STATEHOUSE (Dec. 15, 2021) – Communities across all 17 regions in Indiana will receive $500 million as part of a new, innovative state grant aimed at increasing quality of life and attracting top talent, according to State Rep. Matt Lehman (R-Berne).
On Tuesday, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced $50 million will go to counties in the Northeast, including DeKalb, LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, Kosciusko, Whitley, Allen, Wabash, Huntington, Wells and Adams. The communities, led by the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority, submitted a regional development plan as part of a competitive grant process through the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development or READI initiative.
During the 2021 legislative session, Lehman supported making a record investment in READI in order to encourage communities to partner and create a plan for the future.
"This is exciting news for Northeast Indiana, especially for our more rural areas competing with larger communities for talent and investments," Lehman said. "A lot of people worked hard on the plan and it's an excellent example of how public-private partnerships can be a big win for local communities and our state."
Regional development plans across the state included housing, trails, broadband, childcare and wellness initiatives, workforce development programs, and telling Indiana’s story to the world. Lehman said the plans enumerated a nearly 10:1 capitalization leverage ratio from private and public sources as compared to the state investment.
Click here for a full list of READI award recipients and visit iedc.in.gov to learn more about the READI initiative.
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State Rep. Matt Lehman (R-Berne) represents House District 79,
which includes all of Adams County and portions of Allen and Wells counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
