, an understanding of what a career in technology looks like and deep roots for a lifelong personal and professional connection to their community. In addition to Muncie, Catapult operates in Indianapolis, Bloomington and Evansville.

"Receiving the grant from IU Health will enable us to make a difference in the lives of many Muncie area high school students,” said Karen Jung, Nextech President. "This grant offers us a runway required to establish the impact of the Catapult internship in this new market, enabling us to offer critical educational opportunities and experiences while removing barriers such as transportation, meals and equipment."

This grant is part of the Community Impact Investment Fund (CIIF) (https://iuhealth.org/in-the-community/community-impact-investment-fund), which is administered by IU Health Foundation to address key social and environmental factors that impact people’s health outcomes. This year’s grants address a wide range of needs, from affordable housing and employment training to community development and mental health services. Learn more about the Community Impact Investment Fund and read the full IU Health Press Release. (https://iuhealth.org/for-media/press-releases/iu-health-awards-12-grants-to-improve-the-livelihoods-of-people-across-indiana)