STATEHOUSE (Aug. 25, 2026) – A state grant was recently awarded to the Indianapolis office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation to help local entrepreneurs and small businesses access financing, according to State Rep. Julie McGuire (R-Indianapolis).
The $25,350 grant, awarded by the Indiana Economic Development Corp.'s Community Collaboration Fund (CCF), supports new community collaborations, services and programming focused on building and strengthening Indiana's small businesses.
"Small business owners are the backbone of our economy, but they don't always have access to the funding and resources they need to thrive," McGuire said. "This grant will help more Indianapolis entrepreneurs get connected to financing options to help them start or grow their business."
LISC Indianapolis will use the grant to build a ticketing and referral platform for an alliance of six mission-driven lenders to streamline connections between business owners and the flexible financing options provided by community development financial institutions, which often support low-income or underserved populations. The project will also educate referral sources and entrepreneurs about how and when to engage with a CDFI.
Projects selected for 2026 CCF funding focus on helping entrepreneurs and small businesses start and scale more quickly and leverage technology and artificial intelligence. This round of funding brings the total of CCF grants for fiscal year 2026 to $757,000, which is expected to support more than 6,000 current and aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state.
To learn more about LISC Indianapolis and this opportunity, click here.
Indiana ranks in the top five nationally for small business survival and 12th for the rate of new entrepreneurs. In 2024, Forbes recognized Indiana as the No. 2 state in the country to start a business.
To learn more about resources available to Indiana entrepreneurs and small businesses, visit iedc.in.gov/entrepreneurship.
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State Rep. Julie McGuire (R-Indianapolis) represents House District 93,
which includes a portion of Marion County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
