Grant Writing

As a service to our member communities, ECIRPD writes grant proposals for a variety of state and federal agencies. We have submitted grant proposals to EPA, EDA, FEMA, OCRA, and USDA for many different projects. We also have a certified grant administrator on staff to facilitate projects.

Since 2009 when ECIRPD was created, we have been able to transform $1,200,000.00 in dues from the region into $8,800,000.00 in usable funds for the region. Combining that with what the CCMG has been able to accomplish, ECIRPD has brought in additional funding of 13,899,373.00 to the region.

Grants Received To Date

2025 (Current Programs and Projects)
Grant Amount Used for
EDA Resiliency grant
7/23/21 – 1/23/25
15 interns contributed to this project in 2024. Resiliency Plan submitted to EDA for comment.
$400,000
Balance: $23k
Region Wide
Improve the region’s ability to deal with economic hardship caused by unexpected economic events
DOT SS4A grant
7/1/24 – 3/1/26
Implementation grant will be applied for after the Planning Grant is finished.
$500,000

Balance: $380K
Region Wide

 

 

Through funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, the East Central Indiana Regional Planning District (ECIRPD) is developing a comprehensive Regional Safety Action Plan that aims to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries across Delaware, Grant, Jay, and Blackford Counties.
USDA BEST #5 grant
6/1/23 – 6/12/25
 $100,000
Balance: $2k
To expand on ECIRPD’s efforts to provide needed project development, training, and technical assistance—including project planning, business counseling/training, market research, feasibility studies, professional/technical reports, or product/service improvements—to businesses located in rural areas throughout the region.
USDA BEST #6 grant
7/1/24 – 6/30/25
$50,000

To expand on ECIRPD’s efforts to provide needed project development, training, and technical assistance—including project planning, business counseling/training, market research, feasibility studies, professional/technical reports, or product/service improvements—to businesses located in rural areas throughout the region.

6 workshops have been completed in 2 counties.

Grant Amount Used for
EPA Brownfield grant
10/01/22 – 09/30/25 
$500,000
Delaware County only

We’ve completed 20 Phase 1 reports. 5 Phase 2 reports. 2 Asbestos Assessment reports. 22 permanent jobs and leveraged $280,00.00 for clean-ups largely from the Indiana Brownfields Program. We presented the current program at the National Convention in Chicago, August of 2025.

OCRA OOR grant program
(2023 – 2025)
$1M
Jay County Only 

ECIRPD received notice of funding from OCRA. Applications have been approved and distributed. Over 80 applications were received. A Raydon inspector has been chosen, and contractors are being identified. OCRA is reviewing applications now.

AmeriCorps Broadband Fellow
(2024-2025)
 

We were awarded fellow Autumn Marshall, who was with us through August 2025. She assisted with all things related to broadband and its future development across the region—from educating both public and private citizens to leading workshops on cybersecurity, providing grant assistance, and coordinating with developers.
During her time with us, Autumn worked with counties and providers on the BEAD Challenges and grants. She also launched a Digital Literacy workshop for regional constituents in two of the four counties.

RPO/MPO working together

ECIRPD is working with the DMMPC to combine interest and projects to reduce further costs and collaboration across the region.

Grant Amount Used for
CCMG grant assistance
10/01/22 – 09/30/25 

Since 2016, the ECIRPD CCMG program has helped regional communities raise more than
$5,099,373.92

ECIRPD is handling the Community Crossing Matching Grant for the following small towns in the region.

Daleville, Yorktown, Selma, Chesterfield, Swayzee, Salamonia, Pennville, Bryant.

We help maintain their LTAP plan, 5-year management plan, estimates, bids, bid completion and close out with INDOT.

EDA Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy grant

READI 2.0    Completion 6/25

$120,000
Balance: $80k

The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Plan is a summary of the economic conditions of the region. It also contains a list of projects identified and prioritized by each ECIRPD county.

As a regional planning district, ECIRPD is required to complete a CEDS Plan for the four-county region every five years. This plan is then updated annually to reflect project process and the changing needs of the region.

The focus of the CEDS process is to identify projects that would qualify for funding from the Economic Development Administration (EDA). Having such projects in our CEDS Plan gives the region the potential to attract millions of dollars from the EDA that would otherwise be invested in other regions and/or states.

 

2022
2022
Grant Amount Used for
EPA Brownfield Grant $500,000 To clean up and identify brownfields in the Whitely, Industry, and McKinley neighborhoods as well as the rest of Delaware County 
2022 USDA BEST Program $100,000 Expand on current efforts to provide needed project development as well as training and technical assistance including project planning, business counseling/training, market research, feasibility studies, professional/technical reports, and product/service improvements to targeted businesses located in rural areas throughout the region
Community Crossing Matching Grant Funds (Daleville)  $55,603.73 Provides funding to cities, towns, and counties across Indiana to make improvements to local bridges and roads
Community Crossing Matching Grant Funds (Swayzee) $15,857.85 Pavement preservation project
2021
Grant Amount Used for
USDA Grant for BEST Program $56,983 Provides technical assistance and advice to small, rural businesses
EDA Recovery and Resiliency grant $400,000 Improve the region’s ability to deal with economic hardship caused by unexpected economic events
Community Crossing Matching Grant Funds (Daleville) $77,868.75 Pavement preservation project
Community Crossing Matching Grant Funds (Chesterfield) $686,247.18 Pavement preservation project
2020
Grant Amount Used for
Community Crossing Matching Grant (CCMG) 

From INDOT

$163,647.75 Surface treatment projects
INDOT Railroad Grade Crossing Fund grant $1,750 Pavement marking
IFA grant $80,000 Funds for tank removal at a former gas station on Weiser Street
USDA grant for BEST Program $90,000 Provides technical assistance and advice to small, rural businesses
2019
Grant Amount Used for
Community Crossing Matching Grant (CCMG) 

From INDOT

$211,488.18 Surface treatment projects
IDA environmental cleanup grant $70,000  Fund Phase 1 environmental clean up at the former CR3 Rubber Recycling Site
2018
Grant Amount Used for
Economic Development Administrative Grant $88,600.00 Surface treatment projects
I-69 Corridor Impact AssessmentUnited States Department of Agriculture– Rural Development Block Grant $68,000.00 Entrepreneur and Business Development Assessment Grant for Grant, Delaware, Blackford, Randolph and Jay Counties
Community Crossing Matching Grant (CCMG) 

From INDOT

$213,986.65 Provides funding to cities, towns, and counties across Indiana to make improvements to local bridges and roads
USDA grant for BEST program  $68,000 Provides technical assistance and advice to small, rural businesses 
2016
Grant Amount Used for
Economic Development Administration Grant $51,628.00
CEDS Plan update for Delaware County, Grant County and the City of Portland
Place Based Investment Fund Grant  $50,000 To finance streetscape improvements in a mixed use development project in Daleville
2013
Grant Amount Used for
EDA Investing in Manufacturing Communities Project Grant $300,000 Anderson, Muncie, New Castle
2011
Grant Amount Used for
U.S EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant $609,000 ECI Brownfields Coalition Brownfield Inventory and Assessment – Priority Sites
2010
Grant Amount Used for
Brownfield Trails and Parks Grant $22,481 1605 E. Main St. Site Phase II Assessments (Delaware County)
Indiana Office of Energy Development Energy Efficiency Grant $250,000 New HVAC Boiler for Delaware County Justice Center
Economic Development Administration Grant $60,000 Blackford, Delaware, Grant and Jay Counties Regional Planning
2009
Grant Amount Used for
Indiana Brownfield Grant $58,198 Muncie Paper Processing Site Phase I and Phase II Assessments (Delaware County)
Indiana Brownfield Grant $38,627 Sodder Lumber Yard Site Phase I and Phase II Assessments (Blackford County)
Economic Development Administration Grant $50,000 Blackford, Delaware, Grant and Jay Counties Regional Planning
Economic Development Administration Grant $2,268,750 Railspur for Park One Business Park (Delaware County)