Note to the press: Please include the following statements from State Reps. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne), Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne) and Dave Heine (R-Fort Wayne) 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. 16, 2021) – "These grants will help continue transforming Northeast Indiana. Focusing on population and workforce expansion, a key element of the READI grant initiative, will boost our overall growth. We must invest in our workforce to remain competitive around the state and Midwest, and these grants can help achieve that goal," said State Rep. Martin Carbaugh.
"These grants will help develop and retain the workforce talent in our region, and that goes hand-in-hand with growth in our communities. We want to entice more businesses to locate to Northeast Indiana, and training a local, sustainable labor pool is necessary for that to happen. Continuing to invest in our area will pay dividends for many years to come," said State Rep. Dave Heine.
"Our region is uniquely located to draw talent from Michigan, Ohio and even Illinois. By focusing on quality-of-life initiatives that surround our current and potential business locations, we can create places people want to live and raise families," said State Rep. Bob Morris.
The Northeast Indiana RDA led the proposal process and was awarded $50 million. The group represents constituents from an 11-county area consisting of Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties.
Click here for a copy of the governor's announcement and full list of award recipients.
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State Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne) represents House
District 81, which includes a portion of Allen County.
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State Rep. Dave Heine (R-Fort Wayne) represents House
District 85, which includes a portion of Allen County.
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State Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne) represents House
District 84, which includes a portion of Allen County.
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