(Indianapolis, IN) – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced four Indiana communities will receive over $280,000 in Planning Grants through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The communities will use the funds to develop plans for long-term comprehensive development and the implementation of utility improvement projects.
Locally, the Town of Napoleon has been awarded a $60,000 Water Infrastructure Planning Grant.
These grants allow communities to complete a study of potential issues and opportunities across their drinking, wastewater and storm water 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.
In addition, the towns of Winamac and Wingate were each awarded $90,000 in Water Infrastructure Grants.
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 was awarded to the Town of Middletown.
“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. “Congratulations to each of these Hoosier communities on receiving these grants.”
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.”
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/.
