Petra Solutions

09/01/2026

Looking forward to this panel discussion!

Are your grant narratives focusing on community challenges rather than community strengths? Join GPN for an engaging panel discussion on Asset-Based Framing on Friday, September 11! Grounded in our core values of Inclusion, Collaboration, and Growth, this session explores how defining people by their aspirations before their obstacles creates more persuasive proposals and honors community dignity. In partnership with Amani Family Services, Inc., this event is affiliated with national Welcoming Week 2026 and embraces this year’s theme: “Stories We Share: The Courage to Connect.”
Gathering Details:
When: Friday, September 11, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Where: Allen County Public Library (Main Branch), Alan McMahan Meeting Room (In Readers Services)

Featured Panelists:
Sherry Early (Executive Director, Interra Cares Foundation)
Melissa Grossman (Executive Director, Amani Family Services)
Jennifer Rohlf (Director of Empowerment, YWCA Northeast Indiana)
Scott Thornsberry ( Donor Engagement Coordinator, Pathfinder)

Whether you manage grants full-time or lead organizational communications, you will gain practical tools to refine your narrative style, center community feedback, and write more impactful applications. Attend our next meeting to learn and grow alongside local nonprofit leaders! Register for free today on Eventbrite to save your spot.

07/11/2026

We just wrapped up our annual strategic retreat in Saugatuck, Michigan! Stepping away from the day-to-day gave us the perfect opportunity to look at where we are, reconnect with our shared vision for the coming year, and align on our new roadmap. During our sessions, we took a hard look at what truly drives our work. The absolute number one strength we identified is our genuine care for our clients' missions. When we partner with an organization, we don't just want to finish a project—our goal is always to leave you with the practical tools you need to grow and build sustainable relationships moving forward. We are proud to be experts in utilizing advanced AI to keep our work efficient and streamlined. But we have a strict rule at Petra: we will never let technology replace our humanity, our empathy, and our core desire to make our community and the world a better place. Our future is incredibly bright because our partnerships continue to grow stronger every day. We are heading back to work re-energized, focused, and ready to support the incredible organizations that trust us. Learn more about our team and services at petrasolutionsconsulting.com

06/22/2026

The City of Fort Wayne has announced the latest group of recipients of the opioid settlement fund mini grants.

05/25/2026

We are thankful and honored that Irene was recognized alongside several change makers. Irene founded Petra Solutions in 2020 with the motto "Solutions for kind work" and a business model that bets on teamwork with our clients and love for impact. That's our return on investment.

At our club meeting on Monday, we celebrated some of the region’s most impactful change makers at our annual awards luncheon. Each year, the Club recognizes non-Rotarians in Allen County who have made extraordinary contributions of their time, talents, and resources through community service. Funds from the “Kap” Kilbourne Trust are used to recognize individuals as Paul Harris Fellows.

“Kap” was a long-time member of Rotary, a successful businessman, and a servant leader in Fort Wayne.

This year's distinguished honorees include Don Cates, Angelo & Marie Mante, Irene Paxia, and Wendy Stein. We will post more about each of these recipients in the coming weeks.

05/19/2026

Last month, members of the Grant Professionals Network had the privilege of joining local program officers for a candid roundtable discussion. While our roles often interact through portals and applications, this was a welcome opportunity to connect as people.

We spent time exploring the nuances of the Northeast Indiana funding landscape—discussing how we can work more synchronously to support our community's needs. It wasn't about "asking"; it was about understanding the perspectives on both sides of the bridge.

This type of exchange reminds us that our network's strength lies in collaboration. By learning from one another, we ensure that the local nonprofit ecosystem remains resilient and well-informed.

We are grateful for the ongoing partnership of our local funders and look forward to carrying these insights into our work this summer.

02/20/2026

Big thanks to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Northeast Indiana Chapter for having us yesterday!

Andrew Applegate shared insights on leveraging AI tools to create greater efficiencies in the fundraising world. We love supporting collective impact projects and engaging with our local professional community.

Missing from the presentation: Our mascot, Lunabelle! 🐾 She stays behind the scenes, but she’s the heart of the team.

01/16/2026

Tall Rabbit Cafe + Community is a great place for meetings!

It is special when people use our cafe as a '3rd space' to connect and build community. But when it's professionals working to build a greater community at large, it is inspirational! Professionals Network and Petra Solutions !

01/08/2026

We are thrilled to officially introduce Hannah Shoue as our new Grant Strategy Specialist. Hannah joined us in 2026, bringing a wealth of experience in securing vital funding for nonprofit missions.

Before joining Petra, Hannah served as the Grant Manager for YWCA Northeast Indiana. In that role, she gained in-depth experience in both foundation and government grant management, successfully helping the organization secure millions of dollars in funding.

Hannah’s Professional Expertise:

Certified Grant Writer: Hannah has been working in the field since 2020 and became certified through Learn Grant Writing in 2022.

Community Leadership: She is a founding member of the Grant Professionals Network of Northeast Indiana and a 2024 graduate of YWCA USA’s Emerging Leaders program.

Academic Background: Hannah holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Purdue University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Theological Studies from Wesley Seminary.

At Petra Solutions, Hannah will be a key partner for our clients, supporting the Petra Grant Life Cycle™ through expert grant writing, logic model development, and funder relationship strategy. We are incredibly thankful to have her talent and dedication on our team as we continue to provide "Strategies for Kind Work" to the nonprofit community.

Please join us in welcoming Hannah!