Finward Bancorp

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

S

CHEDULE

14A

I

NFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. ____)

Filed by the Registrant ☒

Filed by a party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

Finward Bancorp

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):

☒ No fee required

☐ Fee paid previously with preliminary materials

☐ Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules

14a-6(i)(1)

and

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9204 Columbia Avenue

Munster, Indiana 46321

(219)836-4400

Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders

To Be Held on May 22, 2025

To the Shareholders of Finward Bancorp:

We cordially invite you to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Finward Bancorp, an Indiana corporation (the “Bancorp”), to be held on Thursday, May 22, 2025, commencing at 9:00 a.m., Central Daylight Time. The Annual Meeting will be held completely as a virtual meeting of shareholders instead of an in person meeting. You may attend the meeting online, submit questions, and vote your shares electronically during the meeting via the internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/FNWD2025. To enter the Annual Meeting, you will need the 16-digit control number that is printed in the box marked by the arrow on the accompanying proxy card. We recommend that you log in at least 15 minutes before the meeting to ensure that you are logged in when the meeting starts.

The Annual Meeting will be held for the following purposes:

You can vote online at the meeting or any adjournment of the meeting if you are a shareholder of record at the close of business on March 21, 2025.

We urge you to read the enclosed proxy statement carefully so you will have information about the business to come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment. Please sign, date, and return the accompanying proxy promptly in the postage-paid envelope furnished for that purpose, or follow the related internet or telephone voting instructions. If you hold shares through a broker or other nominee, you should follow the procedures provided by your broker or nominee.

A copy of our Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, is enclosed. The Annual Report is not a part of the proxy soliciting material enclosed with this letter.

By Order of the Board of Directors

David J. Kwait

Senior Vice President, Chief Risk Officer, General Counsel and Secretary

Munster, Indiana

April 1, 2025

It is important that you return your proxy promptly. Therefore, whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting online, please sign, date and complete the enclosed proxy and return it in the enclosed envelope, which requires no postage if mailed in the United States, or follow the related internet or telephone voting instructions.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF

PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON MAY 22, 2025

The Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the Proxy Statement,

Annual Report, and 2024 Form 10-K are available at www.proxyvote.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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9204 Columbia Avenue

Munster, Indiana 46321

(219)836-4400

Proxy Statement

For the Annual Meeting of Shareholders

To Be Held on May 22, 2025

The Board of Directors of Finward Bancorp, an Indiana corporation (the “Bancorp”), is soliciting proxies to be voted at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) to be held completely virtually at 9:00 a.m., Central Daylight Time, on May 22, 2025, and at any adjournment of the meeting. You may attend the meeting online, submit questions, and vote your shares electronically during the meeting via the internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/FNWD2025. The Bancorp’s principal asset consists of 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Peoples Bank (the “Bank”). We expect to first mail this proxy statement and the form of proxy to our shareholders on or about April 9, 2025.