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OCRA awards over $475K in planning grants to seven communities

INDIANAPOLIS (May 19, 2022) – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced seven Hoosier communities are awarded $475,900 in Planning Grants through the Community Development Block Grant program. These communities will use the funds to develop plans to implement community and economic development projects.

“Planning grants can be instrumental in making impactful change in our rural communities,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. “With this funding, towns and cities can better develop their local project plans to help further improve their community.”

The Planning Grant program aims to encourage communities to plan for long-term community development with the aid of subject matter experts and community input. The applications being funded this quarter address water infrastructure and comprehensive community planning.

“The best community projects are well thought out and involve community engagement,” OCRA Executive Director Denny Spinner said. “These seven communities recognize this and are investing in strategic plans, whether it be to help their overall community and local economy, or to improve water infrastructure.”

Water Infrastructure grants help 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.

Water Infrastructure grants were awarded to three communities:

  • Town of Milford is awarded $90,000;
  • Town of Reynolds is awarded $87,300; and
  • Town of Grandview is awarded $90,000.

Comprehensive Planning grants are designed to aid communities in assessing assets and identifying opportunities to address current needs in the following areas; land use, government capacity, public services, placemaking, economic development, housing, transportation, agriculture, natural resources, broadband access and historic resources.

Comprehensive Planning grants were awarded to four communities:

  • Blackford County is awarded $60,000;
  • Town of Dayton is awarded $50,000;
  • Town of Sunman is awarded $50,000; and
  • Town of Wolcott is awarded $48,600.

The State of Indiana distributes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities to assist units of local government with various community projects. Planning grants are one type of grants offered through OCRA’s CDBG Program.

Planning Grant applications are accepted on a quarterly basis. For more information, visit in.gov/ocra/cdbg.

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Under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch, who also serves as the Secretary of Rural Development, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ (OCRA) mission is to work with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to assist communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development. For more information, visit ocra.in.gov.