(Shelbyville, IN) – Accelerate Rural Indiana (ARI) was joined by state and local elected officials and representatives from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation Thursday to celebrate the region’s early success in implementing their $20 million READI award.
The region awarded $14 million of ceremonial READI funding checks to 12 projects across the region, with another $6 million in the pipeline (Batesville and Greensburg/Decatur County check presentations pictured).
“Congratulations to ARI and all of the counties in this district for receiving the highest per-capita READI award in the state,” said Kurt Fullbeck, Vice President of Development Strategy at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. “The work ARI is doing is proof that the READI program has been and will continue to be transformative for Hoosier communities. I look forward to seeing further investment flow into this region.”
ARI was awarded $20 million of Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) funding, the highest per capita READI award in the state.
In total, the region’s READI project portfolio is expected to attract nearly $500 million of public and private investment to the region by 2026.
“The impact of this investment in the ARI Region will be transformational,” said Mayor Joshua Marsh of Greensburg during the celebration. “The region’s READI projects are expected to bring an additional 300 single-family homes, 300 multi-family housing units, 170 new jobs, 260 additional childcare seats, five new parks and trails, and three new tourism destinations which will attract over 170,000 annual visitors to the region.”
Two of ARI’s READI projects have already been completed and are ready for regional residents to enjoy with the warming weather.
Pirate Park in Greensburg was completed in October 2022 and a Skate Park in Batesville was completed in April 2023.
In addition to celebrating projects, ARI also announced the formation of the Accelerate Rural Indiana Regional Development Authority.
The RDA was formed pursuant to Indiana Code 36-7.6, which allows two or more adjacent counties to form an RDA to develop and fund regionally significant projects.
The ARI RDA will be governed by a Development Board of five representatives from the ARI region.
The ARI RDA Development Board held its first meeting at Greensburg’s City Hall on April 14, 2023.
House Enrolled Act 1001, the State’s biennial budget, added an additional $500 million for a second round of READI funding.
The ARI region hopes to leverage its success with READI thus far and the RDA to secure READI 2.0 funding.
The informal coalition of Batesville, Greensburg, Rushville, and Shelbyville along with Decatur, Rush, and Shelby counties was formed in 2021.
(Accelerate Rural Indiana press release)
