ROI Awards Grants in Uplands Region
Six quality of place grants have been awarded in five Indiana Uplands counties from Regional Opportunity Initiatives. The latest Ready Communities Implementation Grants totaled more than $1 million in the third round of the program.
ROI says the third round was delayed due to COVID-19, but has since completed awarding the $3 million in grants for 17 projects in nine counties.
“We were inspired by the sheer number of applications and the innovative approaches communities were proposing for creating opportunity in the Uplands,” said ROI President and Chief Executive Officer Tina Peterson. “It is clear that communities across our region are determined to stay the course when it comes to advancing quality of place for those who currently call our region home and for those we intend to attract to the Uplands.”
The round featured 17 applicants, with eight making presentations and funding for six of the projects was approved in October. The awards range from $100,000 to $250,000 per project.
Grant recipients are:
Brown County Community Foundation – to expand the Brown County Preschool program and Brown County High School’s Child Development Associate (CDA) educational pathway. This grant will expand the newly proposed three and four-year old preschool program at Brown County Intermediate school to include a classroom for two-year old children.
Daviess County Economic Development Foundation, Inc. – to support Phase 1 of the WestGate@Crane gateway infrastructure project. This infrastructure project aligns with the newly completed WestGate@Crane masterplan and will include gateway and streetscape improvements at the main entryway into WestGate Certified Technology Park.
North Lawrence Community Schools – to expand its childcare program and high school Child Development Associate educational pathway. This grant will develop the new Playful Pathways Early Childhood Center to serve children birth to age five and provide hands-on experience to high school students participating in Bedford North Lawrence’s child development pathway.
Orange County Community Foundation – to support the Paoli Community Playground Project. A new playground will offer community members and visitors the county’s only quality handicap-accessible recreational facility.
Washington County Community Foundation – to support the Salem Pocket Parks- A Connection to Our Heritage project. Developed in partnership with the IU Center for Rural Engagement and IU ServeDesign Center, this project will include pocket parks for social gatherings, new green spaces, public art celebrating historic female citizens, and improved pedestrian connectivity between the central Square and cultural museums at the John Hay Center.