INDIANAPOLIS — Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced four Indiana communities will receive more than $280,000 in planning grants through the Community Development Block Grant program. The communities will use the funds to develop plans for long-term comprehensive development and the implementation of utility improvement projects.
The Planning Grant program encourages communities to plan for sustainable community development with the aid of subject matter experts and community input. The applications being funded this quarter address downtown revitalization and water utilities efforts.
“The Planning Grant program is a great opportunity for communities to get ahead,” said OCRA Executive Director Duke Bennett. “By creating strong plans for development now, these four towns will be best prepared to carry out successful projects down the road, and as a result, increase the quality of life in their communities.”
Water Infrastructure Planning Grants are awarded to Wingate, Winamac and Napoleon. Wingate and Winamac each will receive $90,000 and Napoleon will receive $60,000.
These grants allow communities to complete a holistic study of potential issues and opportunities across their drinking, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. By completing this planning, communities will be able to make decisions regarding their most urgent water needs while understanding how each system works in context with other utility systems.
“As communities across the state continue to attract more residents, it is important that they are maintaining a strong infrastructure,” said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Downtown Revitalization Planning Grants aim to provide a comprehensive strategy for revitalizing the downtown area in rural communities by addressing demographic, economic and social aspects, as well as physical and cultural conditions. The plan serves as a roadmap for leveraging current assets, securing funding sources, and building community engagement to revitalize the downtown business district area and promote economic growth.
A Downtown Revitalization Planning Grant of $40,000 is awarded to Middletown.
Funding for OCRA’s CDBG programs originates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and is administered for the State of Indiana by OCRA. For more information, visit in.gov/ocra/cdbg/.
