Note to the press: Please include the following statements from Madison County lawmakers in your coverage of Tuesday's announcement by Gov. Eric Holcomb and the Indiana Economic Development Corp. awarding $500 million to support regional development plans across 17 regions representing all 92 counties. During the 2021 legislative session, state lawmakers made the record investment in the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative to encourage communities to partner and submit plans to increase quality of life and attract top talent. On Tuesday, the IEDC board of directors approved competitive READI grants up to $50 million in each region. The regional development plans included housing, trails, broadband, childcare and wellness initiatives, workforce development programs, and telling Indiana’s story to the world. The plans enumerated a nearly 10:1 capitalization leverage ratio from private and public sources as compared to state investment.
STATEHOUSE (Dec. 15, 2021) – "With READI grants, we'll see a large return on our investment as public and private partnerships are leveraged for the benefit of all Hoosiers. A lot of planning and thought went into these regional plans, and I'm excited for them to come to fruition and for all of the hard work to begin paying off," said State Rep. Bob Cherry (R-Greenfield).
"With several top-notch universities nearby, east central Indiana is in a great position to attract young professionals to invigorate our workforce and strengthen our region. We can clear that hurdle with the help of these READI grants, and continue to make our community a great place to work, live and play," said State Rep. Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown).
"The READI grants can help our communities grow and add additional job opportunities for Hoosiers. I look forward to watching how these new developments, such as parks, local downtown renovations and workforce training programs, will stimulate our economy and attract even more people to Indiana," said State Rep. Tony Cook (R-Cicero).
Area READI grant award recipients include:
Click here for a copy of the governor's announcement and full list of award recipients.
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State Rep. Bob Cherry (R-Greenfield) represents House District 53,
which includes portions of Hancock and Madison counties.
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State Rep. Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown) represents House District 35,
which includes portions of Delaware and Madison counties.
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State Rep. Tony Cook (R-Cicero) represents House District 32, which includes all of Tipton County and
portions of Hamilton, Madison, Delaware, Howard and Grant counties.
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